| One of the aspects of defensive riding is leaving | | | | So the effect of speed is really huge on your ability |
| yourself a change to get out of surprising situations. | | | | to stop effectively. This is why overspeeding in |
| One way of doing this is to adjust your speed | | | | crowded intersection areas is so dangerous. People |
| according to the situation. This article will discuss | | | | suppose you are going slower than what you are, |
| braking distance and how to watch out for cages | | | | and when they turn into your path you run out of |
| that are waiting on intersections to join your lane. | | | | distance when braking. |
| Most people and experts do agree that motorcycles | | | | Lets take an example of this. You are riding 25 miles |
| take a little longer to stop than cages, because riders | | | | per hour and you need to stop. You slam the brakes, |
| cant lock their front wheel, and so they cant brake | | | | keep your bike upwards and stop just with an inch |
| at full power. Cagers can brake as hard as they | | | | to spare. Now same scenario with a speed of 30 |
| want. | | | | miles per hour. Its not that big of a difference, just 5 |
| The laws of physics (and riding instructors) tells us | | | | miles here or there. But, now, instead of stopping |
| that if speed doubles, braking distance quadruples. | | | | with that inch of room to spare, you will slam the |
| Now think that for a moment. Let it really sink in to | | | | obstacle with a speed of 23 miles per hour. |
| you. When you ride 40 mph and accelerate to 80 | | | | How can such a small increase in speed make such a |
| mph, your braking distance is four times as long as it | | | | difference in stopping distance? Well, I'm no physicist, |
| was before you speeded up. It is such a big change | | | | Ill just have to believe the experts that have made |
| in magnitude that its hard to remember, I sometimes | | | | these numbers. I just try to remember that even a |
| catch myself for not really realizing this fact. | | | | small decrease in speed will give me more changes to |
| Otherwise I would keep a longer distance to the | | | | brake and stop. |
| cage in front of me. | | | | Another example with numbers (these are for cages, |
| And now, the same thing presented from opposite | | | | dry, good asphalt surface). When driving 50 miles per |
| angle. If you slow your speed by one fourth (1/4) | | | | hour and braking to a complete stop, another cage |
| from your original speed, your braking distance will | | | | that had a speed of 62 miles per hour and braked at |
| halve. Slowing down one fourth (1/4) is not really | | | | the same time, is still going 28 miles per hour (and |
| that much, and it still gives you much more room to | | | | hitting the obstacle with that speed). Same laws of |
| brake or evade. | | | | physics will affect to bikes too. |