How do I back up a scooter?

by Tracy
(Bozeman, MT)

I have never driven a scooter before and want to know everything before I do! So my question is: When you are parking and drive along side a parked car in order to back into a space, how do you reverse?

Do you need to shut engine off before pushing it backwards with your feet? Is that safe to do while cars are coming up behind you?

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How do I back up a scooter?

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Jun 07, 2010

Good News
by: Kathi

That's great news, Tracy! What kind of scooter did you get? Do be sure to come back to the site and tell us all about your adventures. :)

By the way, it just hit me that you're in Bozeman, MT. I don't know if I noticed that before. I lived in Missoula for a year and have been to Bozeman. Nice town, and luckily, not exactly the "big city." :)

So hopefully, parking won't be too scary an experience for you. I often have parked on the sidewalk or in spots cars can't fit, and no one seems to care if your scoot is fairly small. Parking sideways would give you more visibility, but may not be possible everywhere.

I'm sure you'll work it out though... Good luck!

Jun 07, 2010

parking
by: Tracy

So I am finally getting my scooter tomorrow! I even passed the written part of the test so I could get my learners permit. In the manual, it states that a motorcycle should always park sideways for better visibility. Still does not seem safe to do this on a busy road. I will just have to find parking elsewhere, such as a parking lot. I am sure they will have to revise their manual to include scooters as they are becoming more and more popular. Thanks for your input. I'm sure I'll post more once I get on my scooter! Can't wait!

May 19, 2010

thanks
by: Tracy

Thanks, Kathi! I think I'm trying to overthink things a bit. There really shouldn't be a reason why I couldn't just pull into a spot. I have seen motorcycles back diagonally into a spot so they can just drive out when they go. I'll just make sure the spot is big enough to pull in so I'm out of the line of traffic. Thanks for your comment. I am sooo excited to finally get to ride my scooter!

May 19, 2010

Welcome to the world of scootering!
by: Kathi

Hi Tracy... First off, welcome to the fun world of scooters and scootering! And welcome to the site... you'll find lots of information, help & support here. We have a great community of both new and experienced scooter riders.

But back to your questions... going in reverse on a scooter is basically a manual operation. There is no reason to leave the scooter on, and in fact, doing so could be risky, if you happen to hit the throttle while trying to back up.

I'm short, and if I want to go backwards, I often actually step off the scooter and push it back while standing to one side. I usually have one hand on the handlebar grip and the other on the rail behind the seat, which gives me the best stability and control. But if you're taller, you might feel perfectly capable of pushing it backwards while straddling the scoot.

I think you were asking about parallel parking, and if so, I'm wondering why you wouldn't just pull into the space, rather than backing up in traffic? Scooters are generally small enough that you can pretty easily do so, at least partially... and then adjust by manually moving the scoot.

If you DO feel the need to parallel park and backup, then it could be a bit risky, as you won't have backup lights and might not be that visible as you push backwards. I'd make darn sure that you make yourself as visible as possible with bright colored clothing, hand signals and making eye contact with the cars behind you.

Good luck!
Kathi

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How do I back up a scooter?