Dodge or Brake?

Visitor Q · $25 whore Joined: 30 Apr 2004 Karma :

Hi, i am just wondering what the general bike camps opinion on this is.

When i face a hazard, my natural reaction is to think of a quick solution to dodge around it.

Say for instance i was going behind a car with a reasonable braking distance, and we were both doing around 70. He/she decides to turn left or right and so basically stops sharply cos they've misjudged the distance to the turning. Assuming they have indicated/you can tell quite blatantly what they are doing. Would you slam on the anchors or just blaze round them.
I seem to never ever brake. Asides from rare instances, but i mean i never do an emergency stop parse.

How about you guys?

ps i have added a fence sitting option as no doubt some people find the reaction is determined solely by the situation, how ever when i say dodge this will often involve highly illega things - undertaking, speeding, double white line crossing or such (obviously to a reasonably safe degree, i dont veer into traffic as a choice of that or a flat spot, but illegal within reason... i dont mean if a cage is turning right and leaves a 2 metre gap on their left and is indicating right... cruising through the bus lane sized hole at sub speed limit speed - which is fully legal)
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Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Probably most of the time I would brake, as indicators are hardly a reliable means to determine which way a car is going to turn.

All the best

Keith
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Chain · Derestricted Danger Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Karma :

Defnintly dodge!!! Laughing

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KevTM · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Karma :

naturally i tend to dodge rather than slap on the brakes. Generally though i slow down as i normally would i.e. progressive braking, none of this emergency stop carry-on and i dodge it as well...

more dodge than brake, but a little progressive braking.

Frost · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 May 2004 Karma :

tried stopping many times, ive come to the conclusion on my skitty bike i could do a complete 180 degree turn to avoid something alot quicker than i could slam the brakes on Razz

Visitor Q · $25 whore Joined: 30 Apr 2004 Karma :

This is interesting, no one outright always brakes in preference to dodging. I guess we might have a high contender for reasons why we own motorbikes Wink

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China traffic/travel bike vid - When I make a sweeping statement, please add the word 'statistically' in to the sentence before you bitch...
From September 2014 to January/February 2015 I will not be using any English, nor reading any. As such, I won't be on here. PM at will, but I won't be checking/posting unless in emergencies. Certainly not for the first couple of months. Please berate me savagely if I break that rule...

fazed · Korn is my hero! Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

I do whatever my brain tells me in the situation Confused

if it tells me theres enough room to brake , I brake . If it tells me no your going to scratch that nice fairing of yours I do whats apropriate dodge , swerve etc. Laughing

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

I almost always brake, which is a bad thing; and got me into to trouble on a bike with shity brakes once (not that there was really any where to dodge).
However I do need to 'learn' some reactions to turn rather than brake.

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

I'll sit on the fence on this one and say that I'd usually brake, but there have been plenty of situations where the brain has worked out that swerving or indeed accellerating is the only way to go, and I've done that - it's so far always turned out to be the right decision.

So I reckon the first reaction is to brake, but in a fraction of a second second you can work out that you're not going to stop in time and give up on the braking in favour of something else. You might not even have had time to get on the brakes before your brain's said 'no, do this instead' but I think the natural reaction for everyone is to try and stop first.

It's actually quite impressive the amount of information your brain can analyze, if you think about it. Trajectories, accelleration, decelleration, where the empty space will be by the time you get there... Smile

silentmemory · Derestricted Danger Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Karma :

<inhale>

Come to London and learn the ways of the Force.

You'll know when they've missed their turn before they do.

<exhale>

Visitor Q · $25 whore Joined: 30 Apr 2004 Karma :

Ava_Banana · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Karma :

Butt cheeks firmly either side of the fence I am afraid. Shocked

If I can dodge safely I will.

If I need to brake I will.

It is normally a combination of the two.

Riding into London every day, this happens so often that if you braked every time, you may as well drive a car, however, I try not to swerve/dodge if there is any doubt as to what the outcome will be.

McJamweasel · BCF Junkie Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Karma :

Bendy said it all ... again. Rolling Eyes

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Flip · Super Spammer Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Karma :

I need another option for 'smash straight into and fall off' please Rolling Eyes

kev · I Hump Things Joined: 07 Oct 2002 Karma :

Danny · Ask Me About Stoppie School Joined: 26 Jan 2003 Karma :

I agree with Bendy, but I tend to leave large braking distances incase the unforeseen happens.

Claud 14.7 to 1 · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 May 2004 Karma :

funny this post came up, actually.

Today i was 70mph or so on a duel carridgway. The road bends to the left, and there is a hidden exit, on the bend. Obviously you can't see it becuase of the bend.

A car pulled out (slowly) i was in the left land, ie the lane he/she was pulling into, only i was goin much faster than he/she was. Car proably about 10mph or less.

I could have dodged over to the right lane and avoided, or slam on the brakes.

I slammed on the brakes. I did not know if there was a car on my right, so, had i dodged it could have been bad.

my point is genrally id say brake. If i were to dodge i would HAVE to know that the path i would take, would be free and clear.

i try to plan free "routes" of escape if car a car pulled out, for example, so i know if the dodging option is open and safe to do. If it isn't then use brake. Bike brakes are suprisingly good in the dry...

Mr C · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Feb 2003 Karma :

you should have known there was a side road, it would have been signed

you should have been in the position of maximum safety for said side road well before you got to it - in this case, assuming you were not being overtaken well to the right of your lane, or even, on an empty road into the offside lane

what do you mean, you didn't know if there was a car in the right lane, this is basic stuff, regular mirror checks are bread and butter but the first thing you do when you see a hazard (road sign - junction left, or car waiting at the left, or indeed a blind bend on a dual carriageway) is a mirror check

go and get some advanced lessons and improve your observation skills Wink

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