Riding tips for new eScooter riders
You just got yourself an eScooter or plan to use one of the rental units, let's take a look at some riding tips
Riding an eScooter can be a lot of fun and it's an easy way to travel around
Follow local laws
Not all countries and/or cities allow the use of eScooters or might have special restrictions. Always follow local laws. Rental and private eScooters can have different rules in the same city, where one is allowed and the other isn't
Bend your knees
Many eScooters out there, do not have suspension beyond what the air filled tires provide
By bending your knees slightly, your feet will work as suspensions and give you a smoother ride
Stand correctly
A common mistake new riders do, is stand with their feet together on the middle
This makes you more unbalanced and in case of a crash, you're more likely to fall or fly over the handle
You want to stand sideways with the tip of your feet pointing outwards, with one foot close to the front and the other closer to the back. This will better divide you weight when riding and make you more balanced
You also want your back to face in the directions with most impact, in case of a crash. Such as someone opening a car door or driving into you, to lessen the damage taken
Wear a helmet
For your own safety, we always recommend wearing an helmet
Bike helmets are rated for a speed up to about 32 km/h (20 mph). If you plan to go faster than this, a motorcycle helmet is recommended. Some places requires the use of motorcycle helmet, so check your local requirements
Keep both hands on the handle
Compared to a pedal bike, the front wheel much easier rotate, if not hold by both hands. This is because the wheels are so small and are easier affected by the terrain
If you want to signal you're turning, never use your hands. It's better to lift one of your foots to the side you want to turn, to indicate you're turning
Walking speed on sidewalks
If you're in an area where you're allowed to drive on the sidewalk, that doesn't have a dedicated bike lane. Show respect to others, by keeping about walking speed
When your back onto a bike lane or on the road, you can speed up and drive in a speed you feel comfortable with
Avoid cruise control
If cruise control is on, the eScooter will automatically keep the speed, even if you let go of the accelerate button and gives you less control, if you're not use to this feature. You need to hit the break, to actually slow down
As a new rider, cruise control is best to have off and I personally never use the feature, as I often have to let go of the speed to slow down for vehicles, people or other hinderances in the road
If I lived in the country side or in areas where I could drive safely for long, I might consider using cruise control. But living in a busy capital where there's pedestrians and traffic everywhere, not so much
Tags: #eScooter
