Electric scooters have emerged as a logical as well as a fun way of personalised transportation. With more and more brands making electric scooters for adults, they have become more mainstream than ever before. Though riding e-scooters is enjoyable, simple negligence can land you in trouble. Thankfully, if you follow the proper practices, you can fully enjoy your riding experience. To help you do that, here are five electric scooter tips that every rider must know.
Always wear safety gear
Electric scooters can reach speeds of more than 30 to 40 km/h. That means you can suffer injuries if you fall from it. Hence, it’s essential to give your safety the utmost importance. Always wear your helmet and safety gear like kneepads and ankle pads to save yourself from injuries. As much as you want to look fantastic on your e-scooter, you should never compromise your safety.
Check your e-scooter before your ride
Form a habit of doing a quick check before you leave with your e-scooter. Always check whether there’s enough battery for your planned ride. Make sure the tires have full air and whether the brakes are working properly. It’s also important to check the lights as you’ll need them while riding in the night. If your e-scooter doesn’t come with lights, you can get aftermarket lights from any offline and online accessories store.
Improve your stance
As a beginner, you will need more time and practice to figure out how to stand on your scooter correctly. For right-handed people, put your right foot on the front of the deck and point it forward. Put your left foot on the back, a bit diagonally to the left side.
Many experienced snowboarders and skateboarders use this riding stance to improve their balance and movements. Once you get comfortable riding your e-scooter, you can work on improving your posture and stance. It will enhance your riding experience and ability to navigate the scooter easily.
Use your feet and body for steering
Though the e-scooter has a handlebar to steer it, learn to use your feet and body to turn your ride correctly. You can lean forward and backward according to the roads, change the pressure on your feet, lean your body sideways to improve your turning. Using your body, especially your feet, will help you reduce the stress from the handlebar, as using only the handlebar to turn your scooter may not be feasible.
Slightly bend your knees.
You don’t have to go all John Snow and not bend your knee while riding. (Yes, it’s a GOT reference!) You might think standing straight with your knees locked is normal, but it is not. It looks weird and puts additional pressure on your knees. Try to bend your knees slightly, so your legs can easily absorb the impact of any potholes or bad roads. It will help you quickly balance yourself and the scooter and navigate it without any trouble. Many brands ergonomically design their electric scooters for adults, so they can utilise their height and bodyweight to steer the scooter.
Riding your electric scooter on the road is undoubtedly a fun experience, but remember to follow the traffic rules to stay safe on the road and avoid accidents.
