Night-riding - Tips & tricks for a safe experience
While e-scooters are great for commuting, they are also good for leisure and recreational rides. After buying one for yourself, you definitely want to make the most of it and use it outside of your commutes to work. Some people bring it to parks, others bring it overseas, but not everyone can afford the time for that. Some of us end work late, and the only chance for us to ride our devices is after dark.
Riding at night opens up many new opportunities! You get to enjoy the sights and sounds of the local nightlife, and feel the cool breeze on your face instead of the harsh sunlight. That said, riding at night presents its own challenges. For one, it would be dark, and therefore riskier for you to be riding. Don’t let them get in the way of a good time! Follow these tips and tricks for a safe night ride.
1). Don’t ride on the roads!
Doesn’t matter the reason why you might be considering it; just don’t do it. Your e-scooter is banned from riding on roads for both you and the drivers’ safety. At night, road visibility is much lower, so the risk of you being run over by a car or a driver swerving and crashing to avoid you increases. For everyone’s sake, just don’t do it.
2). Attend the Safe Riding Programme
If you don’t know about it, the Safe Riding Programme is a 90-minute crash course teaching PMD riders on the rules and codes of conduct for riding an e-scooter safely in Singapore. It was developed by the Land Transport Authority and Singapore Road Safety Council. It combines theory lessons with practical circuit training, and is taught by LTA-approved instructors.
This course would properly equip you with the dos and don’ts of riding your e-scooter, so you’re assured you know what to do on the pathways.
3). Add front and rear lights
To make you clearer to the other pedestrians and rides, attach a white light to the stem of your e-scooter, and a red light to the rear wheel. This will ensure that others on the pathway can see you approaching from afar, and step aside or give way as needed.
4). Wear bright or reflective clothing
On top of making your e-scooter easy to spot, you can also maximise your visibility by wearing something that is easy to see at night, like a white shirt or something with a 3M strip on it.
5). Ring your bell early
People might not always notice you, even if you have your lights and reflective shirt on, especially if you’re coming from behind them. However, they will definitely hear a bell, so ring early and give them time to react and move aside for you.
6). Slow down, and do not speed.
At night, the speed limits are still in place. Just because it’s less likely to be caught, doesn’t mean you should try to test it anyway. Someone coming out of a corner might not have time to react, or you might not have enough time to brake for someone. Stay within the speed limits of 15km/hr on footpaths, and 25km/hr on shared cycling paths.
7). Be extra careful while crossing roads
Pay extra caution while on a zebra crossing, going past carpark entrances and exits, as well as intersections. Some cars might not be that careful and speed because they think no one is crossing (which is bad) so practice some caution on your side to prevent an accident from happening.
Night rides can be cooler, not congested with human traffic, and presents a whole new experience that’s vastly different from day riding. However, the visibility might present an issue, so just make sure to prepare your e-scooter and yourself before you set off, and practice proper conduct while you’re riding.