Tips for Riding Electric Skateboard Safely
Owning an electric skateboard can be fun and exciting, especially when you are young and energetic. These small and compact remote control transporters can give a very liberating vibe when you are riding one of them. With complete control over the throttle in your hand and the directions under your command, they are very agile and sturdy and can take great pressures for longer distances.
Since electric skateboards are very small and you are standing bare on them, it is also inevitable that a fall from an electric skateboard could result in some serious damage. Even though the top speed an electric skateboard can touch is 25-30 mph however custom built skateboards can even go up to 50 mph. It is imperative to know and keep in mind the importance of safety and precautions that are needed to be taken in consideration in order to ride an electric skateboard safely.
Here are some tips for riding an electric skateboard
Know Your Board
Until and unless you do not know about your skating board, you would have no idea of its full potential and what it can or cannot do. Spend time with your board, get to know it. Give it time to know you and your riding style. You don’t want any surprises coming your way when you are out there working it out.
Wear Your Helmet
Your mom’s favorite saying. For all the obviously right reasons. There’s a reason helmets are made for your own safety. Even if some of them make you look a little funny, there are a lot of designs you can choose from. You don’t want to end up in a hospital with a big bill and a statement of being grounded by your parents. That will nullify the purpose of the liberation of an electric skateboard.
Find Your Balance
Find your front and back foot positioning on the skateboard. Figure out what position suits you the best and stay in control of your skateboard. Keep the turning to a minimum and keep it safe. Braking and accelerating are also key parts of riding an electric skateboard safely. Make sure you practice enough before hitting the streets.
Defensive Riding
This doesn’t make a whole lot of sense right now it will in a bit. Remember how your parents sometimes, while teaching you how to drive, tell you to consider everyone blind and that you have to save yourself? Exactly. This is called defensive driving. You cannot rely on other people to ensure your safety. You are solely responsible for that and therefore have to act accordingly.
Safety Gear
The most important part of any kind of riding is the safety gear. Be it a horse or a skateboard, safety gear is as important as water. The slightest bit of mistake can lead to fatal accidents and hospital visits which you tend to take longer to recover from. With the help of the safety gear that involves wearing masks, elbow and knee safety pads, you can stay safe and ride secure for longer hours of fun.
Keep it Charged
One of the things about an electric skateboard is that it runs on electricity. And you don’t necessarily have electric charging portal’s access everywhere. It is very essential that your skateboard stays fully charged before you use it. There can be an exception for once a month where you let it drain completely. Inside the house, obviously. But that is for the skateboard’s own health.
Avoid Road Obstacles
Avoiding road obstacles does not only mean avoiding those “Under Construction” or “Deviation Ahead” signs. It means avoiding any object on the road that can cause damage to you or your electric skateboard. An obstacle for you on the road could be a heavy truck, a car, another skateboard or even just another sign. Even potholes could do serious damage to the tires of your electric skateboard. Avoid them at all costs for a better riding experience for your time out.
Tighten but don’t Over Tighten
Keep the wheels on your skateboard tightened but do not over tighten the parts that do not require over tightening. You do not want your tires coming off in the middle of a ride. Or your skateboard parts holding you back because they are overly tightened. Avoid dust and debris from getting into your skateboard and keep it as clean as possible.
Also keep the software of your electric skateboard updated. This maximizes the performance of the board and also gives you a better riding experience and keeps malfunctioning away. Fix the damaged parts of your skateboard and keep it maintained.
Lights Will Guide You Home
Yes, they will. Before you get going on your all favorite electric skateboard, know that lights are an essential part of riding a skateboard. Lighting is everything. Some skateboards might come equipped with preinstalled lights and some might not. Regardless, you ought to have some in case you pass through a dark tunnel or a dim street. You don’t want anything incoming!
Learn at Your Own Pace
Peer pressure is a thing, believe it or not. Don’t give into the pressure of your family or friends telling you to do it quicker. Remember! Haste makes waste. Learn at your own pace and according to your own ability. Only then you can become a better and a safer rider and excel using an electric skateboard.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Practice makes you perfect! And we are in agreement. Make sure that you have practiced long and hard enough in your backyard or front Porsche before you make it on to the streets. It’s dangerous out there and you also don’t want to be grounded. Or lose your skateboarding perks for good. That won’t be very good now, would it?
Final Words
Conclusively, electric skateboards are the youth’s thing now. And they are here to stay as the world goes greener and adapts to the effects of global warming. Use these tips for riding an electric skateboard safely before you get onto one!