UNCONSCIONABLE ACT OF BRAKING!!!!!!

[Paul_Royal@idx.com]

          Someone wrote to the list the other day about someone who was
held responsible for causing a motorcycle wreck when they "tapped" the
brakes on their automobile.  This is an unconscionable act under almost any
circumstances that I can fathom.

        Motorcycles do not have the same braking capabilities as
automobiles and further....if a motorcyclist accidently locks the rear
wheel in an attempt to slow down, the motorcyclist is practically required
to keep the rear wheel locked up....they often don't and this causes
accidents.   Why?  Well, when a rear wheel locks up on a motorcycle, there
is obviously going to be tendency for the rear of the motorcycle to slide
to one side or another or to even oscilate from side to side.  If the rider
releases the rear brake while the motorcycle is not in a perfectly straight
line, the bike abruptly "snaps" back and can cause a dangerous lack of
control possibly leading to a slide or worse, a high side dump (not good,
take my word for it).

     A tailgating motorcyclist is a stupid motorcyclist, but they don't
deserve to die or possibly be seriously injured for it.
Remember that there is a real person sitting on that motorcycle and that
most of us are quite sane and polite on the road....only wanting to avoid
all the "cages" (automobiles).
      BTW, the two best things I ever did for my understanding of the
physics and safe  driving of an automobile is ride a motorcycle and take a
high speed driving course.

Paul Royal
90 90Q20v
90 Suzuki VX800