Tailgating - how to react

[MrHappyCyclist]

I have been told by other cyclists that you need to put as much weight over the rear wheel as possible, to stop it from skidding.

Ah, that's a different matter. In my previous post I did say "provided the front wheel doesn't skid".

If the road is wet, for example, then the front wheel is likely to skid before the flipping point is reached, so in that case the greatest deceleration that is practically achievable will probably be from some combination of front and rear wheel braking, though the front will usually be doing the most. Moving your weight further back will add traction on the back wheel whilst removing it from the front, making them a bit more equal. It could be that the net effect is an overall increase in traction in that case. However, the stopping distance will still be longer than the dry road front-brake-only stopping distance.

Going back to the dry road situation, shifting your weight further back will not stop you skidding, but will allow you to stop faster without flipping provided the front wheel doesn't skid.

 

[twobiker]

Stopping distances are down to hazard awareness,if you do not see it in time you will not stop a car or a bike,hazard x insufficient braking distance = splat !

 

[John90]

Estimated stopping distances for a bike (in dry conditions I assume) according to the Institute of Advanced Motorists:

15mph - 11 meters
20mph - 17 meters
25mph - 24 meters

That includes thinking time - 10 meters at 25mph for example.

 

[gaz]

Estimated stopping distances for a bike (in dry conditions I assume) according to the Institute of Advanced Motorists:

15mph - 11 meters
20mph - 17 meters
25mph - 24 meters

That includes thinking time - 10 meters at 25mph for example.

11 meters for 15mph?

 

[John90]

11 meters for 15mph?

That's what it says; 6m thinking time and 5m braking.

 

[Dan B]

Any accepted standards for swerving distances?