Quote:
Originally Posted by Sojogator 1. Anything above 120, in any road, is dangerous and one is just running on luck, in our roads. 100-110 feels safe and the brakes could do a job in an emergency. 80-90 is safe for the two laned highways. 60 when you are going through a locality. |
The topic of safe speed deserves it’s own 10 point list.
1. Safe speed is never an absolute number Safe speed varies and the three major factors to consider are:
- Ambient Conditions (road, visibility, rain, vehicular traffic)
- Rider’s own limitations
- The machine (braking system, type of tyre and it’s conditions)
2. Ambient Condition: Road Braking distance reduces based on tarmac. Some roads in our country are very slippery thanks to overzealous use of tar, be aware of such roads.
3. Ambient Condition: Visibility Reaction time reduces in low visibility conditions. Be aware of this scientific fact and adjust speed accordingly. As a corollary, learn to be VISIBLE on the roads - headlights always on, Hi-vis riding gear, use of trafficators etc. Assume 4 wheeler drivers to be always
ASLEEP,
BLIND or
DRUNK and ride accordingly. (no offence meant or implied to 4 wheeler drivers).
4. Ambient Condition: Rain Rain or presence of water on road plays havoc with the contact a bike tyre has with road surface, not to mention reduced visibility. Pay heed to such conditions.
5. Ambient Conditions: Traffic Learn to maintain a safe distance by practising and using the 2 second rule.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-second_rule . For bikers, this becomes an exercise in 3D. Ballpark figures are a distance of 2m all around the bike at urban speeds of ~ 40kmph. Don’t let anyone come closer and always be aware that this ‘virtual bubble’ of 2m diameter should increase in size as one speeds up. Up to say, 5m or more for Indian street legal speeds. Make It Large, as they say.
6. Rider’s own Limitations In other countries, a rider’s reaction time to emergency braking conditions is well tested and practised BEFORE one gets a license. In the absence of this well practised self-awareness, please find out ways & means of testing your own reaction time and always ride within it’s limit.
7. The machine A machine’s stopping abilities will depend on systems in place (ABS, traction control etc) as well as the type of tyres and weight distribution. Condition of brake pads, tyre tread depth & braking techniques all play a vital role in braking effectiveness. Remember that the front brakes provide 70 - 80% of available stopping power in any bike. Practise & learn to use the front brake judiciously.
8. Why shouldn't I speed on my motorbike in India when I've paid big bucks for it? Buyers of imported bikes should pause to reflect on why they can’t and shouldn’t speed like their overseas counterparts on Indian roads. Absence of a proper license & training is course one reason, but there are several others.
9. Why India is different - Part I One major reason is the concept of relative speeds, which authorities in our countries have never understood. Say if all vehicles on a motorway are travelling at a nominal speed on 80kmph, then the relative speed between them is ZERO. However, if on the same motorway, one vehicle is travelling at 30kmph and the other at 100kmph the relative speed between them is a whopping 70 kmph! In our country, officials deliberately enforce high relative speeds by specifying different speed limits for bikes, car & other vehicles. This is so WRONG.
Some methods of enforcing proper ZERO relative speeds are implementing slow & fast lanes, traffic fines for under speeding vehicles & road hoggers, not allowing slower category of vehicles on expressways, building pedestrian underpasses or OH bridges instead of zebra crossings, acceleration zones at urban expressway entry points etc.
10. Why India is different - Part II Design, quality & maintenance of roads. Roads built for biker safety are a non-existent concept in our country. Think of uneven joints, permanent parallel depressions on highways by trucks, unmarked speed breakers, crater sized potholes, a cliff instead of a road shoulder, road joints running parallel to the direction of travel etc. I can bet that those who are in charge of designing & building roads & expressways have never ridden a bike in their lives, leave alone designing roads for one.