A woman in Japan has been charged by police after taking her electric suitcase out for a spin on a public pavement without having a licence to do so, making her the first person to prosecuted for it in the country.
While licensed riders may use motorised suitcases indoors or on pavements, they are not allowed on roads and motorways in Japan as they do not always have brakes, headlights or signal lights to indicate turning. “I did not recognise it as a vehicle and did not think that a driving licence was required,” she reportedly told the police.
A local traffic policeman said riding the suitcase was allowed only in closed-off roads or indoor places, Chinese online news site NetEase reported. She was reportedly fined an undisclosed amount for being a safety risk.