The e-scooter revolution is in full swing, folks — Woo! These days, you don’t even have to fork out for your electric scooter to enjoy the convenience of this modern mode of transport, as companies such as Lime offer a free-flowing scooter rental service. The question with that is how to use Lime scooters. Are they different from others? Discover the answer here.
With scooter-madness hitting fever pitch across the nation and beyond, Lime has quickly become the largest shared electric vehicle company, so you’ll no doubt have the opportunity to rent from them at some point in the future, but… how? Well, it mostly comes down to the app.
But if you want a more in-depth, step-by-step guide on how to use Lime scooters, (see also: Do Lime Scooters Have A Curfew?) we’ve got you covered. Let’s get into it!
How Do I Download The Lime App?
Thankfully, Lime makes it super easy to get hold of their app. Simply head to their website addressed li.me, and right there on the landing page is a “Download the App” tile front and center on the screen.
Tap the tile, and the correct app format for your mobile device should automatically begin downloading. Once complete, open it up, provide a few basic bits of information to create your account, and voilà; job done!
The app does a pretty good job of telling you what to do from there, but if you want a more comprehensive explanation of how to use Lime scooters, stick with us and we’ll make it happen for you!
Side Note — If you’d rather not download the dedicated Lime app, you can access a Lime-specific map on the Uber app. To find it, open the app, tap “Ride”, then “Bike & Scooter”, and follow the steps below.
How Do You Find Lime Scooters?
Before diving into the guide on how to use Lime scooters, let’s first discuss how to find them.
Well, each Lime scooter is fitted with a GPS tracker linked to a map on the app… an app-map, if you will.
You won’t have trouble finding the map on the app, as the map serves as the main page of the interface. As soon as you open the app and log into your account, the map will become populated with all the available Lime scooters in your area.
Setting Up Your Payment Details
In order to streamline the rental process, Lime requests that you input your payment details on the app.
You’ll then be able to scan and rent Lime scooters at will without having to go through a lengthy info-logging phase.
You’ll find the payment details page on the account menu, which can be accessed via the little person icon in the top left-hand corner of the display.
Tap in your details, then move on to the next step.
Choosing Your Lime Scooter
Each available scooter will show up on the map as a small white circle outlined in green, with a scooter picture in the middle.
Tap on any circle you’d like more information about. A menu will then appear to give you the big scoop on that particular scooter. Well, we say “big scoop”, but really it just tells you how much range the scooter battery has left.
If there isn’t much range left on a scooter, and you have some big adventures planned, simply tap on some other nearby circles to find one that has enough juice to facilitate your trip.
Once you’ve found the perfect scooter for you and your plans, tap on the green “Reserve” tile at the bottom of the scooter’s info menu.
This will remove your scooter of choice from the map for other users, thereby holding it for you, but you only have 10 minutes to reach it before Lime starts charging you the standard per-minute fee.
Renting Your Lime Scooter
When you get to your scooter, you’ll notice a QR code printed on the right-hand side of the handlebars. This is what you’ll use to rent the scooter so you can cruise around the area in style.
To get the ball rolling on the rental process, open the app, and tap on the “Scan” option in the bottom right-hand corner of the display.
This will activate your device camera (you may have to grant the app access to do so in your device settings menu). Point your camera at the QR code, making sure to keep it in frame.
If you’re not sure how to use QR codes or perhaps your device doesn’t have a working camera, you can punch in the plate number below the QR code printed on the scooter instead of scanning.
When you hear the scooter making a chiming noise, your payment method has been charged, and the rental is confirmed.
How Much Does It Cost To Rent A Lime Scooter?
Aside from learning how to use Lime scooters, you also need to know how much it costs to rent one.
The rental price of a scooter will be listed on the info menu that pops up when you tap a scooter circle on the map.
Generally speaking, there’ll be an initial rental fee, and then a much smaller recurring fee for use per minute, but specific rates may differ slightly depending on location.
Lime also offers two special deals in the US:
Day Pass — Unlimited 30-minute rides over 24 hours
Unlock Pass — A month of unlimited $0 unlock fees
Again, the actual price of these deals may differ from place to place.
Before You Ride A Lime Scooter
We know by this point you’ll be itching to get scootin’, but we highly recommend taking some time to browse the safety recommendations on both the Lime app and those provided by local authorities to know more on how to use Lime scooters properly.
Riding A Lime Scooter
You’ll be happy to know that Lime e-scooters are incredibly easy to ride, but before you whiz off into the sunset, familiarize yourself with the scooter setup.
The brake lever is situated in front of the left handlebar, and the thumb throttle can be found just to the left of the right handle.
Hop aboard, flick the kickstand back, take a few good pushes to get some momentum going, then push the throttle to fire the motor up.
Final Thoughts
Lime scooters are a fun and totally green means of transportation, and they’re reasonably affordable if you take advantage of the offers as well.
It couldn’t be easier to rent one. All you need is a device and a payment source. If you have both, simply locate a suitable scooter on the Lime or Uber app, find it, and off you go!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Fast Can Lime Scooters Go?
All Lime scooters are capped at 25 km/h, but in certain areas, there may be lower speed limits in place.
How Far Can A Lime Scooter Travel On A Single Charge?
One fully charged Lime scooter will take you approximately 30 km, but real-life distance will differ depending on usage.
Hi! My name is Johnathan, and I am the creator of ScooterAdvice360.com. Having been riding motor scooters and bikes for over 20 years, I have picked up a few things! I ran my own scooter store in Florida, selling all manner of motor scooters, mobility scooters, hoverboards, e-scooters and accessories, from Forzas to Vipers, Hellcats to Vespas.
Here, at ScooterAdvice360.com, I want to ensure everyone has access to the information that they need to enjoy their bikes and scooters for longer.
