What is the legal status of electric unicycles on city, state roads? [Lancaster Watchdog]
Electric unicycles are single-wheel vehicles similar to electric scooters and bicycles. Riders straddle a wheel and lean forward, backward and side to side to control speed and steering. The simplest models consist of only a wheel flanked by a platform on each side for footholds, but high-end models include roller handles, seats and handlebars.
The unicycles can reach speeds of 30 to 65 mph, similar to other motor vehicles.
So where do electric unicycles fall in the spectrum of vehicles when it comes to state and city laws?
According to a 2021 micromobility device chart from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, electric unicycles legally fall under the category of electric scooters and, therefore, cannot operate on public roadways. PennDOT did not respond to questions about micromobility regulations or incident data for this story.
Local electric bicycle retailers Let's Roll and A&S Bike Shop say they don't sell the unicycles specifically because regulations are so unclear.
The growing number of riders prompted Lancaster city police to issue a statement on the use of electric unicycles and other vehicles on roadways.
"Riders who choose to use e-unicycles, e-skateboards, and e-bikes as an option of transportation will be treated the same way as bicyclists," police said in a statement. "For pedestrian safety, these devices cannot be ridden on the sidewalk and riders will be cited if observed by Lancaster City police officers. Riders must abide by the rules of the road which means obeying stop signs, one-way roadways, traffic signals, etc."
Members of the Lancaster Downtowners, a network of city-based seniors, have expressed concern about potential safety hazards posed by electric unicycles sharing the road with other vehicles.
"I am in awe of the acrobatic balance and coordination of Lancaster unicycle riders, especially the ones I see speeding along at 45 mph," member Allan Eustis said. He compared the riders, who often weave their way between vehicles, to slalom skiers navigating a downhill course. He worries about the potential for collisions between riders and pedestrians.
Another member, Angela Piel, said she supports green transportation but doesn't endorse reckless cyclists disobeying the law. She hopes there will be clear enforcement and communication between the city, pedestrians and riders.
'You feel like Superman'
Rob Larkin, 33, is one of the riders who navigates the city streets on an electric unicycle.
Larkin, who throughout his youth was fascinated by anything with wheels, described the vehicle as if it were the fulfillment of a childhood dream.
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When the unicycles started appearing in nearby cities, he knew he had to have one.
"You feel like Superman," Larkin said, describing the ride.
Larkin and more than a dozen other city residents are part of an unofficial group of guys who ride together through the city, bonded by their shared love of the electric unicycle and other modes of personal wheeled transportation. The number of electric unicycle riders has ballooned, according to the group, from four to 15 in just over a year.
"Every morning it's the first thing I think of when I wake up," rider Nick Hall said. "It's honestly like flying. It's like flying because you just feel so free."
Hall, 22, began riding around the time the COVID-19 pandemic began. He had a long history with wheeled personal transports, having ridden everything from longboards to roller skates. He had worked as a painter in Lancaster but saw an opportunity with the electric unicycle.
"I hated my life because I was contributing, like, everything toward somebody else's goals," Hall said. "So I quit my job. And I started doing DoorDash on my wheel. And now I make over $2,000 a month. ... I basically don't even work anymore. I just live."
Larkin and other riders said their interactions with police have largely been positive - most of the time, officers just ask how the unicycles work and where the riders got them.
"They work with us. So long as we're acting like a bike and we stop at all the red lights, stop at all the stop signs and then proceed after no one's coming, they're OK with us," rider Sean Otto said. "If you're holding up traffic, that's a different story."
Like Larkin, Otto, 28, became interested in electric unicycles when they started to appear in nearby cities. He initially thought the idea of riding one was silly, but he became enamored with their utility and style, along with the growth of the community of riders.
"My experience in Lancaster has been super positive and has been super easy to navigate or maneuver," Otto said. "We've had many people just ask what it is, say how awesome they think it is, or just wave and smile."
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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 2:09 PM.