While renting a car may be considered as a standard option, going for a scooter definitely has its advantages. For instance, in a Southeast Asia, scooters are more or less standard vehicles, due to the dense urban traffic that it virtually impossible to navigate by a car. On the other hand, not a lot of people drive scooters back at home, which could complicate the matters a bit, even though riding a scooter is hardly a complex thing to do. Nonetheless, the absurdity of this situation as a whole makes things a bit stranger than they need to be.
So, here are some questions you need to ask before renting a scooter on a vacation in order to keep things clean, simple and pleasurable.
1. Be mindful of where you take your lessons
We’re not trying to be condescending or underestimate anyone but the target destination you reach may not be the best place for you to take scooter or motorcycle lessons. Why? Well, first of all, the volume of work is so high (for apparent reasons) that it’s questionable how skilled all the instructors are. Second, it’s much safer to learn on a desolate road than in Downtown Bangkok. Keep in mind that the potential accident won’t wait for you to finish the training. Therefore, it would be by far the best if you were to get an international driver’s license.
2. Take the necessary steps of precaution
By this, we mostly aim at two major areas – the insurance and the safety gear. No one likes wearing a helmet but you need to understand that in 2018 this is not an optional thing. Don’t look at this from the perspective of the law, seeing as how in some countries you could easily bribe your way out of the ticket. Think of it from a perspective of safety.
As for the insurance, keep in mind that there’s a certain bias from the local police force in favour of their own nationals. This is why you should contact your car insurer prior to going abroad. On the other hand, if travelling to a first-world country, you might find it easier and more effective to rely on local legal aid. For instance, a visitor to Sydney might look for a local NSW agency specialized in motorcycle accident claims in order to get the best results.
3. Inspect the scooter before renting it
The next thing you should do is inspect a scooter before you rent it. Even if you’re not a mechanic you can take a look at lights and brakes. This alone will make a huge difference in the reliability of the vehicles. You see, not every agency renting out scooters is licensed to do so. This means that they don’t have to pass mandatory checkups and inspections. Lights and brakes directly affect your on-road safety, which is why they need to become your No.1 priority. Another thing you need to understand is that there’s nothing easier than for a rental agency to accuse you of breaking something that was already broken.
4. Read your contract carefully
Sometimes there are certain peculiarities in your rental contract you need to be extra wary of. For instance, you might be obliged to fill the tank with gas prior to returning the vehicle. In case of the bike theft, the damage might be on you, instead of it being covered by the insurance of the rental company. The number of people who got tricked by these agencies is incredibly long, which is why you should focus on the fine print before signing anything. No matter how much the other party decides to rush you, it’s much wiser to take your time.
5. Never give your passport as a collateral
Lastly, if a rental place asks for your passport, you should offer them a copy or your International Driving Permit instead. If they refuse and insist on the passport instead, you should probably look someplace else. Think about it, why would they refuse these completely legitimate documents and warranties in the first place. Sometimes, it’s due to the fact that a passport may be worth a small fortune on the black market. To some, this may sound a bit paranoid, yet, it has happened so many times in the past that it’s no longer safe to ignore it.
In conclusion
While this post may make it seem like driving a scooter abroad is a particularly hazardous scenario, the reality is never so grim. Think about it, all you have to do is do some research back at home, go to a reputable scooter rental agency and watch out for your own safety. When you look at things objectively, most of these tips are valid back at home, as well. Now, you just need to be a bit extra careful and all should be just fine.
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