How to ride an electric scooter: a step by step guide for your first rides
Most people get the basics in one practice session. Here is how to stand, start, stop and turn, then take those skills onto hills, rough roads and bike lanes.
Topic
Riding laws & safety
Where you can ride, what the rules usually say, and how to ride safely in traffic, in the dark and in the rain.
Newest first
All riding & safety guides
Electric scooter brakes explained: drum, disc, hydraulic, regenerative and foot brakes
Five kinds of brake turn up on electric scooters, and most models combine two or three. Here is how each one stops you, what it asks of you in upkeep, and which suits your speed.
Electric scooter safety gear: helmets, lights and what to wear
Most electric scooter falls happen at low speed, on your hands and head. The right gear is cheap next to the scooter and it matters every ride.
Electric scooter laws: what to check before you ride
There is no single US law for electric scooters. States set the frame, cities fill it in, and both change. Here are the eight things to look up.
Riding an electric scooter in rain and winter: water ratings and what to avoid
Light rain is fine for some models and a bad idea for others. The IP rating tells you which, if you know how to read it.
Electric scooter helmet guide: types, safety standards, fit and when to replace
A helmet only protects you if it suits your speed, carries the right label and fits your head. Here is how to read the types, the standards and the size charts.
Where to ride electric dirt bikes: private land, OHV parks and trails
Most electric dirt bikes are off-road vehicles, so the street is out. Private land, riding parks and trails open to off-road motorcycles are in, each with its own rules.
Street legal electric dirt bikes: what makes one road legal
A road legal electric dirt bike has to be a motorcycle on paper as well as on the road. Here is the equipment, paperwork and license most states expect, and why most dirt bikes stay off-road.
Electric scooter lights: headlights, brake lights, turn signals and riding at night
Lights do two jobs on an electric scooter: showing you the road and showing you to everyone else. Here is what each light does, what to look for, and how to ride after dark.
Electric dirt bike gear: helmet, goggles, gloves, boots and body armor
Dirt bike falls happen on rocks, roots and ruts, often at low speed. Here is the gear that covers each part of you, how much you need for your bike, and what changes for young riders.
Riding an electric scooter on sidewalks: the rules, bike lanes and etiquette
Sidewalk rules for electric scooters change from city to city, and many cities ban riding there outright. Here is where to ride instead and how to share space with people on foot.
Do you need a license for electric scooter riding? What decides it
Whether you need a license depends less on the ride you buy and more on how your state classes it. Speed, power, weight and pedals decide which group it falls into.
About this topic
About riding laws & safety
Where you may ride an electric scooter or electric bike, how fast, and what you need to wear are set by your state and your city, and the rules change. These guides explain how the rules usually work and where to check the ones that apply to you, and they cover riding safely: being seen, braking, riding in traffic and riding in bad weather.
Where a guide describes a rule, it says where the rule comes from and when it was checked, so you can confirm it yourself. Nothing here is legal advice: the law in your state and city is what counts, and your state’s motor vehicle agency and your city’s transportation department publish it.
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