The city’s footpaths, streets and carparks should now be hoverboard free zones.

Dubai Municipality has banned the use of hoverboards in most public spaces in order to protect public safety.

The only public places that their use will be allowed is in parks that already have allocated areas for bicycles (so that rules out the Kite Beach track). The ban being public means they can still be used in homes.

They were banned in malls in October last year, but this new ruling now extends the ban to all public streets.

*VIDEO: The new XDubai skatepark on Kite Beach*

The hoverboards, which are actually self-balancing scooters that don’t hover whatsoever (they’re basically segways without handles), had a huge surge in popularity last year. But now residents who use them on public streets will have their hoverboards confiscated.

Those using hoverboards should also wear helmets, gloves, elbow and knee pads. And all children using them should be under adult supervision.

Speaking to local media, the director of Dubai Municipality’s department of health and public safety, Marwan Al Mohammed, said that the use of hover boards has led to a number of injuries recorded by Dubai Police. He said that misuse and malpractice as risks to the users as well as people close to them.