Riding an electric scooter is an exciting experience, but it's crucial to ensure your safety and comfort when trying it out for the first time. Here are some important guidelines on how to ride an electric scooter safely. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced skateboarder, these tips will help you better master your riding skills and enjoy the activity.
1.Safety equipment
- lHelmet: Choose a helmet that meets safety standards and make sure the helmet fits your head size and is worn correctly. A helmet protects you from head injuries and is one of the most important pieces of equipment when riding.
- lGloves: Wearing gloves can protect your hands from scrapes and scratches if you fall. Choose gloves that are lightweight and breathable to ensure your hands can ride comfortably.
- lKnee and elbow pads: Wearing knee pads and elbow pads can protect your joints from impacts and scratches when you fall. Choose good quality, comfortable protective gear to ensure it effectively protects your elbows and knees.
- lAppropriate footwear: Choose fastening shoes or sneakers, making sure they can secure your footing and provide adequate support. Avoid wearing cuffed or loose shoes that may affect your stability while riding.
- lComfortable clothing: Wear appropriate sports clothing to ensure freedom of movement and comfort. Choose clothing that is breathable, wicks away sweat and dries quickly to keep you dry and comfortable while riding.
- lSunglasses or goggles: If you are riding in sunny weather, you can wear sunglasses or goggles to protect your eyes from the irritation of the sun and wind and sand.
- lMobile phone or communication device: Carry a mobile phone or other communication device to contact others or seek help in an emergency
- Familiar with the controller
- Learn about accelerators:
If the electric scooter has a handle-type accelerator, first understand the location and operation of the handle. Usually, you need to twist the handle slightly to accelerate, and pay attention to how hard you accelerate to avoid going too fast.
If the electric scooter is controlled by a pedal-type accelerator, familiarize yourself with the location and use of the pedals. Typically, you control acceleration by pedaling forward or backward.
- Familiar with brakes:
Know where the brakes are and how they operate. Typically, brakes are either lever or pedal type.
Handle type brake: Understand the position of the handle and be familiar with the force of pressing the handle to brake, and gradually master the correct braking technique.
Pedal-type brakes: Be familiar with the position and operation of the pedal, and learn to brake lightly or heavily.
- Gradually master the operation skills:
On a flat, open surface, gradually practice accelerating and braking. Start with slow acceleration, gradually increase the speed, and pay attention to the timing and strength of braking.
Practice accelerating and braking at different speeds to better master the sensitivity and responsiveness of your controller.
- Pay attention to safety:
As you become familiar with the controller, always remain alert and pay attention to safety. Make sure you are in a safe riding environment, away from heavy traffic areas and dangerous objects.
- Practice turning:
While you're familiar with the accelerator and brakes, also practice turning at different speeds. Learn how to use the controller to adjust speed and direction to ensure smooth and safe turns.
- Learn to brake
- lUnderstand brake types:
Determine whether your electric scooter has handle or pedal brakes. The handle type brake is usually located on the handle of the scooter, while the pedal type brake realizes the braking function by pressing the pedal.
- lMaster the braking force:
For lever-type brakes, practice gently pressing the lever, gradually increasing the force of the brake until you can stop the scooter smoothly.
For pedal-type brakes, gradually practice depressing the brake pedal with your foot to understand the braking effect under different strengths, and gradually master the correct braking strength.
- lPractice braking distance:
On a safe flat surface, practice braking from different speeds and observe the braking distance and the stopping time of the scooter. Gradually adjust the braking force until you can safely stop the scooter in a short distance.
- Pay attention to your posture when braking:
Maintain a stable posture when braking, stand with your feet parallel to the scooter, and tilt your body's center of gravity backward to ensure stability.
For lever-type brakes, practice depressing the lever and tilting your weight back at the same time to help with a smooth stop.
For pedal-type brakes, practice depressing the brake pedal with your foot and tilting your body weight back to ensure stability and smooth stopping of the scooter.
- Safety awareness:
Always be alert and aware of your surroundings and other traffic participants when learning to brake.
Avoid practicing braking on crowded roads or places with heavy traffic, and choose a safe practice venue for braking practice.
- Familiar with speed control
- Gradually accelerate:
Start at a slow speed and gradually increase the speed by gently turning the accelerator (handle or pedal). Don't rush to reach the top speed, but gradually increase the speed to get better control of the scooter.
- Slow down skills:
Practice reducing acceleration or gently pressing the brakes to decelerate smoothly. It's important to master deceleration techniques, especially when you need to stop or adjust your speed.
- Master the top speed:
Once you're familiar with the controls and acceleration and deceleration techniques, try gradually accelerating to the scooter's top speed. Understand the difficulty of control at different speeds and adjust your riding style and speed accordingly.
- Observe speed performance:
Practice riding at different speeds and observe how the scooter accelerates and decelerates. Understand scooter response and stability at different speeds to better master speed control.
- Practice speed control when turning:
When turning, gradually reduce your speed to ensure a safe turn. Learn to slow down and adjust your speed before turning to avoid the risk of losing control or falling.
- Safety awareness:
When practicing speed control, always remain alert and aware of your surroundings and other traffic participants. Avoid excessive speeds and riding in crowded or dangerous conditions.
5.Practice balance
- Choose a suitable practice venue:
Practice on a flat, open surface without many obstacles, such as a parking lot or an open lawn. Avoid choosing places with potholes or uneven roads to avoid making the practice more difficult.
lStanding posture exercises:
Place your feet on the scooter, keeping them parallel and shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly, and keep your center of gravity in the middle of the scooter. Practice balancing in this position until you feel comfortable.
- Push exercises:
Try pushing the scooter gently on the ground with one foot, keeping your other foot balanced on the scooter. Practice your balance this way and gradually increase the speed and stability of your push.
- Swing exercises:
On flat ground, try to control the balance of the scooter with small swings in your body's center of gravity. Use your left foot to apply slight pressure when tilting to the left, and apply slight pressure with your right foot when tilting to the right to maintain the stability of the scooter.
- Practice starting and stopping:
Practice riding from a standstill and gradually accelerating to a low speed. When it's time to stop, practice slowing down and stopping smoothly. This helps you practice balance control and adjustments while riding.
- Continuous practice:
Balance is a skill that requires continuous practice and gradual improvement. Spend some time each day practicing balance on a safe surface to gradually improve your balance and stability.
- Learn to turn
- Practice basic turning skills:
Practice basic turning techniques at low speeds. Choose a larger turning radius to start with, then gradually reduce the radius to practice tighter turns.
lMaster the adjustment of body center of gravity:
Learn to control your turns by adjusting your body's center of gravity. When turning left, tilt the body's center of gravity to the left; when turning right, tilt the body's center of gravity to the right. This helps balance and stabilize the scooter.
- Practice turning at different speeds:
Start at a low speed, gradually increase the speed and practice turning. Learn to master turns at different speeds, including turning faster at higher speeds and tighter at lower speeds.
- Use your body and steering gear to cooperate:
Use a combination of body weight and steering gear to make turns. Control the direction and speed of the turn by turning your body and turning the steering gear slightly.
- Be careful of ground conditions
- Choose a flat road surface:
Try to ride on flat, smooth surfaces, such as parking lots, sidewalks or smooth park roads. This reduces the risk of falling and makes it easier to balance the scooter.
- Avoid uneven roads:
Be careful to avoid uneven roads such as bumps, potholes, or construction sections, as these may affect your riding stability and increase the risk of falling.
- Pay attention to slippery roads:
Be especially careful when riding when the road surface is wet or has standing water. Slippery roads can easily lead to slips, so try to avoid riding on slippery sections or slow down to ensure safety.
- Observe road obstacles:
When riding, pay attention to obstacles on the road, such as stones, branches, glass fragments, etc. Avoid riding near these obstacles to avoid the risk of your wheels getting stuck or you falling.
- Pay attention to road signs and signs:
Pay attention to the traffic signs and road signs on the road, including speed bumps, construction sections, intersection signs, etc. Adjust your riding speed and route in time to respond to changes in road conditions prompted by these road signs and signs.
- Well-maintained sightlines:
Maintain good vision and pay attention to the road conditions ahead and possible obstacles or changes. Adjust riding speed and direction promptly to respond to changes in road conditions.
- Wear appropriate shoes:
Wear appropriate shoes to ensure your feet have adequate support and protection. Avoid wearing loose or ill-fitting shoes that may affect your stability and comfort while riding.
Once you've mastered basic riding skills, remember to keep practicing and staying vigilant. Continuously improving your skill level and always paying attention to safety will help you better enjoy the fun of electric scooters. Happy riding and stay safe!