Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
I`m glad you mentioned using only the front brake.
I agree completely, whatever a rider considers to be the best braking method, that is the method that they should be using all of the time so that it becomes instinct. However, with respect to the situation presented in this video, I have been in similar situations myself and in my experience I think that you can throw your habitual braking habits out the window in this scenario.If you habitually use just the front (or rear) brake, in nearly every single instance this is exactly what you will do when faced with no time to think.
Regardless of what those habits are, good or bad, that is not what most people are going to do in this situation. Instinctive reaction will always be self preservation. In this case that means that, even if both brakes were being used, most people will most likely put their feet down in an attempt to prevent the developing fall. Human instinct is always to protect the head. It is almost impossible to overcome that instinct when there is no time to think and our actions are purely reactionary. This instinct will overcome usual braking habits as self preservation kicks in and always wins. This preservation instinct turns our reaction in to putting our feet down in an attempt to prevent a fall, which is a reaction intended to prevent hitting our head on the ground. So, the foot will come off of the rear brake pedal to place it on the ground in an attempt to prevent the fall, which will result in the bike sliding backwards even more making the situation even worse and almost impossible to control.
This is the same logic that helps to explain why motorcycle accidents involving riders who were not wearing gloves are more likely to result in head and facial injuries than it does for those riders who were wearing gloves.
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