Bizarre new suitcase rules mean you could need a driving license to use them abroad
JAPANESE authorities are cracking down on the bizarre phenomenon taking their airports by storm.
Tourists using rideable suitcases powered by lithium-ion batteries to scoot across airports, have been warned they need a driving licence.
Many travellers have been caught out after using the speedy and convenient motorised luggage that looks like a child’s scooter.
Big name celebs like Paris Hilton have popularised the pricey suitcases but two major airports have advised against using them.
This is because of strict laws that deem them “motorised vehicles that can be ridden on roads only with the required safety equipment and a driving license”.
Both Narita International Airport and Chubu Centrair International Airport have either advised flyers against them or had passengers moan about their use.
Local prosecutors detained a Chinese woman in her 30s for “driving without a licence” after allegedly riding a three-wheeled suitcase on an Osaka sidewalk in June, their police force said.
Cops used her case as an example, reminding the public that rideable suitcases, including mopeds, that travel at 8mph (13km) are classed as “motorised bicycles” that require owners to have driving licenses.
A similar case was observed in June when an Indonesian boy was riding one of the suitcases in a busy shopping street, by pedestrians.
Local news agency Kyodo said his family were shocked that users of the funky vehicle needed a driving license to ride them in Japan.
Cops have urged retailers to warn customers that they need a license to operate them but it’s not yet clear what punishments are.
Police have now urged domestic retailers to warn customers against its use without completing the legal requirements to use it.
Scientist Takeru Shibayama told The Guardian that Japan’s ultra-broad classification of what is and what isn’t a vehicle may prompt a wider conversation on rethinking guidelines.
The country’s National Police Agency found traffic violations involving electric scooters quadrupled six months after rules were made more lax.
Relaxing of rules meant anyone over 16 could ride the scooters without needing a driving license.
This comes not long after a savvy traveller revealed how she beats airline’s strict hand luggage rules by sneaking an extra bag onto the plane for £1.55.
Lisa Brown says she’s saved “hundreds of pounds” on “pricey” airline bag fees with this completely legal hack.
In a video that she posted online, the frugal 28-year-old is seen purchasing a 10p carrier bag and a £1.45 bottle of water at duty-free.
Afterwards, she stuffed the Duty Free bag full of things to avoid having to pay for more luggage.
After checking in online, Lisa gets her extras checked through security in a different bag and then puts them in an airport shopping bag.
