Quote:
Originally Posted by Infidel!
Very true Ricky. Harris taught us all that braking and evading is the best way to come out alive. He always said that if you "had to lay it down to avoid an accident" didn't you just have an accident?
Practice emergency braking on almost every ride. It's not hard. For those with ABS you can rely on that, but it has also been proven that with proper braking technique, you can stop faster without employing it.
The point is to reduce your speed as much as you can as quickly as you can. If I am going to hit something I want to be going as slow as possible. Every MPH you can scrub off increases your survivability exponentially. if you can get rid of enough momentum, you also stand a better chance of avoiding a collision. It's much easier to plan and execute an escape route going slower because you have that much more time to react.
I am convinced the practice I have done has saved my life more than once, KenR and I both were once riding on I25 south of Denver when we came to the top of a hill. We were going highway speed (80-ish) and as we crested the hill all we saw were brake lights and stopped cars in front of us. Both of us immediately began our emergency braking that we practiced and stopped with about 2 feet to spare. The whole time we were braking, we were also actively searching for escape routes, which in this case weren't required, but we both had a plan in our heads should it be needed. Interestingly, we both stopped in approximately the same distance, within inches of each other.
Google brake and escape exercise. It's a good start. Find a parking lot and get familiar with what your bike can do.
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Dan had the presence of mind to check our "6". I didn't, but automatically moved to the left shoulder against the guard rail in the last 4 - 5 feet of the emergency stop (just in case). As I swerved to the left, I was wondering why Dan hadn't swerved to the right. He said, I checked during our emergency braking and there was no one there.
![Doh](images/smilies/doh.gif)
So I can do an actual emergency brake and escape . . . even when the escape part isn't necessary.
I learned something that day. There was plenty of time to check the mirror while stopping from 80-ish to zero in a very, very short distance.
It may have been that same trip, but on the way home going south on I-25 entering Pueblo. Another sudden traffic stop in front of us at around 70 mph and we both applied our brakes at the same time. And we both stopped right next to each other, no difference in braking distance. Many people I know would have been in an accident in both instances.
Thank you, Harris.