Brake or accelerate - do you do that instinctively?

[OneMoreFarang]

When I ride in small Sois with parked cars then I ride normally slow, maybe 20-30km/h.

I do this mostly to be able to stop fast if a car, bike or pedestrian decides to cross the road without paying attention.

 

I noticed that often when I see i.e. a bike coming out behind a car I instinctively brake a little, basically preparing myself to brake hard. But looking in the hindsight at the situation it would often make sense not to brake but better accelerate to get past the "problem". Likely even with emergency braking and ABS I would often not be able to stop in time if the bike would cross the street.

 

Luckily I never had an accident like that. But I wonder if my reaction is normal.

What do you do? Do you instinctively accelerate if that makes sense? Or do you (start to) brake first?

[ezzra]

Riding and driving in this country for many years i concluded that most Thai drivers prefer to slow when confronted with a disruption to the traffic flow such as people crossing and cars turning in and out smaller sois, so for me, go slow in the order of the day coz you never know what flying bike or cars will come at you when you think you're in the right...

[Oldie]

"What do you do? Do you instinctively accelerate if that makes sense? Or do you (start to) brake first?"

 

How can you accelerate if you expect a danger? Yes there are people like this. For instance if a traffic light switches to red and they don't want to stop. Such people should not have a license. 

 

[bkk6060]

I think it depends. What is the power level of what you driving or riding?

 

On a motorbike I switched from a 125cc to 155.  Big difference in acceleration I probably accelerate through potential problems more now then before.

 

 

 

[taninthai]

Don’t be looking at the bike ,look at the rider and access if he has actually seen you,,,basic riding skills really should be natural to be looking for signs like this all the time,if your behind a car waiting to overtake same try to see if driver knows your there same when passing a junction with a car waiting to pull out,try to make eye contact with driver.......

this is why a lot of Thais are useless riders they are not taught any of this,,same goes for westerners that have never had training in Europe,,,,,,you can spot them a mile.

[rumak]

If I am having a particularly nice ride I might brake at times.   If not i throw caution to the wind and

accelerate .    Also depends on how curvy she is .  

 

Am I on the right forum ? ????

[2 is 1]

Thai drivers , they drive so close to you that have to be careful when brake. Even in highway and whit high speed they are few meter behind you! Really annoying! They don't get it, if you want overtake somebody its much more easy if you have space to accelerate! And distance to brake!

[Tagged]

First of all, never brake before you know what you have behind you, so therefor always look often enough in mirror to be surten that you do not have a tail <deleted> when you do an emergency brake. 

 

When I drive a car I always make room for annoying tail buggers, and let them trough, or I speed up to get them off. One of two. If you driving in heavy traffic, and you have an truck behind, you, give him a couple of quick brake Sessions so he understand and wake up from his phone, and most of the time they give you space. 

 

[scubascuba3]

i look ahead for the hazards approaching, junctions, double parked vehicles, taxi bikes, grab bikes etc about to pull out, I don't brake or accelerate, i go at a safe speed but i have my hand over the left brake in case someone jumps out

[Kwasaki]

Depends on the situation right, if you are an experienced rider. 

[OneMoreFarang]

9 hours ago, Oldie said:

"What do you do? Do you instinctively accelerate if that makes sense? Or do you (start to) brake first?"

 

How can you accelerate if you expect a danger? Yes there are people like this. For instance if a traffic light switches to red and they don't want to stop. Such people should not have a license. 

 

Ok, it seems I have to clarify this for some people.

 

If I ride my bike with, lets say, 30km/h through a small Soi with parked cars. I look for possible problems ahead. If any "problem" like a bike which wants to make a U-turn is maybe 10m in front of me I can easily brake. But if that bike was hidden behind a parked van and if the distance is maybe 3m, what then?

If the problematic rider would start a U-turn 3m away from me it is probably better that I accelerate ("big" bike) to get away from the problem. Very likely I will be beyond the spot where the other rider makes a U-turn if I accelerate fast.

If I brake instead then it's unlikely that I will be able that I stop within 3m. So worst case there would be an accident.

This is why sometimes riders accelerate away from the problem.

[OneMoreFarang]

8 hours ago, taninthai said:

Don’t be looking at the bike ,look at the rider and access if he has actually seen you,,,basic riding skills really should be natural to be looking for signs like this all the time,if your behind a car waiting to overtake same try to see if driver knows your there same when passing a junction with a car waiting to pull out,try to make eye contact with driver.......

this is why a lot of Thais are useless riders they are not taught any of this,,same goes for westerners that have never had training in Europe,,,,,,you can spot them a mile.

That all works fine if there is enough time and enough distance.

But it won't help in a split second decision especially if the other person looks somewhere else.

Sometimes bikes and pedestrians suddenly appear behind cars or vans. It's almost as if they are hiding there. Then it's time for a split second reaction.

[papa al]

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Ok, it seems I have to clarify this for some people.

 

If I ride my bike with, lets say, 30km/h through a small Soi with parked cars. I look for possible problems ahead. If any "problem" like a bike which wants to make a U-turn is maybe 10m in front of me I can easily brake. But if that bike was hidden behind a parked van and if the distance is maybe 3m, what then?

If the problematic rider would start a U-turn 3m away from me it is probably better that I accelerate ("big" bike) to get away from the problem. Very likely I will be beyond the spot where the other rider makes a U-turn if I accelerate fast.

If I brake instead then it's unlikely that I will be able that I stop within 3m. So worst case there would be an accident.

This is why sometimes riders accelerate away from the problem.

good idea

[papa al]

9 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

That all works fine if there is enough time and enough distance.

But it won't help in a split second decision especially if the other person looks somewhere else.

Sometimes bikes and pedestrians suddenly appear behind cars or vans. It's almost as if they are hiding there. Then it's time for a split second reaction.

... ran over a very quick,

buy easily distracted soi dog once.

No braking,

no acceleration nor swerving.

front wheel

back wheel

right over his little body.

Did same to snake in Cambo.

 

[EricTh]

It's better to brake then to accelerate because Thai are notoriously bad drivers.

 

I've seen so many times they come out of nowhere and don't bother to look whether there are incoming cars before joining in the road.

 

If you speed up, there may be other cars in front who will crash into you. That is, if the first motorbike doesn't crash you, then when you speed up, the second motorbike in front will crash into you.

[shy coconut]

8 hours ago, taninthai said:

Don’t be looking at the bike ,look at the rider and access if he has actually seen you,,,basic riding skills really should be natural to be looking for signs like this all the time,if your behind a car waiting to overtake same try to see if driver knows your there same when passing a junction with a car waiting to pull out,try to make eye contact with driver.......

this is why a lot of Thais are useless riders they are not taught any of this,,same goes for westerners that have never had training in Europe,,,,,,you can spot them a mile.

I was given  bit of advice when learning to drive....

 

Assume that no other driver is aware of your presence and assume they are going to

do something unexpected, who knows what distractions are going on with them.

 

[Oldie]

26 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

This is why sometimes riders accelerate away from the problem.

Yes often afterwards. Especially Thais are known for this. ???? We will watch you. And I will be even more careful when crossing the street because I don't expect now all drivers to reduce the speed. Some might even accelerate when they see me. Scary. But I understand now that they only do this to avoid an accident. I had such situations many times when I used a pedestrian crossing and the motorbikes did not want to stop.

[scubascuba3]

6 hours ago, papa al said:

... ran over a very quick,

buy easily distracted soi dog once.

No braking,

no acceleration nor swerving.

front wheel

back wheel

right over his little body.

Did same to snake in Cambo.

 

I agree swerving can get someone in more trouble, I wouldn't opt for accelerating away as default, Braking is the best option but don't lock the front wheel. I saw 3 kids on a bike do that a couple days ago, inexperienced kid grabs the front brake, bike goes down immediately

[Tagged]

11 hours ago, shy coconut said:

I was given  bit of advice when learning to drive....

 

Assume that no other driver is aware of your presence and assume they are going to

do something unexpected, who knows what distractions are going on with them.

 

10 points, and the worst is jumping wehicles coming from nowhere. Often from camouflaged sideroads, or behind obstacles or other wehicles. You need one thousands eyes, and also be an active driver. Unconcentraded driving can get you killed, or you kill someone. 

 

Driving a motorbike Im always on the active driving, never passive, and it doesnt matter 150cc or 1000 cc. Im more careful when I am driving a 150 cc, and always give myself space and never drive on the on the road shoulders. You never how the shoulder is in front of you, and you risk surprises when locked in with car on your side or worse a truck. 

[Jaxxper]

My reaction would be to brake. If you accelerate and heaven forbid there is an accident trying to explain to the police / insurance that you tried to accelerate out of the way might be an issue, and “make it your fault”. I know that many drivers accelerate to beat the red traffic signals and if the riders/drivers crossing the junction do the same in anticipating the green light it can only end in an accident.

[Grumpy one]

Try riding Thai style   Flat out with eyes shut, they need little power naps

[1FinickyOne]

i drive slowly and brake... better safe then hang around all day while the police scrape the remains from my tire treads

[ben2talk]

It depends on what kind of bike you have really - on my GSX, a touch of the throttle gave instant thrust, so it was sometimes good to get past emerging hazards. On the scoot, however, the stability and/or braking just isn't in the superbike class (can't remember my back wheel coming up under hard braking on a PCX anyways).

 

It's often quite useful, however, to delay braking - because as soon as you start to slow down they'll go for it. Often they're just trying it on, and if you dominate your space and don't point your head straight at them they often assume you didn't see them and back off - but being aware they might be searching for their dropped phone in the footwell :))

 

My favourite is bikes coming out of a sideroad on the left in front of you, and simply turn right into your face - not bothering to cross over to the other side of the road first.

 

Everyone has different mental abilities for planning/escape routes, so for many people the answer is meaningless anyway.

[Grusa]

Back in the days when I had a car with rear fog lights, if some one was tailgating me, I would let them get very close then switch on the fog light. They would soon back off!

[Iron Tongue]

I don't think you're using the right word.  You probably mean "reflexively" , not "instinctively" .

 

When I ride or drive, I react to situations reflexively.  You have to go stay alive nowadays.

 

I don't know what's going to happen so I can't act instinctively.

[DBath]

I accelerate when I see a democrat on the crosswalk. Otherwise I drive with caution and brake when appropriate. 

[RocketDog]

On 8/26/2020 at 9:41 PM, EricTh said:

It's better to brake then to accelerate because Thai are notoriously bad drivers.

 

I've seen so many times they come out of nowhere and don't bother to look whether there are incoming cars before joining in the road.

 

If you speed up, there may be other cars in front who will crash into you. That is, if the first motorbike doesn't crash you, then when you speed up, the second motorbike in front will crash into you.

Which is all to say that the only rule is to drive defensively at all times.

 

There is no particular way that fits all situations because it's not possible to foresee what any given driver/rider will do. There is little formal driving training so many drivers just make it up as they go along. And seriously, how can any forethought help you when you find yourself rounding a corner to find a local farmer drying his rice crop in the road? 

 

In general I drive very slowly, mostly in the left lane, always give way to anybody who wants it, expect the unexpected, challenge nobody, rarely drive on nights or weekends, don't drive in wind or rain. Watch for suicidal maniacs with 360° vision, head on a swivel. Stay cool, never rush, and abandon the idea of arriving anywhere in a timely manner; it will rarely work to plan. 

 

Best advice I can give is to avoid roads, vehicles of all types. This will keep your chances of death or collision down to approximately only 1 in 5.

[EricTh]

7 hours ago, RocketDog said:

Which is all to say that the only rule is to drive defensively at all times.

 

There is no particular way that fits all situations because it's not possible to foresee what any given driver/rider will do. There is little formal driving training so many drivers just make it up as they go along. And seriously, how can any forethought help you when you find yourself rounding a corner to find a local farmer drying his rice crop in the road? 

 

In general I drive very slowly, mostly in the left lane, always give way to anybody who wants it, expect the unexpected, challenge nobody, rarely drive on nights or weekends, don't drive in wind or rain. Watch for suicidal maniacs with 360° vision, head on a swivel. Stay cool, never rush, and abandon the idea of arriving anywhere in a timely manner; it will rarely work to plan. 

 

Best advice I can give is to avoid roads, vehicles of all types. This will keep your chances of death or collision down to approximately only 1 in 5.

 

Everybody should behave like you then Thailand accident rate would decrease to near zero instead of being the second highest in the world.

 

 

[RocketDog]

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

 

Everybody should behave like you then Thailand accident rate would decrease to near zero instead of being the second highest in the world.

 

 

Thanks but it's purely self-interest and survival. From that perspective there really is no viable alternative. 

The real world is seldom all we wish it to be. 

[teacherclaire]

Your question is very difficult to answer.

 

I have a bigger bike and I'm always in situations where acceleration might work better than hitting the brakes.

 

   The problem with it is that you don't have the time to think about what to do if............and it's finally more a reflex that could be good, but it could turn out not that good, depending on the situation. 

 

Especially in city traffic, you mostly don't have enough space to ride away, for example on the other lane. 

 

   Luckily, I was on the road with a truck today when a guy was trying another guy's bike. ( Some bystanders were waiting at the corner watching him)

 

   He didn't see me coming and I'm glad that I have very loud horns and the noise made him realize that he was very close to get killed and he stopped!

 

I almost had a heart attack!!!

 

  I was riding my bike when a guy on a motorbike came out from two cars, invisible for me and all I could do was hitting the brakes.

  

I almost fell and could luckily slow down that I stopped only centimeters away from him.

 

  I've seen "airborne" bikes heading to my windshield on a road with almost no traffic.

 

  The answer is; Never be at the wrong place at the wrong time. That seems to be a deadly mixture. 

 

And always be prepared to brake to zero, you're doing nothing wrong.

 

But many others do and we never know when that happens.

 

   Ride safe, it's a jungle out there.