Due to the newness of the single-wheel device, the EUC itself is typically unregistered, unlicensed, and uninsured.
Behave like a car or like something else.
EUC Street Riders
Logically, bicycles, scooters, and electric unicycles should follow the rules of the road.
Practically speaking, it is a different story. One major concern about riding in traffic and stopping in traffic is the very real possibility of being rear ended. In the case of being rear ended while abiding the stoplight, the EUC rider’s body would be struck near the hips and spine causing potentially catastrophic body damage.
After riding more than 6,000 miles in the city of Seattle, I recognize that I’ve made mistakes in my decision-making. However, let me share a personal experience about why I do not feel safe stopping in traffic behind cars most of the time.
I, personally, have abided by the rules of the road and there were multiple instances in which it has been truly unsafe. For example, I was riding south on 15th in Capitol Hill, Seattle, when I decided to act like a car and I stopped behind a vehicle at a red light. This was fine, until a white vehicle carrying four men began to swerve aggressively assumedly as a means of intimidating me or showing me I was doing something wrong (I had given a lot of space between the car in front of me because I don’t want to get backed up on).
I turned around and shined my headlamp directly into the driver and they acted like I shouldn’t even be on the road. I made the shrug gesture because I was honestly confused at the drivers rage. Then, I decided to ride off to the side of the road, at which point the driver made an illegal left turn over a double yellow line, zooming around the stopped car in front that was legitimately waiting to make the left turn (or go straight).
This is just one instance of many in which I have learned that it is better to be off to the side, away from, or in front of traffic rather than stopped in traffic. It is also the reason I typically avoid roads without a shoulder or a bike lane for my own safety.
An Electric Unicycle is NOT a Car.
The implications of an electric unicycle cautiously riding through red lights is more similar to bicycles than to cars.
If you’ve ever been in Seattle, you’d know that cyclists may cycle through red lights or blast through stop signs. Electric scooters and electric unicycles may do the same in some circumstances. There are many times when it is appropriate to make a complete stop.
If you yourself were a rider of any of these, then you would understand why it’s much different than a car behaving like this.
The main reason is that cyclists, scooters, and EUCs pose a minor risk to pedestrians as there simply is not enough weight or power to cause the serious type of damage that cars can.
Another important factor besides the significantly less mass compared to cars is that the space and maneuverability is superior as a rider compared to a car. As a result, riders are less likely to hit something because there is less surface area to impact with.
Time is important, or am I making excuses for bad behavior?
If you’ve ever been to a country in let’s say… South America, then you’d know that different cultures have different rules of the road. Just because the United States of America has been such a car-centric culture does not mean that personal electric vehicles need to or should act like cars.
That said, there is a big difference between cautiously taking liberties on the road versus being a complete entitled jerk. Riders should still be kind to pedestrians and allow pedestrians to cross when appropriate. Likewise, riders should not put themselves in unsafe positions in which drivers get freaked out. Also, riders should make themselves very visible so that drivers can act accordingly.
The 2020 pandemic taught us all something about time.
Time is something you never get back. That’s a serious reason why people choose to ride personal electric vehicles through urban areas, especially at rush hour, when major events are happening, or during construction, because you can get there using less time and less energy.
To give a personal experience with this point, I’ve been able to travel from Cal Anderson Park in Capitol Hill Seattle to Climate Pledge Arena in Uptown reliably in 8-10 minutes regardless of almost any level of traffic. I do this by using the shoulder of the road, by using bike lanes, and by filtering the front of the line at stoplights. This trip could easily take 20-30 minutes by car during rush hour, events, or construction even though it is only 2.5 miles.
So yes, I am perhaps justifying taking liberties on the road at your own risk.
I still try to respect drivers.
Often times you give respect, you get respect. So I still try to allow for the healthy flow of traffic without being an entitled jerk.
Because of all of my experience, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s better to be ahead of traffic than in traffic.
That’s why I filter to the front. It’s why I take liberties at lights.
However, I also know my limitations more and more. There are many signals which I will absolutely always stop for at the red light because it’s foolish to try and make it through.
Drivers, remember that driving a car is a much different experience.
If you use a scooter, bicycle, or EUC, then you understand why riders may behave this way.
Yes, it is to get to the destination faster.
It’s also for their own safety because riders learn that acting like a car (when you are not a car) can put you in some extremely dangerous situations.
If an EUC, Bicyclist, or Scooter annoys you, let it go and give instant forgiveness.
It’s seriously the best strategy to avoid road rage and to maintain a healthy mental state. Most of the time the other person did not intend to do you wrong.
We are all on this wild journey of life, unbelievable in many aspects, yet the social creatures that we are rely upon some level of social contract. Forgiveness is the way.
Otherwise, a person might get shot. 😦
All things considered, I strongly believe that there will be more regulation on Personal Electric Vehicles, including Electric Unicycles.
I am not against regulation, even though now I perceive the situation to be like the Wild Wild West given that the Seattle Police Department has no traffic enforcement on cars let alone on scooters or EUC’s.
Someone who isn’t me has gone through a red light at an intersection right in front a police officer. It’s not like they would even pull a car over (yes I’ve seen cars run red lights in front of police in 2022, 2023 with no consequence).
Anyway, I think the police are entertained by EUC’s because it distracts them from having to deal with fentanyl bros. 
On that note, thanks for reading and hopefully I didn’t come across as overly entitled or cocky. Love ya. Stay safe out there!!
Seattle Electric Unicycle Rider 
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