RE: [RC] Braking time (was: So Cal, etc.) - RHONDA LEVINSON
Kat, I was thinking that D'Arcy was talking more about those people who suddenly slide over right in front of you and then brake. For instance, just before an exit ramp, I had a lady pull over in front of me -- so close that I could not see her tail lights -- and then slow down. I hit the brakes as much as possible without injuring the horses and laid on the horn. She looked in the rear view mirror, panicked and ended up going off the road. I did not feel that *I* ran her off the road, and I did not stop for her. Those are the idiots that I thought D'Arcy was referring to.
Rhonda
> Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:22:23 -0800 > From: katswig@xxxxxxx > Subject: [RC] Braking time (was: So Cal, etc.) > To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > D'Arcy said: > > > I will not risk the safety and legs of my horses because some > > idiot is oblivous to the mechanics of length vs breaking time. > > Personally I'd like to see this as part of the driving test in CA. > > Assuming that the brakes on the vehicle are adequate for the vehicle and are applied properly, "braking time" (I am assuming here that she is actually talking about braking distance, not time, since distance is what anybody really should care about) is the same for all vehicles, no matter the length of the vehicle or (weight for that matter). > > Granted, people with live loads (like horses) don't like to stop their vehicles as fast as the vehicle can be stopped and with good reason (because I don't want to have the horse in the truck with me); however, I personally think it is the responsibility of the person hauling the live load to accommodate their live loads, not the responsibility of everybody else on the road. Why WOULD you expect non horse people to understand that you are unwilling to stop your vehicle as fast as it can be stopped? > > Most people are not aware that it doesn't take any longer to stop a big truck than it does a little truck, but unless the big truck has inadequate brakes, it doesn't. So maybe this should be part of the driver's test. However, anything with inadequate brakes (big truck or little car--or heavy trailer with no brakes that somebody is foolish enough to expect to stop with the tow vehicl) will take longer to stop than a vehicle with adequate brakes. > > kat > Orange County, Calif. > :) > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. > Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp > Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp > > Ride Long and Ride Safe!! > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
