Safe riding

Tips for keeping yourself safe when riding a scooter.

Take a rider-training course
Riding a scooter is not like riding a push bike and you are far more likely to be badly hurt in a crash. Many riding schools have reasonably priced courses for novice scooter riders and teach skills like basic control, U-turns, slow-riding, braking, cornering, and other useful techniques. Many have scooters available for training – which can be a good way of seeing if a scooter is right for you.

Don’t be nervous about being a novice. These courses, run by experienced instructors, instil confidence as well as skill. As one of our members said: “I attended a one-day practical training course and it was probably the best $50 I’ve ever spent.”

Focus
Distraction is a major cause of accidents. Keep your eyes on the road ahead – not on passers-by, billboards or enticing shop windows. The earlier you identify a potential hazard, the less likely you are to slam into it.

Assume nothing
Don’t assume that another driver has seen you, that they know the road rules at intersections, or that they’ll use their indicators. Don’t head off as soon as the traffic lights turn green – make sure no one is running the red. Don’t assume you’re safe from other road users.

Smooth, smooth, smooth
Scooters are short, light and the rider sits up high. This means they’re agile, but sudden movements can unsettle the scooter and bring on speed wobbles, messy cornering, even possibly a crash. Being smooth and gentle with your throttle and your cornering is the best way to keep the scooter stable and yourself relaxed.

Road positioning
If you’re slower and holding up traffic, it’s considerate to keep left. But on busy city streets stay towards the centre of the lane, watching out for car doors opening and vehicles coming out of driveways.

Keep in people’s mirrors – if you can’t see their mirrors, they can’t see you.

Road surface
Damp roads are especially dangerous for riders; road markings, manhole covers, oil spots, and patches of resealing all become very slippery when damp. Try to pick a line through these hazards while keeping your eyes as far ahead as possible. Keeping to the left or right of a lane helps you avoid oil in the middle as well as the directional arrows painted on the road. If you can’t avoid a hazard, keep the scooter as upright as possible and ride over it slowly.

Never overtake on the inside
Overtaking a vehicle on the inside of a lane is illegal. It’s also dangerous. On a single-lane road, car drivers hardly ever look at their curbside mirror and won’t know you’re there. If the car driver quickly turns left into a driveway or car park, or veers left and squeezes you towards the curb, you’re in trouble. Always overtake on the outside.

Queue-jumping
You can cut through traffic so long as you indicate and then overtake on the outside of a lane (not the inside). Make sure you’ve mastered good balance and slow-riding before you jump a queue, otherwise you could end up whacking several mirrors – not a popular move. Only jump a queue at traffic lights if there is room at the front for you and you’re confident you won’t be holding up faster-accelerating vehicles.

Turn your head before changing lanes
Rear-view mirrors can’t show you everything. So turn your head and check your blind spot before changing lanes.

Flash your brake lights
You may be able to stop a lot quicker than a car. Tap your brakes to flash your rear brake lights several times before stopping or turning at an intersection – that gives the drivers behind a little warning.

Speed differential
Mopeds have a top speed of 50km/h. Avoid higher speed zones as there’s a danger of someone crashing into you from behind. And remember that some motorways have restrictions that don't allow mopeds on them. 

For more riding techniques and tips, check out www.scootersurvival.co.nz a website dedicated to helping scooter riders stay safe and injury free.