Own the City: Safe Electric Scooter Riding Tips!

Summary

This video script offers essential safety tips for electric scooter users, especially in urban environments. Key advice includes planning routes with bike lanes or sidewalks, riding with traffic flow on the right side, utilizing bike lanes cautiously, and choosing the right scooter for varying conditions. The speaker emphasizes the importance of visibility, speed management, and instinctive reactions to traffic behavior for a safe riding experience, while also highlighting the adaptability of scooters for navigating unconventional paths.

Takeaways

• 🗺️ Plan your trip: Familiarize yourself with the area and plan a route with constant access to bike lanes, sidewalks, or dedicated bike paths for safety.
• 🛣️ Ride with traffic flow: Always ride on the right side of the road, making eye contact with drivers to ensure visibility, especially when approaching intersections.
• 🚦 Maintain controllable speed: Keep a speed that allows for quick reactions to traffic signals and the movements of cars around you.
• 🚴‍♂️ Utilize bike lanes: Bike lanes offer better visibility and a buffer from traffic, but follow rules to stay visible and avoid passing cars when traffic is moving at a normal pace.
• 🛴 Beware of 'dooring': Keep a safe distance from parked cars to avoid accidents caused by car doors opening suddenly.
• 👮‍♂️ Ride courteously on sidewalks: When riding on sidewalks, lower your speed, be hyper-aware of pedestrians, and give them plenty of space.
• 🛷 Choose the right scooter: Consider the riding conditions and choose a scooter that can keep up with traffic and is suitable for the specific environment.
• 🔄 Adapt to conditions: Use full lanes or bike lanes when necessary, and signal your turns clearly, whether with lights or body language.
• 👀 Watch for cars: Be vigilant about cars approaching from behind, and use a rearview mirror if possible to monitor traffic.
• 🛤️ Explore alternative routes: Utilize various paths such as plazas, parking lots, and parks if they are safe and efficient for your journey.
• 🪖 Wear safety gear: Always wear a helmet and consider additional safety gear to ensure protection while riding.

Q & A

What is the primary mode of transportation discussed in the script?

The script discusses using electric scooters as the primary mode of transportation for short trips, grocery runs, and getting around town.

Why is it important to plan your trip when riding an electric scooter?

Planning your trip ensures familiarity with the area and allows for a safer route with constant access to bike lanes, sidewalks, or dedicated bike paths, reducing the risk of accidents.

What tool can be used to help plan a safe route for an electric scooter?

The bike feature on Google Maps can be used to plan a safe route, as it generally routes along streets and paths that are safest for two-wheeled riders.

Why is it recommended to ride with the flow of traffic on an electric scooter?

Riding with the flow of traffic on the right side of the road increases visibility to vehicles, especially for cars pulling out of driveways and making right turns, enhancing safety.

What is the significance of making eye contact with drivers while riding an electric scooter?

Making eye contact with drivers ensures they are aware of your presence, which is crucial for safety, especially when cars are pulling out or making turns.

Why is it advised to slow down and hover a finger over the brakes when a car is preparing to make a left turn in front of you?

Slowing down and being ready to brake allows you to react quickly if the car doesn't notice you, as they might not be looking for bikes and scooters or may underestimate your speed.

What are some rules to follow when riding in bike lanes?

When riding in bike lanes, avoid passing cars at normal traffic pace, stay visible in car mirrors, and keep pace with traffic for predictability. Also, be cautious of parked cars to avoid 'getting doored'.

Why might riding on the sidewalk not be the safest option on an electric scooter?

Riding on the sidewalk can be less safe because it is less visible to traffic, and people often do not look for scooters there. Bike lanes offer better visibility and a buffer from traffic.

What is the importance of choosing the correct scooter for your trip conditions?

Choosing the correct scooter is important because it should be able to handle the expected riding conditions, such as speed requirements for keeping up with traffic or maneuvering on different types of terrain.

What are some additional safety tips mentioned in the script for riding an electric scooter?

Additional safety tips include using rearview mirrors or glancing over the shoulder to monitor traffic from behind, signaling turns properly, and wearing appropriate safety gear like helmets.

What is the final recommendation for riders regarding safety gear when riding an electric scooter?

The script recommends wearing appropriate safety gear, with a helmet being the minimum requirement, and suggests wearing whatever makes the rider feel the safest.

Outlines

00:00

🛴 Safe Urban Scooter Riding Tips

The speaker shares their extensive experience using electric scooters for urban transportation and offers safety tips for navigating city streets. Key points include planning your route to utilize bike lanes or sidewalks, using Google Maps for safer paths, and considering a phone mount for navigation. They emphasize riding on the right side of the road, making eye contact with drivers, and slowing down at intersections to be visible and prepared for potential accidents. Additionally, they discuss the importance of riding in bike lanes instead of on sidewalks for better visibility and safety.

05:01

🚦 Navigating Non-Ideal Scooter Conditions

This paragraph addresses the challenges of riding electric scooters in less-than-ideal conditions common in American cities. The speaker provides advice on riding on the left side of the road when necessary, cautioning to be aware of drivers' expectations and to slow down or wait when unsure. They also discuss riding in the road itself, suggesting staying close to the right side when possible or taking the full lane to discourage cars from passing when safe. The importance of using signals and maintaining awareness of cars and pedestrians is highlighted. The speaker concludes with general advice on adapting to various environments and the importance of wearing appropriate safety gear.

Keywords

💡Electric scooter

An electric scooter is a battery-powered, two-wheeled vehicle that is used for short-distance travel. It is the primary mode of transportation discussed in the video, emphasizing its utility for short trips like grocery runs and urban commuting. The script mentions the importance of choosing the right electric scooter based on speed and safety features for different riding conditions.

💡Safety

Safety is the overarching theme of the video, with the speaker sharing tips on how to ride electric scooters safely in urban environments. This includes planning routes, riding with traffic flow, and being aware of potential hazards such as cars making turns or parked vehicles.

💡Route planning

Route planning is a key concept in the video, where the speaker advises viewers to plan their trip before setting out, using features like Google Maps to find the safest paths with access to bike lanes or sidewalks. This helps in avoiding busy roads without designated lanes for scooters.

💡Bike lanes

Bike lanes are designated paths for cyclists and are recommended in the video for scooter riders to use for increased visibility and safety. The script explains that riding in bike lanes provides a buffer from traffic and reduces the risk of accidents, especially from vehicles pulling out of driveways.

💡Traffic flow

Riding with the flow of traffic is a safety tip highlighted in the video, which means following the same direction as vehicles and adhering to traffic rules. This increases the rider's visibility to drivers and reduces the risk of collisions.

💡Intersections

Intersections are points in the road network where roads meet, and they are identified in the video as areas requiring extra caution. The speaker advises slowing down and being prepared to brake when approaching intersections, especially when traffic lights and signs are not in the rider's favor.

💡Sidewalks

Although not the safest option, sidewalks are mentioned in the video as alternative paths for scooter riders when bike lanes are not available. However, the script emphasizes the importance of being courteous and cautious, slowing down, and giving pedestrians plenty of space.

💡Speed

The appropriate speed for an electric scooter is discussed in relation to safety, especially when keeping up with traffic or navigating through different road conditions. The video suggests that a scooter's speed can influence the rider's ability to avoid danger and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.

💡Visibility

Visibility is crucial for scooter riders, as it helps prevent accidents by ensuring that drivers are aware of their presence. The video script provides several tips on how to stay visible, such as riding in bike lanes, maintaining a controllable speed, and making eye contact with drivers.

💡Accidents

The prevention of accidents is a central focus of the video, with the speaker sharing personal experience and advice on how to avoid collisions with cars and other potential hazards. This includes being aware of one's surroundings, planning routes to minimize risk, and adjusting riding behavior based on traffic conditions.

💡Safety gear

Wearing appropriate safety gear, such as helmets, is mentioned in the video as a fundamental aspect of safe scooter riding. The script emphasizes the importance of personal protective equipment to mitigate injuries in the event of an accident.

Highlights

Using electric scooters as a primary mode of transportation for short trips and urban environments.

Importance of planning your trip and route with constant access to bike lanes, sidewalks, or dedicated bike paths for safety.

Utilizing Google Maps' bike feature for routing along safer streets and paths.

Preference for taking a longer but safer path over a shorter one without bike lanes or sidewalks.

Riding with the flow of traffic and on the right side of the road for visibility and safety.

Making eye contact with drivers and being cautious around cars making right turns or left turns from the opposite direction.

Maintaining a controllable speed through intersections to respond quickly to traffic actions.

Riding in bike lanes for better visibility and a buffer from vehicles.

Avoiding passing cars in bike lanes when traffic is moving at a normal pace to stay visible and predictable.

Being aware of the risk of 'getting doored' by parked cars and leaving adequate room when riding in bike lanes.

Adjusting speed and awareness when riding on sidewalks, especially being courteous to pedestrians.

Opting for bike paths or other separated paths from traffic when available for maximum safety.

Considering the riding conditions when choosing the correct scooter for a trip, such as speed and handling.

Adapting to non-ideal conditions like riding on the left side of the road when necessary.

Approaches to riding in the road, including using the full lane when appropriate and signaling turns.

The adaptability of electric scooters to utilize various paths and unconventional routes for quick and safe travel.

Emphasizing the importance of wearing appropriate safety gear, including a helmet.

Invitation for viewers to share additional tips in the comments for a collaborative approach to scooter safety.

Transcripts

for years now I've used electric

scooters as my primary source of

transportation for short trips grocery

runs and for just getting around town as

a result I have many many hours of

experience riding safely around cars and

avoiding accidents here are the best

tips I have for keeping yourself safe on

an electric scooter when riding around

in urban environments number one plan

your trip be sure to plan the route you

take to your destination before heading

out being familiar with the area and

planning a route that gives you constant

access to bike Lanes sidewalks or a

dedic at bike path will keep you the

safest when I'm riding to a destination

I've never been to before I like to use

the bike feature on Google Maps which

generally does a good job of routing you

along the streets and paths that will be

the safest for a two- wheeled Rider a

phone mount can be useful here for

keeping an eye on your route while

you're riding remember it's always

better to take a slightly longer path

that is safer than trying to save 5

minutes by riding along a road with no

bike lane or sidewalk I'll talk about

how to ride safely with traffic if there

aren't any other options in a minute but

do your best to plan a route that avoids

this especially if you're on a slower

scooter number two ride with the flow of

traffic I'm sure you've heard it a

million times but I'll reiterate ride on

the right side of the road whenever you

can this obviously is for countries

where you drive on the right side of the

road I live in the United States so

everything I explain will be based on

right side of the road driving in

countries where you drive on the left

side of the road just reverse everything

I'm about to explain riding on the right

side of the road will give you the best

chance to be seen by vehicles and will

keep you the safest cars pulling out of

driveways and making right turns onto

the street where you're riding will

naturally look in your direction I

always try to make eye contact with the

driver as I ride up so I know that they

see me when in doubt you can always go

around the back of a car also be aware

of traffic making left turns coming from

the opposite direction you should be

visible to them but sometimes they

aren't looking for bikes and scooters or

they don't realize how quickly you're

traveling be sure to slow down a bit and

hover a finger over your brakes if you

see someone preparing to make a left

turn in front of you this applies doubly

at a busy intersection opposite

direction traffic with with a green

light waiting to make their left turn

might be only focused on car traffic if

you're in the bike lane and following

the traffic lights and the crosswalk

sign isn't green the cars might assume

that you're going to stop for the

crosswalk sign and then turn in front of

you maintaining a controllable speed

through intersections where you can

break quickly and respond to the actions

of cars around you is key and remember

to trust your instincts if it feels like

the driver doesn't see you then slow

down and be prepared to break if needed

slowing down also gives drivers more

time to see you

number three ride in the bike Lanes it

may seem like the safest place to ride

is the sidewalk but it is actually the

bike lanes that are best bike lanes are

much more visible to traffic and offer a

buffer between you and those pulling out

of driveways people often do not stop

and begin looking until after they've

pulled out past the sidewalk here are a

few rules to follow when riding in the

bike Lanes if you have a scooter that

can go faster than the speed limit you

should still avoid passing cars when

traffic is moving at a normal Pace you

never know when a car might need to make

a right turn turn into a parking lot or

at an intersection stay visible in the

mirrors of cars you're driving next to

and keep Pace with traffic so that

you're visible and predictable to the

drivers passing traffic that is stopped

or moving slowly is more acceptable but

avoid doing this at high speed when

close to intersections driveways and

other turn-ins be aware of cars parked

next to a bike lane getting doored is

probably the worst thing I can imagine

happening while riding other than a

full-on car crash leave adequate room

between you and the cars parked on the

side of the road there should be enough

room in a bike lane to stay away from

parked cars and out of the road if there

isn't or there's a car parked in the

bike lane consider using the sidewalk to

avoid this or sharing the road if your

scooter can comfortably keep up with

traffic if you do need to ride on the

sidewalk be sure to lower your speed and

be hyper aware of cars coming out of

driveways also be aware of people on the

sidewalks and be especially courteous to

them by slowing down and giving them

plenty of space the ideal situation is

riding on a bike path or other path

separated ated from traffic if your city

has biking or horseback Trails try to

get where you're going using those as

much as possible be sure to be courteous

and ride slowly around pedestrians and

bike riders remember that your safety is

more important than the kirens who might

not like you using the paths though I

have found that people often won't take

issue with you if you slow down and

smile as you pass them number four

choosing the correct scooter when

purchasing a scooter or choosing which

one you're going to be riding you'll

need to consider what the riding

conditions of your trip will man for

example a few years ago my commute to

work involved going down a section of

one lane road that had no bike lane no

sidewalk and no shoulder the speed limit

of that section was 25 M hour and I knew

that as long as I had a scooter that

could do 25 or 30 I could keep up with

traffic for that section of Road this

section of Road included a blind corner

and if I was using a 15 mph scooter then

I would have been putting myself in a

lot of danger fast scooters aren't just

for recreational riding but can be

essential to staying safe in non-ideal

conditions the reality is that a lot of

your riding will have to be done in non-

ideal conditions American cities

generally are not micromobility friendly

and you required to deal with conditions

as they are in the best way you can I'll

go over some other conditions that I've

personally encountered and how to best

handle them first riding on the left

side of the road sometimes the only bike

lane or sidewalk will be on the left

side of the road you need to carefully

consider the conditions and know how

fast your scooter can go and how

comfortable you are at higher speeds

before deciding if it's better to ride

on the wrong side of the road with a

bike lane or on the right side of the

road in traffic if you ride on the left

you really need to put yourself into the

mind of drivers people pulling out to

make a right turn will not look in your

direction most of the time be sure to

slow down and wait for the driver to

either make eye contact with you or make

their turn before continuing again go

around the back of cars pulling out

whenever you can look over your shoulder

to the right when entering an

intersection to check for cars making a

left turn onto the street you're

Crossing they often can't tell how fast

you're riding or maybe only paying

attention to Brakes in traffic and not

to the opposite sidewalk stop at the

intersection or driveway and wait if

you're ever in doubt number two riding

in the road depending on the side of the

lanes you're riding in and the speed of

your scooter there are a few different

approaches to take when riding in the

road if the size of the lane permits

stay close to the right side of the lane

and give space for cars to pass if the

lane is narrow use the full Lane to

establish yourself as a rider and

discourage people from passing you the

same rule applies if you have a scooter

fast enough to keep up with traffic TR

use the full Lane and don't allow cars

to ride side by side with you in the

same Lane be sure to have a scooter with

signals and use those signals to change

lanes if you're going to be using a

turning lane in traffic if your scooter

doesn't have them use your feet to

Signal turns don't take a hand off the

scooter to Signal your turns like you

would do for a bike trying to ride with

one hand is much more dangerous than not

signaling and then I have just a couple

other thoughts I've come to mind and

experiences I've had while riding first

people love to speed up to to enter a

driveway in front of you either because

they're impatient or they don't realize

how fast you're traveling you should get

used to glancing over your shoulder or

installing a rear view mirror to keep

track of cars approaching you from

behind the beauty of an electric scooter

is how adaptable you can be you have the

luxury of utilizing the size and speed

of a peev to get to your destination

quickly and safely using unconventional

methods and routes bike Lanes sidewalks

roads dirt roads plazas parking lots

Parks apartment complexes and just about

anywhere you can fit your scooter are

available to use just use common sense

and stay safe above all else and then

because there'll be comments about this

if I don't address it obviously wear

appropriate safety gear that is a given

at minimum you should be wearing a

helmet but you should wear what you feel

the most safe in I hope these tips have

been helpful if I missed something let

me know down below thanks for watching

and I'll see you in the next

one