Remember safety and respect traffic
Electric scooters are really convenient, often fast and always fun vehicles that can be compared to light traffic. Compared to a bicycle, electric scooters are more unstable, much more erratic both in terms of steering and mobility. The turning radius of the electric scooter is small and the turn is sometimes really fast. They are also quite sensitive to bumps, bumps and other unevenness. Here are a few things to take with you on your journey, without blathering or preaching. Only to make your mileage safer.Safety with an electric scooter
1. Get to know your electric scooter, read the user manual!
Some of us are the "I never read instruction manuals" type. We were and are like that too, but in some cases it's good to go over the menu a little in advance. There you can get information on how to customize the settings of the electric scooter to suit you. For example: electric brake strength, cruise control, hard or non-hard output. In addition to the meter, you can also see the exact charge level bar from the led meter. The manual provides quick maintenance and other useful tips for using the device itself. When you want more information and know-how from us, check out Meeko's social media - youtube/instagramm/facebook.
However, if you get advice from a more experienced friend to get started, you can leave the instruction manual for later. However, as a basic principle, know what you are doing.
2. Protective equipment for electric kickboarders.
Electric scooters are fast and sharp devices. The ride height is close to the ground and the wheels are quite small for the high speed.
Regarding protective equipment, we strongly recommend the use of a helmet. The head is our most valuable part, but unfortunately also the most vulnerable. There are many different helmet options from different manufacturers on the market. The appearance, usability and safety of the helmet have improved significantly over the past few years. You no longer pull a plastic bucket over your head, which already causes a heavy feeling of shame when you put it on. You put on a trendy product that is technical in terms of materials, modern in design, light, unobtrusive and safe. Good helmets are so comfortable that you want to sleep with them on your head for the first few nights. So you won't experience any damage to your reputation when using them. Choose a good one, choose one that suits your style and remember to wear that helmet.
If you drive cross-country tracks, off-road routes with your electric scooter, elbow and knee protectors may be worth considering.
3. Checks before departure.
When you start your home in the morning - check the sides of your electric scooter by slightly pressing and turning. If you are an experienced goer, the so-called departure check is largely a subconscious process. If, on the other hand, the electric scooter is new to you, it will take a while, but you will definitely get used to the start check. Check that the handlebar height is adjusted to suit and test that the height lock holds. Test the brakes for feel, tightness and proper bite. The throttle feels tight and responds well. The handle returns and depresses normally without delays. Defects in the gas handle can be troublesome, cause pointless and serious dangerous situations when the gas is locked, e.g. at the bottom. Tire pressure, you can try by hand or by putting a little weight on it. There must be enough pressure in the tires. Flat tires will burst and there may be a walking trip.
Overall: Are the parts on the upper sides in place and locked tightly closed. Does the folding part feel solid, i.e. when it is locked, the bar does not swing. The folding part should not be loose. It must be fully tightened. In the case of Meeko, watch the video on social media or send us a message, and we will advise you how to adjust the tightness of the part. Unfortunately, several brands of electric scooters have a so-called casting defect, i.e. bad design. The rod snaps and there's really nothing you can do about it. However, this should not be the case. Frankly, irresponsible. Some give up over time. Replace the electric scooter as soon as possible.
4. Understand how your electric scooter behaves in different situations and platforms
In general, riding an electric scooter is easy and learning to ride is really fast. It is important, however, that you get to know the balance points of your electric scooter, get to know how it rattles in bumps, at different speeds, how sensitive or slow it is to stop, how it behaves during sudden braking. Tire pressures affect driving feel. High pressures bring speed, but the grip on the road weakens. Different surfaces, such as asphalt, concrete or dirt road, are quite different. Dry substrate vs. moist or even wet.
There are many differences in tires, quality tires are more versatile, while cheap hard tires are often a complete joke, and sometimes even really dangerous. Good tires bring safety and controllability for their price.
Wet road surface or platform requires experience. You have to know how it feels and how you anticipate. Calm movements can be considered a good rule of thumb. Exaggerate curves, i.e. gentle turns, no sudden movements. Braking calmly so that the feel is maintained at all times. On a wet surface, the electric kickboard comes off quite easily. Rotate the water ponds, is another advice from the water weather. Under the puddles there can be hidden dirt, potholes, or there can be anything that you don't want in front of or under your tire. You can't really be sure about it, so it's a completely unnecessary risk, go for it. It is generally a good idea to try to avoid driving in wet weather. But, if you can't avoid driving then, respect the weather..
5. Driving in the dark
Visibility is the most important feature of an electric scooter at night. It must be possible for other drivers to see you. Be sure of your visibility and otherwise be careful. Good electric scooter manufacturers do make sure that your visibility is just right. By law, you must have both headlights and brake lights. Any additional lighting is a plus. In some cases, an attention vest can be a good idea. The decision is yours. In any case, there is a reason to keep your eyes open and common sense in the dark. Potholes and bumps are sometimes insidious and actually pop out in front. There are many good additional visibility solutions for safe driving at night. Emphasize yourself a little more at night, keep the light settings on point and know your field.
6. Road surface
Potholes and holes in the road are also really harsh for cars, bicycles and even pedestrians. Be careful, anticipate. Drive with your eyes on the road about 20–30 meters in front of you. Potholes are especially uncomfortable for the driver of an electric scooter. Falling as a result of them is invariably painful. Be awake!
Pay attention to grates, manhole covers and e.g. tram rails. My electric scooter has small wheels and this makes it difficult to cross grates and rails. Sometimes they literally suck the bike into them. Metal is smooth and it is slippery. Brake or, if you're crossing by driving, think about a good angle to roll over.
Road traffic rules for electric scooters.
Drive with respect in traffic and meet others in traffic responsiblyRespect and appreciate others on the road and in traffic. Electric scooters are fun, but not lawless, without rules. And on the other hand, it's not the rules that create everything, but respect and fairness. Other passengers are also human, and an accident always causes pain to someone, if not all parties involved. The road traffic rules for electric scooters are the same as for bicycles. Sidewalks are for pedestrians. Those coming from the right are given way and the red lights flash just as red for electric scooters as for cars. As a suggestion; find and know good routes with good bike lanes and good road surfaces. You can then just let it go. If this is not the case, then get into traffic. Remember that cars may not always see everything, due to their blind spots or attitudes; the beanie is tight and the pea is tight. However, the challenge is always that the car weighs more than a ton and the electric scooter ten and a half kilos. So you should always watch out for cars in principle