The human cost of UIUC’s hoverboard ban
We spoke to a freshman who got his for $500
Freshman chemical engineer Langston Wren was famously seen floating around campus with the help of his hoverboard.
Riding to and from class on the machine, he seemed to glide effortlessly, seeping with the sleekness one would expect from such a futuristic mode of transportation.
“Looks like I’ll be stomping through the snow now,” Langston said in response to the campus-wide hoverboard ban.
Langston Wren shows off his now banned hoverboard
Langston bought his hoverboard for $500 in September primarily to use on campus during the fall semester. He saw the gadget as a replacement to his recently impaired bike.
However, due to the reports of some hoverboard’s batteries catching on fire, Langston was forced to leave it off campus for the spring semester.
“I used it everyday. Whether I was upstairs, downstairs or actually going to class,” Langston said.
Now Langston might have to find a whole new way to get around and figure out another way to be eye-catching.
“I got so much attention from my hoverboard,” Langston said, laughing. “People would say, ‘Oh my God that’s so cool’ or ‘Dang, where’d you get that?’”
Still, Langston’s hoverboard notoriety hasn’t died yet. In fact, it is possibly at its peak.
“Everybody in my life pretty much texted me telling me that they were banned and said that they thought of me,” Langston said.
While Langston said he understands that the University took action as a preventative measure, he’s disappointed about the decision.
“I feel like if they’re able to resolve the problem, they should be allowed back on campus.”
Posted all over campus, these signs make it pretty clear how the administration thinks about hoverboards
Despite the the news of the ban and a newfound semester of trudging through the snow, Langston said he doesn’t regret his ownership.
“It’s still cool and I still can ride it,” Langston said, knowing he can maintain his and his hoverboard’s sleekness off-campus.