Safe Scooter Riding

Scooters are an extremely efficient way to travel around town and find accessible parking. They’re not built for particularly fast riding, but they can make maneuvering city streets much easier. But if you’re using a scooter, you’ll have to share the road with much bigger vehicles, so you should be taking all the necessary precautions to stay safe. Rick Case Honda Powerhouse takes the safety of our clients very seriously, so we’ve provided some basic tips for safe scooter riding. If you need help finding safety gear, or if you need your scooter looked at so a mechanical issue doesn’t create a hazardous situation, then stop by our location in Davie, Florida. We proudly serve the areas of Miami and Fort Lauderdale as well.

See and Be Seen

Visibility is key to avoiding accidents. The bigger the vehicles around you, the more likely you are to disappear. Make sure everyone knows you’re there by wearing reflective gear no matter the time of the day. Also, make sure your lights are on and always use your signal lights. This means you’ll want to check to make sure your lights are properly working before you hit the road.

Also, keep your own visibility in mind. Wearing a helmet should be a given and you shouldn’t ever ride without one, but you don’t want a helmet that will impair your own view of the road. Don’t throw away your helmet’s receipt until you’ve taken it for a test ride and made sure it won’t be a problem for you.

Blind Spots

Remember how quickly you disappear around bigger vehicles? That’s because their blind spots can easily consume a smaller vehicle. Keep these blind spots in mind as you maneuver the road and avoid staying in them for too long.

You’ll also want to keep your own blind spots in mind. Keep your eyes peeled and generously use your mirrors, although don’t rely on them too much. Check your mirrors and then quickly look behind you if you need to merge. Also, give yourself a little bit of time to decide if it’s appropriate to merge. Instead of cutting into another lane, give any cars in your blind spot a moment to make themselves visible or to back off. This will help you avoid scary accidents and keep traffic behind you flowing.

Keep it on the Road

Keep your eyes peeled for low traction areas that could cause you to lose your grip on the road. If one wheel comes off the ground, there isn’t much left that’s keeping you grounded. Try to ride around road hazards and avoid low traction obstacles, like steel plates, potholes, and bumps. If you can’t avoid a potential hazard, remain calm and keep your hands on the controls and feet on the floorboards. Do your best to let your momentum carry you through the hazard and find the path of least resistance.

Beginner’s Tips

First things first, take some time to practice riding your scooter in a low traffic, low-stress area. You’ll be controlling your speed with your hands using the throttle and brake system, so make sure you get used to it. Take it slow on your first ride and try not to rush things. After that, as long as you’re following all traffic laws, riding your scooter should get pretty easy pretty fast.

Hopefully, this helps you get started with some basic safety precautions so you can be focused on enjoying your rides rather than stressing over every little problem that comes up. If you’re still looking for the perfect scooter to get around town, then stop by Rick Case Honda Powerhouse in Davie, Florida. We welcome all riders from the areas of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.