Know Common Riding Mistakes & ways to Avoid Them

To err is human. We are not robots at all, and we will make mistakes. However, we can curb the magnitude of mistakes by practicing mindful riding. Let's check frequently occurring mistakes and their prevention methods.

Compromising on safety gear

Riding an electric scooter casually taking your life foregranted is something you should pay attention to. Miscalculation of turning or overspeeding can topple down your vehicle. This can cause you head injury as well. A full-face helmet and other protective gear are necessary for your riding journey. The only way to avoid head-on collision, shoulder fractures, and bruises is to take care of safety gear.

Single-handed riding

Flaunting one arm in the air, feeling rain drops, or boosting your riding skill with single-hand riding can cost you a life. It is entirely different from one-hand bicycle riding. Since electric scooters have small tires, a firm balance is always needed to maintain the vehicle's stability. The moment you lift one hand from the handlebar, your vehicle will dangle, and you may end up banging your head. Placing both hands while riding does not involve rocket science; you can easily handle it.

Overturniing is bad

Riding an electric scooter requires precision. Over-exertion of force or over-rotating handlebars can harm your well-being instead of providing the desired results. When you cross the 10mph mark, signal your brain to be more cautious while turning. Your electric scooter could probably jackknife if you overturn the handlebars. Doing so will cease the tire at 90 degrees to the chassis, and you may somersault.

Forget to shift body weight while braking.

Transitioning weight between front and rear wheels is an art. Braking abruptly without balancing weight on the posterior side of the vehicle is a frequently reported mistake. If you do so, expect your landing to be on handlebars. Coasting your vehicle and adjusting body weight are simple ways to avoid this problem.

Preferring the rear fender is a risky move.

Modern scooters feature various brakes like regenerative, ABS, and fender brakes. Some naive riders rely on Fender brakes for immediate braking. It is a very risky move. Doing so can easily skid your vehicle since it can freeze your rear brakes. The situation can become worse if your electric scooter has solid tires. Why? Sometimes, the tires can deform due to overheating. Stay watchful of your reflexes and pick the right brake according to the circumstances.

Right electric scooter on the wrong terrain

When picking an electric scooter, evaluating the vehicle's intended use is essential. It means to assess the terrain where you will be riding. Changing the terrains after purchase is a recipe for disaster. You can experience a rock and roll ride if you take the smooth-road eclectic scooter to an off-road ride. The bumps and jolts of rough terrain can seriously impact electric scooters' alignment. The sole solution is to make the right purchase after evaluating your frequent riding terrain.

Turning a deaf ear to the surroundings

Plugging in headphones right after kickstarting your electric scooter has reportedly caused many crashes. Audio warning alerts are as important as using indicators and turning lights. Try using hands-free instead of headphones. Plug your hands-free in one year to listen to music, yet stay aware of your surroundings. You can do the same with ear pods and earbuds. For headphones, turn the volume at half the voice level compared to regular listening. So you can listen to the horns of other vehicles and get alerts. Keeping your ear free is the safest course of action. Electric scooters are normally short commute vehicles. So, skipping listening for 20-30 minutes won't affect your well-being. Better safe than sorry.

Inappropriate foot placing

There is a misconception that if you place your feet side by side, you are stabilizing your vehicle. This is untrue. Correct foot positioning is the only thing you can do to have a safe ride. Always place the weaker foot in front and the stronger one at the back end.

Riding in the same pose

It is critical to understand that an electric scooter is a slim vehicle. You need to adjust your body weight constantly to keep it going smoothly. Let's discuss how we can use body weight as a tool to have safe and effortless turning and riding.

• You will lean forward, shifting your weight in the same direction to accelerate the electric scooter. Remember, you will not put weight on the handlebar. You will practice the same strategy for cruising purposes.
• Use gravity in your favor when making turns. Slightly move forward and bend lightly in the turning direction.
• It's time to shift your weight at the vehicle's rear end. You will be doing so during brake application. By doing this, you will have a controlled ride.

Overestimating the vehicle capacity

Promise us you will only test your scooter limits by mounting on hilly paths once you have suitable tires and sufficient ground clearance. Do you know that the deck is the storage place for batteries? If you overlook ground clearance, your deck and battery safety are at stake. Small tires will surely get serious hits while navigating through raised edges. Always take a ride according to the scooter's specifications.

Using an electric scooter as a prop

You do not use an electric scooter to impress your girlfriend by performing stunts. Sudden landing, jumping off, and single hand riding can bore you tears. Such practices not only cost you medical bills but additional vehicle repairs as well. Be a mindful rider to avoid such incidents.

Remember, short, safe, and eco-friendly commutes should remain the prime motive of electric scooters. A little patience, mindfulness and right technique are the only possible ways to avoid common riding mistakes.