Emergency Braking

Hello, I am Michael Padway, a California motorcycle lawyer. Thank you for letting me post to this forum. I am an avid motorcycle rider. My profession has allowed me to learn how to avoid accidents. Emergency braking if done correctly can greatly reduce accidents and injuries in many situations. Here are my tips that I have read, used, and need reminding of:

1. Try practicing applying both brakes to their maximum, just short of locking them up. Try this in an open, well-surfaced location, like a clean parking lot. Better to learn in a controlled environment than in an emergency situation.  Use cones to measure the distance until you stop. Keep practicing to get that distance down.

2. You don’t want to be learning this technique in an emergency.  Keep practicing at least until you can stop from 50 mph in less than 42 feet.  If you have ABS, you should be able to do this without the ABS kicking in.

3. Look where you’re going, not where you’ve been. This is the Zen of motorcycling. Your head will take you were it is looking, so don’t look at that parked car on your right!

4. You never want to lock the front brake; once you do you no longer control it. If you hear the front wheel chirp, release the brake smoothly, then immediately break again, but without locking it up.

5. If the rear wheel locks up, do not release the brake abruptly, but do release it slowly and smoothly. If your handlebars are straight, you will skid in a straight line, which is hopefully a good thing. Your most important priority is to get stopped!

If interested I offer a Motorcycle Safety Clinic for Organizations, call 1-800-446-9227 to arrange a speaking engagement  
Michael Padway San Francisco Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
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