How to safely ride an EUC and have fun

How to safely ride an EUC for the best time of your life

Spacial awareness

The are plenty of things you can do to improve your safety while riding an electric unicycle.
The first one and probably the most important is to be spatially aware. What does it mean?
You need to be aware of your environement and recognise danger before it happens. A good example, is coming fast in a corner where there is a gate or another path, should immediatly make you slow down. 
This skill can be learnt but you will need to practice.

Know your electric unicycle

Learn how your EUC behaves at low speed, learn how it turns and stops and gradually increase the speed at which you do both.
The best thing for you is to know what are the limits of your machine, especially in situations that you can't anticipate (e.g. dog crossing the street.

Here are some of the parts of your wheel you need to know like the back of your hand:

Avoid cut-off

What is this thing called cut-off?

An electric engine has a maximum output it can sustains and if it goes over that, it will automatically shutoff to safeguard the engine (as it can't cope).

A good example is when trying to ride faster than the wheel allows it, the EUC will (generally ) bip to warn you of the danger of cut-off. If you continue (and disregard this very useful safety feature - we all did one day), the wheel will suddenly stop, and you will most certainly fall and hurt yourself. (that's why you learn to only push your wheel on grass to test the cutt off speed, if you need to)

Does cut-off only happens when you go too fast?

No! This could also happen when breaking too hard, this is the same principle.
The engine tries to draw a lot more power than it should to stop the wheel. if this happens, the wheel will cut off, and again lead to a fall. This is easily preventable: as soon as you hear a bip bip, just ease the speed or breaking. There is usually a slight threshold from the bip to actual cut-off. You will learn over time to get closer to the limit, but beware of the fall.

Get the right protective gear

No matter how good you are (or think you are) you will need protective gear.
Some say it restricts their freedom and movements, but think what a 30km/h fall will do to your shoulder or hands!
Watch videos of motorbike riders falling at low speed (20 to 50km/h), and the results on their gear! Now, imagine going at that speed and not wearing any gloes on the concrete for 10 seconds! (not pretty) . We recommend you visit our section about protective gear to get a full overview of what we recommend to wear. 

Slow down near corners, gates or fences

It will surprise you every time, and not in a good way!
Usually you don't expect anything to happen, but with these pesky corners there is always a surprise.
A cat, a pram, a pedestrian, there is always something! A rule of thumb is to always slow down when you arrive at any corners, especially if you are riding on the pathway.
A good tip is to try getting on the opposite side of the corner you can't see. (this leaves you more space to react if something happens.)

Never trust cars coming near pedestrian crossings

This is probably the number 1 cause of crashes, thinking that cars can see you. They don't!
A rule of thumb is to always slow down and make eye contact with the driver. The ideal scenario is when they aknoweldged you and tell you to go.

 

Make eye contact

As mentioned above, if they see you this is one less reason for them to hit you!
This is a rule that motorbike riders are using to minimise risks.

Slow down when unsure

It doesn't cost you anything to slow down (it actually saves you some precious battery watts) and make sure you are safe.
One of the main risk, is to get complaisant with your own skills, thinking that others will react the same way.

Have back up plans if something goes wrong

Always have a backup solution if another person or car is near you. Always ask yourself, if this person doesn't continue the way they are, what are my options to avoid collision?

Plan for what could happen

Having the right gear is certainly important, planning for what could happen is another story.
Things you should plan for:

Avoid cars

Avoiding interactions with cars will limit the risks greatly. This is no joke, if you can, do it.

Ride to your level

Don't push it to the level where you put yourself or others in danger. This is not worth it.
Take the time to learn the basi skills before trying to do jumps and curb hopping!

Be civil

Respectfu of others, and they will be respectful of you (and your machine)