# How to Ride a Dott Scooter

First things first: you need to have an **active internet connection** to find a Dott, unlock it and end the ride after you’ve arrived.

## 1. Starting your Scooter Ride

Once you've found a scooter,

- Scan the QR code on top of the scooter and tap **Unlock** and **Start ride** to get going.
- Having trouble scanning the QR code? You can also enter it manually by tapping **abc**.
- Make sure that you’ve kicked up the kickstand so that it’s no longer touching the ground.

## 2. Do a Safety Check

Before every ride, check:

- Are the lights working?
- Do the brakes work? (Squeeze the brake levers to make sure)
- Are the tires full?
- Are there any wires hanging loose?
- Is there any visible damage to the vehicle?
- How much **range** does the scooter have left?*

If anything seems to be damaged or malfunctioning, please report it to us and find another Dott to ride. You can report a damaged vehicle to us by selecting the vehicle on the map and tapping **Report issue**.

## 3. Ready to Ride

- To start, place one foot on the board, put both hands on the handlebars and push off hard with your other foot a few times (e-scooters can feel quite heavy the first time, so don’t be shy to give it a good push!).
- To accelerate, gently push the throttle with your right thumb.
- Go easy the first time – our scooters can go quite fast.
- Once you’re riding, keep both feet on the board.
- Squeeze both brake levers to brake – don't use your feet!
- Avoid hard braking and accelerating on smooth, slippery surfaces.

## 4. Ending Your Ride

- Always end your ride in an area where you’re allowed to park. Not sure where you can park? See [How to read the map](https://help.ridedott.com/en/articles/182-how-to-read-the-map).
- Once you’re in an authorized parking spot, tap **End ride**.
- Kick the kickstand back down so that your vehicle stands upright.
- We recommend checking our [Parking guidelines](https://help.ridedott.com/en/articles/198) section for details on how & where to park.

When riding, always follow our [Safe riding essentials](https://help.ridedott.com/en/articles/180). Failure to do so may result in a legal fine, so make sure to give them a quick read before you ride.

If you ever need a quick refresher on how to ride our scooters, tap **Help & legal** then **How to ride our scooters** in the app.

Enjoy your ride!

*We show range in **km** or **mi**, depending on your personal phone settings. A fully charged Dott scooter can take you up to 35 km (22 mi) from your starting point, depending on traffic and weather conditions.*

*Our scooters and bikes have a maximum speed of 20 or 25 km/h (12 or 16 mph), depending on your city.*