The Safe Stopping Distance Rule
By relating your speed to the distance in which you can stop, you can assess the safety of your speed in any situation.
Never ride so fast that you cannot stop comfortably on your own side of the road within the distance you can see to be clear.
Successfully applying this rule requires skill. You need to be aware of:
- the braking capabilities of your bike
- the type and condition of the road surface (braking distances increase greatly in wet or slippery conditions)
- the effects of cornering, braking and machine balance on tire grip
Overall safe stopping distance
To work out the overall safe stopping distance add ‘thinking’ or reaction distance to braking distance.
Thinking/Reaction distance + braking distance = stopping distance
Thinking distance
This is the distance traveled in the time between first observing the need for action and acting. We react more quickly to expected events rather than unexpected events. The average rider reacts to expected events in 0.7 seconds. An unexpected event reaction time can be as long as 1.6 seconds in daylight conditions.
Braking distance
This is the distance needed for the bike to stop. Actual braking distance depends on the:
- bike’s capabilities
- gradient of the road
- road surface
- how you use the brake
The two-second rule
Remember the two second rule? This is still the best way of keeping a safe distance on fast roads. This time should be doubled for adverse conditions.
Do you know your safe stopping distances for 30, 50 and 70 mph?
30 mph = 75 feet
50 mph = 174 feet
70 mph = 315 feet
