Scooters can be great fun. In many states, you don’t even need a motorcycle endorsement to ride a scooter on public roads, just a regular driver’s license. But even though scooters are cute and accessible, you can’t ignore the basics of safety. Many of the same perils that await motorcyclists also stalk scooter pilots, and must be planned for and addressed.
If you take nothing else away from this article, please pay attention to this: Wear a quality, DOT-approved helmet every single time you ride a scooter. If no helmet is available, don’t ride. Period. Scooters may not be capable of the same high speeds that conventional motorcycles can achieve, but forward speed is not necessarily the issue when it comes to head injuries. It doesn’t take much to injure the human brain, and a good helmet can help protect you against trauma. I recommend using a full-face helmet or modular helmet designed for street motorcycling. Don’t expect a bicycle helmet to do the trick. Though it may be lighter and more comfortable to wear, a bicycle helmet is not sufficient for the forces you may encounter on a scooter.
Beyond the helmet, gear up with an appropriate long-sleeved jacket, long pants, gloves and closed toe shoes or boots. Light-weight gear with abrasion resistance is important, and internal padding and armor is recommended. Bright colors are good; reflective material is even better, especially after dark.
Once you’re geared up, be sure that you are fully versed on the operation of your scooter before you start riding. This may seem like obvious advice, but I have seen riders begin a ride without knowing how to stop, because they didn’t know where the brake lever was on an unfamiliar scooter. Take the time to learn where all of the controls are on your scooter, and commit them to memory. Test your brakes, and see how much of a squeeze it takes to immobilize your scooter. Adjust your mirrors. Make sure that you can reach the ground comfortably.
Start out slowly, and experiment in a deserted parking lot before joining traffic. Build speed gradually, and practice cornering. Scooters respond to the same inputs as motorcycles, and require countersteering and leaning to corner effectively. A highly simplified explanation: instead of steering left to turn left, on a two-wheeled bike, you push forward on the left handlebar, which initiates a lean to the left and a left turn. Maintain momentum, and you swoop through the turn at a slight lean. Try it at low speeds, and you’ll see that it works. Add speed as you gain confidence. And add this mantra to your brain: Slow in; fast out. Always moderate your speed as you enter a corner, and gradually accelerate to leave the corner. As you gain experience, you’ll figure out how much you need to slow down for each upcoming corner, and how much gas you can give it to exit.
See and be seen. Once you are ready to get out on the road, keep your eyes high, and scan ahead for traffic and obstacles. Make sure that you take a lane position that allows other vehicles to see you. Take special care at intersections. Scooters are small, and sometimes don’t get respect from other vehicles on the road. Don’t take it personally – just ride assertively and respectfully, and assume that nobody can see you.
Even though scooters are easier to ride than motorcycles, if you’ve never ridden either one, a training course would be a wise investment of time and energy. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers a Basic RiderCourse – Scooter for beginning and returning riders. Some of their locations include the use of a scooter and helmet for training, so you can try before you buy.
I hope that I haven’t overwhelmed you with safety concerns about scooters. I happen to love riding scooters. They can be a blast, and a great way to get around without the expense and worry of a car or motorcycle, especially in places where scooters are a primary form of transportation. Embrace the scooter, but just do it with safety in mind.