8 tips for safe riding with the e-scooter

E-scooters are fascinating, technological vehicles that have shaped the landscape of road traffic in a very short time. Just like any vehicle, e-scooters also need to be checked regularly to ensure they are safe to use. With e-scooters you have to take into account the same things as with bicycles, but also a number of special features:

Are the tires undamaged and sufficiently inflated? This is less important with tubeless tires (i.e. tires without an air tube).

Are all screws tight?

Is my battery sufficiently charged and free of damage? (A damaged battery poses an acute fire risk and is a reason to stop driving immediately.)

Are all cables free of damage?

Is the brake disc straight and free of dirt and oil?

You will also find full instructions on how to properly maintain and clean the scooter in this blog soon.

Many e-scooters can be found in classic, elegant colors such as matt black, gray tones, warm brown tones or pastel colors. This makes the scooters look really cool, but these colors also have a disadvantage: They are usually more reserved and not signal colors. However, in traffic it is important to be seen so that other road users can react to you correctly. Light-colored clothing or a high-visibility vest are cheap, simple ways to increase your visibility. At the latest when the lighting conditions become darker, be it at dusk or in bad weather, you should use active lighting for the best safety on the scooter. Lighting that is visible from every direction, at the eye level of drivers and pedestrians, is unbeatable.

E-scooters are not only fast and maneuverable, but also quiet. This is wonderful for the cityscape and road traffic, because the vehicles do not cause any noise pollution. On the other hand, in road traffic you rely just as much on your sight as on your hearing in order to notice other road users. That's why transport organizations always recommend not wearing headphones, not talking on the phone or listening to the radio too loudly while driving a vehicle.

An important tip for scooter safety is to equip the vehicle with a loud, bright-sounding bell, for example. B. to draw the attention of pedestrians to you. In all other situations, the only thing that helps is to compensate for the lack of audibility with even better visibility.

In this article about braking and turning correctly with an e-scooter, the ADAC repeatedly emphasizes how high the risk of falling is. You should only indicate turning when driving straight ahead and if possible only on a flat and slippery road. If you've ever ridden a scooter in a city, you know that it's a bit unrealistic. Streets are uneven, sometimes there is gravel, sometimes there are driveways, the curb, potholes. The problem that remains is the lack of stability when driving and especially when turning.

To reduce falls and prevent accidents, it is important to avoid this instability. This is a tip that applies to both beginners and professionals, because all it takes is one unfavorable bump and you get to know the asphalt personally. You are stable when you have both hands firmly on the handlebars and both feet on the footboard.

With a turn signal such as Flasher, you can save yourself from daring turning maneuvers and at the same time give a signal throughout the entire process - not just when driving straight ahead, as the ADAC suggests.

The correct position when riding an e-scooter prevents falls and makes the overall driving experience more pleasant.

As I said, you are stable when you have both hands on the handlebars. The further out you hold the handlebars, the greater the leverage and the circle radius - which means you have the greatest control over the scooter. In any case, the brakes should always be ready to hand.

Also, place both feet on the running board not next to each other, but offset from each other. The toe of the front foot (that is the non-dominant foot) points approximately in the direction of travel, the foot of the dominant leg is best positioned behind it on the running board, perpendicular to the scooter. This means you can always use your dominant leg first when pushing or dismounting.

If you bend your knees slightly while driving, your center of gravity is lower and further back, your balance is better, and your reaction speed is faster. This will prevent the worst case scenario of falling forward over the handlebars. In addition, your stability when cornering and turning is much higher.