A surprisingly earnest guide from a concerned onlooker.
I once met a woman who had never sprinted. No hidden meanings, no caveats, she’d literally never run as fast as she could in her entire life. When she told me this some years ago, I said “oh wow, that’s incredible” and “how did you manage that” and any number of relevant follow-up questions, but I have thought about that woman consistently ever since. One thing that is guaranteed to bring her front of mind is when I see grown adults riding e-scooters incorrectly.
Never having sprinted in one’s life when you have the ability to run is quite a feat. But there are people everywhere who have never done things that others find second nature. Just last week I watched a video of a woman doing a box jump (jumping on a box at the gym) for the first time and honestly it looked like she’d never jumped before. And as has been demonstrated by at least two National Party politicians, many people have never ridden a scooter before.
With the weather heating up and the cost of living rising, e-scooters are looking more and more attractive as a means of transportation around our cities. They’re scattered around the place and available for virtually everyone to use, but they’re also capable of causing serious injury when used incorrectly. So as someone who has loved riding on all sorts of wheeled devices for years, here’s a handy explainer I genuinely didn’t think was needed until now – how to ride a scooter.
Before you go anywhere, think about how you stand and what your “strong” side is. If you needed to use a foot to push or to steady yourself, would that be your right foot or your left foot? For most people it’s their right, which means the right foot goes at the back and is ready to be used if needed. A lot of e-scooter accidents occur because the rider assumes that once they’re moving they no longer need their legs. Always be ready to need your legs.
The fastest way to a chipped tooth on a scooter is to ride with your feet together and facing forward. I cry whenever I see this (which is a lot). Think about riding a scooter like you would think about standing up on the bus. Have you ever seen someone standing on the bus, facing straight ahead with their feet together? No, because they’d catapult through the windshield as soon as the bus stopped. Scooters do the same thing (move you forward) so stand facing a little to the side, feet apart if you can, to give your body a lower centre of gravity and yourself half a chance of survival if you hit a rock.
Standing this way also helps keep the scooter itself balanced, as very much not demonstrated by Nicola Willis in 2019. Note how it was impossible for her to stagger her feet with heels on? Note how her feet are straight ahead and her torso is almost twisted to the opposite side? Disaster waiting to happen (and it did happen).
Another tip: Don’t hang bags from the handlebarsSeems self explanatory but sadly is not. Scooters feel like bikes in that they have two wheels and a straight handlebar, but their weighting makes them a lot harder to keep steady. So as much as you might remember riding around on a bike with one or no hands, don’t try it on a scooter. You will fall off, as demonstrated by Chris Bishop this morning.
Despite what I just said, there is also a danger in holding on too much. You need your hands to keep the scooter steady and going in the right direction but other than that, a nice loose grip is the best approach. The harder you grip, the more of each bump you’ll absorb, the more likely your body is to jolt, the more likely you are to topple. By keeping a steady but loose grip, you’ll let the scooter absorb a lot of the little jitters and enjoy a much smoother ride.
It’s genuinely concerning how many people I have seen absolutely cane themselves while trying to ride from the footpath to the road, either straight off the kerb or even down the lovely little ramp. And every time it’s because they inexplicably pulled a Sheryl Sandberg and leaned into it. If you’re going down, lean back. If you’re going up a slope, lean as forward as feels natural. But generally, if in doubt, it’s better to have your weight going back as it effectively removes weight from the front of scooter (which is good). Leaning in adds more weight, makes you top-heavy, and makes it incredibly easy to get stuck in even the smallest of cracks.
Again, seems self explanatory but worth reiterating. Much like an automatic car, do one thing at a time. Accelerate, stop accelerating, brake. Because of the smallness of all the levers, it’s easy to forget you’ve been accelerating when you go to brake, which causes sudden jolts of movement and, you guessed it, crashes. Most of the time on the rental scooters, simply not accelerating will do most of the work of slowing down.
If you choose to right a scooter in wet weather (not recommended), the safest thing you can do is brake as little or as gently as possible. Braking clamps your wheels and leads to skidding. Simply riding slower by accelerating less keeps the wheels moving and limits your risk. And on that note: wherever possible, don’t ride on painted lines.
Just don’t bots it. Unless you’re doing genuine tricks (and even then it’s debatable), it’s impossible to look cool on a scooter. So don’t try to get there by going faster than you’re comfortable with or taking a risk on a gap or sharp turn. No one cares and no one’s paying attention unless you crash.
In a dream world, we’d have few cars on the road and lanes reserved all over the city for cycling and scootering. When that day comes, as I choose to believe it will, there will hopefully be a lot of capable riders, feet apart, a little to the side, holding on but not too tight.
One primary reason electric scooters outperform other forms of transportation is the simple learning curve for beginners. In fact, most new riders can get into the flow within a few hours. However, there are a few neat tips and tricks that experienced e-scooter riders pick up along the way.
If you're an electric scooter beginner, you can ride safely from the start by following these electric scooter safety tips. Doing so will reduce your chances of falling and have you cruising the streets with ease.
Below, we'll break down how to ride an electric scooter step-by-step.
Before we dive into any riding techniques, it's important to hammer home the necessity of wearing a helmet. Many new riders think they can forgo this essential piece of riding equipment. According to some user reports, over 90% of riders don't wear a helmet at all.
Despite this dangerous trend, wearing a helmet is essential for safety and legally required in some cities. Helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of a critical head injury by up to 88%. Full-face helmets also offer eye protection, which can keep the wind and bugs out of your eyes as you ride.
Every electric scooter is a little different. Before you take yours out for a spin, you may want to flip through its manual.
The manual will provide you with detailed information about your electric scooter’s:
When you know the basic features of how your e-scooter operates, you can embark on your first ride with confidence. You’ll also know what to do if something goes awry on the road.
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Look up the Laws in Your City
In addition to knowing how your electric scooter works, you should brush up on the e-scooter laws in your city. Like most vehicles, electric scooters are legally required to stop at stop signs and traffic lights, yield to pedestrians, and stick to the speed limit of the street they're riding on.
You should also look up your city's specific laws in regard to the following questions:
Do you need a driver's license to ride an electric scooter?
Can you ride on sidewalks?
Can you ride in bike lanes?
What is the e-scooter speed limit?
Knowing the riding rules in your city can help you ride without the risk of incurring a ticket. It will also help you assimilate with the flow of traffic safely.
Check the Battery
Anytime you want to take your electric scooter out for a ride, you should always ensure that your battery has an adequate charge. The last thing you want is to end up stuck on the side of the road with a dead battery.
Check Your Tire Pressure
In addition to the battery, it’s also a good idea to check your tire pressure before you hit the road. If it’s low, you can top it up with a portable air pump.
Find an Open Space to Practice
While riding an electric scooter for the first time isn’t as complicated as other forms of transportation, it’s still helpful to practice somewhere that’s free of obstacles or distractions.
This way, you can focus on getting the hang of riding without the additional pressure of evading motorists, pedestrians, and other roadside obstructions.
An empty parking lot or quiet street are two great places you can go for your first ride.
Kick Off From the Ground
Once you’ve done all of the preparation mentioned above, you can finally hop on your electric scooter and see how it rides.
As soon as you’re ready to go, all you have to do is push up the kickstand and kick off the ground to launch your electric scooter into motion, just like you would if you were riding a non-electric scooter.
After you’re in motion, you can start revving the throttle gently to engage the motor and get some speed.
Position Your Feet Comfortably
When you ride your electric scooter, it’s important to choose a foot position that allows you to feel balanced and comfortable. There are three main positions you can place your feet:
– The most popular position for riding an e-scooter is to place your non-dominant foot in the front of the deck and your dominant foot in the back. You may need to angle both feet slightly to fit them onto the deck as if you were riding a snowboard or skateboard.
– Goofy stance is the same as conventional, just with your dominant foot in the front instead.
– A side-by-side stance is just what it sounds like—you place both feet side by side, facing forward. While some riders prefer this stance, it’s not as stable as the other two options. It may also make it harder to react to an emergency quickly. For these reasons, you may want to give the conventional or goofy stances a try first.
Once you’ve determined your preferred riding stance, make sure to keep a slight bend in your knees and use your legs to maintain your balance, rather than leaning on the handlebars.
Accelerate and Decelerate Slowly
During your first few e-scooter trips, you’ll want to ride at a modest pace. However, you can gradually pick up speed as you become more comfortable with your riding skills.
Whenever you accelerate or decelerate, do so slowly and gradually. Every electric scooter’s throttle varies in terms of sensitivity. By going slow, you can get familiar with your model and see how quickly it revs up its speed.
If you want to turn on your electric scooter, you don’t need to move the handlebars as much as you may think. Since e-scooter wheels are so small, even slight adjustments to your handlebars can result in sharp turns, especially when you ride at fast speeds.
If you’re going five mph (eight kph) or faster, all you need to do is shift your weight slightly to the side that you want to turn, as if you were riding a bike.
As you execute the turn, make sure you look in the direction of where you want to go.
Once you’ve practiced riding and gotten comfortable with the basics, you can venture onto public streets.
At this point, you’ll be sharing the road with other motorists, bikers, and pedestrians. Part of sharing the road with others involves signaling your turning intentions.
Here are the most common turn signals electric scooter riders use:
– Extend your left arm straight out to the side.
– Extend your right arm straight out to the side.
– Extend your left arm and bend it down at your elbow.
Remember: When using turn signals, you’ll only have one hand on the scooter. For that reason, you’ll want to slow down or come to a complete stop before signaling. Additionally, you can give the right of way to cars and other vehicles to add an extra layer of safety.
Don’t Try to Brake and Turn at the Same Time
Braking while turning is a tricky maneuver. If you’re new to riding, you’d be better off sticking to braking in a straight line whenever possible.
If you have to stop suddenly for an emergency, try your best to straighten up first. If you have time, it’s also better to decelerate gradually before you come to a hard stop.
When you brake abruptly on an electric scooter, your body still has a large amount of momentum pushing you forward. To stay safe, the secret is shifting your weight over the back wheel. You can achieve this by bending your knees and squatting slightly as if you were about to sit on a chair.
By moving your weight over the back wheel, you can prevent any awkward movements with your e-scooter.
No matter what type of vehicle you’re operating, it’s important to focus on the road. Multi-tasking and riding an electric scooter don’t mix.
You can stay alert to what’s ahead of you by:
– Texting and riding is not safe. You need to keep both of your hands on the handlebars to maintain your balance and steering abilities. If you have to use your phone for GPS directions, you can secure it to your e-scooter with a mounted phone holder instead.
– Riding an electric scooter with the wind in your hair and your favorite song blasting from your headphones may sound like a lot of fun. However, it’s safer to ditch the music while you ride. You can save your curated playlists for another time. You need all five senses to map out your surroundings and steer clear of traffic.
– From potholes to pedestrians, there are many obstacles you’ll need to maneuver around as you ride your electric scooter. To do so effectively, you need to spot barriers before they’re in your way. In turn, you should always look in the direction that you’re riding and stay focused on the road.
While some electric scooter models are made to ride on rougher terrain, you should always do your best to avoid slippery surfaces. Puddles of water can dramatically reduce the traction between your wheels and the street. Similarly, piles of loose leaves can have a similar effect.
If you have no other choice but to plow over some suboptimal surfaces, go slow and avoid making sharp turns or stops until you’re on more stable land.
Electric scooters are incredibly versatile vehicles. However, they’re not designed to brave all the elements. Riding in heavy rain or thunderstorms is especially dangerous.
Some electric scooters are water-resistant enough to handle a light drizzle, but a heavy downpour of rain is another story. Throw in thunder and lightning and you could be dealing with a dangerous situation.
It’s always a good idea to check the weather forecast before you head out for a long ride.
When you start taking longer, faster journeys on your electric scooter, you may want to wear some extra safety gear. A good rule of thumb is to match your gear to your speed—the faster you plan to ride, the more protection you need.
Some items you can add to your e-scooter riding apparel include:
– If you fall while riding an electric scooter, your knees and elbows are the most vulnerable spots for scrapes and scratches. As a result, you may want to wear some padded protection in these areas.
– Even if you don’t wear any special padding, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and close-toed shoes can provide a buffer between you and the cold, hard streets.
– Thick riding gloves can protect your hands during a fall. They can also keep them from catching a chill if you ride in cold weather.
– In addition to protecting your eyes from the sun, sunglasses serve as a convenient shield from wind, debris, and bugs. Any of these irritants can cause you to lose your sight temporarily.
– Lastly, you may want to wear bright, light-reflective clothing during night rides. This type of apparel can help other motorists see you on the road.
A few other things to keep in mind
Forewarned is always forearmed; here are some other useful tips whenever you want to ride on electric scooters! And if you prefer a more action-filled source of information on the same topic, you can click the link below.
Maintenance and Appearance
Keeping your scooter clean is essential. Regular cleaning ensures proper functioning and extends your range. Plus, a freshly cleaned scooter is sure to bedazzle your friends.
Avoid Tricks and Jumps
Scooters are not built for hardcore jumps like mountain bikes. Their suspension is designed for road bumps, not for stunt-like jumping over buses. Respect the limitations to avoid breaking your scooter or, in the worst-case scenario, yourself.
Mind the Curbs
Even small curbs can be risky, depending on various factors. Such usage might void your warranty, so keeping both wheels on the ground is best.
Battery Management
Lithium-ion batteries in modern scooters offer impressive capabilities, with some reaching up to 50 miles (80 km) of range or 55 mph (88 km/h). However, faster riding reduces efficiency, so always monitor your remaining battery levels. Some scooters, like Apollo's Phantom, provide estimated remaining mileage, and official apps can help you plan efficient routes.
Understand the Differences Between Bicycles and Scooters
Scooters have longer stems and smaller tires, making them less stable than bicycles. It's important to be cautious since scooters can reach higher speeds. And as they're scooters that we associate with the kick scooters of the past, we tend to downplay their present-day capabilities, in which case the risk of injury is higher.
So, remember that e-scooters are not toys anymore, and you should treat them accordingly. Of course, we don't want to be wet blankets; fun is also a big part of the e-scooter's appeal. We just want you to have a lot of fun for a long time!
As you can see, riding an electric scooter isn’t too complicated. If you adhere to these instructions on how to ride an electric scooter, you should be zipping around town in no time. The more you practice, the more these steps will become second nature.
If you’re looking for a high-quality electric scooter to take for your first spin, Apollo Scooters can deliver. We have models for every type of rider at a variety of price points. We also have several e-scooter accessories, such as phone mounts, super-fast chargers, and much more.
Explore our selection of high-performance e-scooters today.
Sources:
Consumer Reports. Electric Scooter Injuries on the Rise as Riders Go Without Helmets.
https://www.consumerreports.org/product-safety/electric-scooter-injuries-rise-as-riders-go-without-helmets/
Brainline. Bicycle Safety.
https://www.brainline.org/article/bicycle-safety