Playing on the street

Am I allowed to ride a skateboard, Segway, monorover, scooter, children's bike or similar on the sidewalk?

• General
• Use
• Age
• Requirements for using the public highway
• Legal basis

General

The definition of "small vehicles intended primarily for use off the public highway and "vehicle-like toys" includes:

• Microscooters: Microscooters are small, two-wheeled vehicles with a running board close to the ground.
• Scooters are slightly larger two-wheeled vehicles, also with a footboard close to the ground. They differ from microscooters in that they generally have larger pneumatic tyres, whereas microscooters normally use smaller, solid tyres.
• Skateboards consist of a board (deck) to which two moveable axles (trucks) with four wheels (castors) are attached. They are rarely used purely as a means of transport, but skateboard is a sport with its own specific disciplines. Skateboards are used primarily for street skating.
• Children’s bicycles: A children’s bicycle is a small vehicle with an external wheel-rim diameter of no more than 300 mm and a maximum speed of no more than 5 km/h.

Snakeboards, kickboards, waveboards, tricycles, pedal cars, sidewalkers for children and the like are also classified as vehicle-like toys.

A unicycle is a pedal-powered vehicle that has only one point of contact with the ground
(the wheel). It is mainly used as a piece of sports equipment. A unicycle is a small vehicle designed primarily for use off the public highway .

Monorovers (oxboards, hoverboards) are considered electrically-powered small vehicles intended primarily for use off the public highway. They are subject to the same provisions as skateboards (see below).

Segways are generally treated the same way as electric bicycles. If the power of a Segway exceeds 600 watts, or  if it is designed to achieve a speed in excess 25 km/h, it is considered a motor vehicle. Segways falling into this category may only be used on the public highway if they are regisered and have been  approved for use under EU regulations

Use

Microscooters, scooters, skateboards, longboards, children’s bicycles and all other small vehicles intended primarily for use off the public highway, and vehicle-like toys, may be used in the following areas, provided that they do not obstruct or endanger pedestrians or other road-users:

• On footpaths or pavements
• On residential or "living" streets

Small vehicles and vehicle-like toys must not be driven or ridden on the vehicle carriageway, on cycle paths or bicycle lanes, or in multi-purpose lanes.

If you are crossing the road via a pedestrian crossing on a microscooter, other small vehicles or vehicle-like toy, you must be carefully not to do so unexpectedly in the path of an oncoming vehicle and/or surprise the driver of the vehicle.

You can ride a skateboard in the areas mentioned above (on pavements or footways, in residential or "living" streets), as well as in parks or similar facilities.

Information on electric scooters and the use of petrol-powered scooters in road traffic can also be found on oesterreich.gv.at.

Age

Children over the age of eight can only travel alone on the public highway using the  means of transport mentioned above if that transport is powered exclusively by their own muscle power. Otherwise, children under the age of twelve must be supervised by someone over the age of 16. If the child has a cycling pass, they are allowed to travel alone on the means of transport mentioned above, even if the vehicle concerned is electrically powered.

Requirements for using the public highway

Gehsteige und Gehwege dürfen beim Spielen in Schrittgeschwindigkeit befahren werden, wenn weder der Verkehr auf der Fahrbahn noch Fußgängerinnen/Fußgänger dadurch behindert oder gefährdet werden.

You can ride or drive on pavements and footpaths  at walking pace while playing,  provided that doing so does not hinder or endanger pedestrians traffic on the carriageway.

Legal basis

Sections 2 para 1 items 19, 88 of the Straßenverkehrsordnung (StVO)