'The ticket was for almost $600': Electric unicyclists demand change to B.C. road rules

A new mode of transportation is gaining popularity on the streets of Vancouver, but people who have adopted it are facing hefty fines.

Electric unicycle riders report tickets ranging from around $80 for riding on the sidewalk to $600 for not having insurance.

"The ticket was for almost $600 dollars," said Gabe Kwok, a local electric unicyclist who was ticketed while riding on the road. 

The recent university grad says the officer who ticketed him told him the fine was for not having insurance to operate the vehicle.

According to the Ministry of Transportation, ICBC can only sell insurance for cycles that meet provincial and federal classifications and associated standards for motorcycles and limited-speed motorcycles.

"The Motor Vehicle Act does not permit people to use devices such as solo wheels, hoverboards, or electric skateboards and unicycles on public roads, including sidewalks," wrote a ministry spokesperson in an email.

The statement went on to say that the only places electric solo wheels or unicycles can be used are on private property, in skate parks or on designated trails.

CALLS FOR CHANGE

The province recently amended the Motor Vehicle Act to enable new technology, such as; delivery robots, e-bikes and designated personal mobility devices but unicycles are not mentioned.

Bradley Spence, the co-founder of eevee's in Vancouver, a company that sells personal electric vehicles, has been fighting for the single-wheeled mode of transportation to get approval and is calling on the government to revise its restrictions.

"They haven't defined what a designated mobility device is yet, but we are really hoping that electric unicycles are categorized as a mobility device, and hopefully, that's the first step to change," said Spence.

Since opening the store two years ago, Spence says eevee's has been bombarded with customers looking to get their hands on an electric unicycle.

"The legislation is really slow to grow with these things. Now, they did have a three-year pilot program that was introduced for electric kick scooters, which was fantastic. We saw a lot of sales once that was introduced," said Spence.

Two years ago, the province began a three-year electric kick scooter pilot program, allowing the province and 12 participating local governments to test and research how new forms of personal transportation are best used for the safety of all road users.

According to the province, reports show that scooters are popular and promote active transportation use. Injury rates are also reportedly low, and there are few complaints and infractions.

"The outcomes of the pilot, which ends next year, will ensure that future legislative changes reflect the input and needs of communities," wrote the Ministry of Transportation in its statement.

CTV News asked the Vancouver Police Department for the number of tickets issued this year to those illegally operating electric unicycles or e-vehicles, but police say they were unable to track ticketing data at that granular of a level.