Advocacy & Safety - Crash avoidance

Farrelcollie's mention in this post (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=326698&highlight=crash+stick+spokes) about hitting a stick that then got stuck in his spokes and sent him over the handlebars made me wonder:

What have you learned from your crashes about what to avoid, either in the way of road hazards, traffic, equipment, weather, you name it?

The information could help alert others about things to watch out for.

I will sure try to never run over another stick, no matter how small, after seeing Farrelcollie's description of what happened to him.

My one near-miss with a car in 5 years of commuting was from a car that zoomed out quickly from behind and to the right of a line of left-turning cars, into my path as I was turning left opposite them. Lessons learned were (1) watch out for cars behind other cars, and (2) learn how to brake hard w/o going over the bars. I went over the bars that day and landed in the road, fortunately no one hit me, including the a*hole who almost did and then did not even stop to see if I was okay! :mad:

Children(especially with sticks in their hands as I had one child try to throw a stick at my wheels); squirrels; a wild turkey in mating season; if going all the way around a roundabout, get in the inside lane until you pass the last exit prior to your exit and then merge back to the outside lane, watch for people that think car/bike chicken is funny(they laugh as they pass you)...

It sidewalk riding, don't try to go off the sidewalk onto grass and try to get back on the sidewalk when the grass is two inches lower than the sidewalk, especially with road tires.

Don't run over stuff. Two maneuvers that help are to bunny hop and to flick your hips so that you slalom around the object while the bike goes straight. Basically they're both small swerves, one on the Y axis and one on the Z axis.

Wet leaves are slippery.

Dog ran out in front of me from behind a concrete barrier two days ago (tdf anyone?). Luckily I swerved to avoid it but almost crashed in the process. And this was on a nature preserve path where dogs are not allowed, I was so pissed at the owner but I just kept going.

Don't be aggressive when dodging a stick or what have you. Turn enough to get around it and as far back from it as you can. This way you avoid the quick sharp turn that can cause your wheel to slip from under you.

Alway go across railroad tracks at a 90 degree angle, or you may get a wheel stuck in one of the rails and go down.

Be very careful of ruts or pavement height changes that run parralel to the street. Try to go across them at as sharp an angle as possible.

Anything metal or painted on the road is very slippery when wet.

Use your front brake only. The only exception is when you are on a slippery surface, like grass, gravel, wet metal etc., then only use the rear brake.

Don't worry about trying to swerve around a big hole in the road at the last minute. You can go over very big holes with no damage to your bike or you. Just steer the bike straight, hold the bars very lightly and don't brake. Just swerving can cause you to lose your balance and if you miscalculate and are turning the bars when you go over the hole, you will go down.

Watch out for Botts' Dots.

I will sure try to never run over another stick, no matter how small, after seeing Farrelcollie's description of what happened to him.

Avoiding sticks altogether can be hard- there are lots of balsam poplars where I live, and they tend to lose a lot of small branches to strong winds. The fallen branches can land anywhere in a residential 2-lane street from the curb almost to the center line, and they usually stick up from the surface. If I ride after a windstorm, but before the road is cleaned up, I slow down when I see any debris. Sometimes I have to pick a line that balances not wandering around the street, and riding over the least sketchy-looking debris :o

Never assume you are seen, even if looked at directly.

You are Casper the ghost and may be invisible to even those staring right at you.

If it might be icy or become icy along your route, use studded tires. This is especially important to remember when leaving for work in the morning if you want to be able to ride home in the afternoon.

Avoid riding off the side as much as possible, especially at night and through intersections, because that's where most debris occurs.

If there are many intersections to your right, take the full right lane even if it means avoiding a wide shoulder. The honks feel much better than t-boning a turning car.

Know how to unclip quickly :)

Don't forget to unclip!!!!
and oh yeah. Wet bricks suck with smooth tires *any tire, actually)

This is a non-avoidance story, but it is my last crash. About two years ago when I was still riding DF I was fairly aggressive in taking my place in traffic. On a ride through the University of Central Florida I got to a point where I needed to switch to an inside left turn lane. Traffic was heavy so I jumped hard on an open space and was going a little fast for the lane change, my front wheel kissed the curb and I did a total endo into the median.

A dozen cars passed me laying there semi conscious without one stopping.

The lesson, don't ride beyond your ability or conditions. Sometimes you just lose the opportunity and get held up.

Animals are something I make it a point to avoid. Also loose gravel strewn along the street; those are the two things that have made me fall while riding my bike (I had a fall when my pant leg got caught on my cage, but that's not really the same).

Avoid oil slicks. I have seen the entire contents of an engine strewn along 50 yards of right lane. Close up. Too f#$%ing close up!

Avoid confrontation with others, you never know who is off their meds and carrying a gun. Remember "Easy Rider"? Hmmm?

In southern California, the Highway Patrol reports that a whopping 40% of all drivers on the road are driving without a license. Without going into the politics of why, let's just say they don't have a clue what your rights are as a cyclist, and they're willing to blatantly break the law anyway. What makes you think they'll watch out for you?

This is horrible advice.

Why? That is exactly what I do. You won't do an endo as long as your arms are properly braced.

Why? That is exactly what I do. You won't do an endo as long as your arms are properly braced.

Not speaking for Pete, but I do know that you have much better braking power using both brakes at once than either one alone, even just the front, although that is better than just the back. See Ch. 6 of Street Smarts (http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/chapter6a.htm). (Although I must admit I don't think about all that when I brake, and I wish he discussed the technique of transferring your weight back to prevent endo'ing. I personally find that to be the most valuable braking advice I've ever received.)

In the Road I class I took, we all tried stopping as quickly as possibly with just the back brake, just the front, and both. My stopping distances at speed were something like 20', 10', and 6' respectively. Although I almost endo'd the last time because I forgot to move my weight back!

I think getting off the seat and moving your butt back, to transfer your weight, is a better endo-prevention technique than just bracing your arms. Doesn't that risk putting to much pressure on your arms?

[QUOTE=JohnBrooking;4984743]

In the Road I class I took, we all tried stopping as quickly as possibly with just the back brake, just the front, and both. My stopping distances at speed were something like 20', 10', and 6' respectively. Although I almost endo'd the last time because I forgot to move my weight back!


Good advice. Same thing happened to me once when riding through a quiet, and very dark neighborhood with just my rather inadequate cateye light. I was going maybe 15 mph and damn near ran head-on into a big black rottweiler just standing there in the road. Well,.....needless to say, I locked 'em up, both brakes, and almost endo'd right there in front of the dog.

It was funny because the dog just stood there, not moving, not smiling, nor wagging his tail. Just standing there looking at me the way a cop looks at you when he's asking for your I.D.

Crazy dog

I am curious as to whether different wheels would make a difference in avoiding the type of accident I had on Sunday - I do not think I ran over the stick - I may have nicked it -or cars passing me may have tossed it up - I was watching road and generally try not to run over branches etc. It was a rather small stick. This is a tree lined street (one of our main bike path streets) and avoiding all tree debris is not possible. But my wheels (ona 2006 jamis quest) have spokes that are somewhat far apart - more so than on my hybrid - it is a jamis quest - would different wheels help with keeping stuff out of spokes? Or was this just a really freak accident that is unlikely to happen again? I ride this street all the time - it is my commute route and route to many of the other places I bike. I have only had the jamis quest fore three months.

Not speaking for Pete, but I do know that you have much better braking power using both brakes at once than either one alone, even just the front, although that is better than just the back.

From your link:

"For a powerful stop, squeeze the brake levers harder and harder - the front always three times as hard as the rear. The rear wheel will eventually skid. But by this time, most of the weight will be off the rear wheel, so it will skid only lightly. You won't wear a big bald spot in the rear tire - though you will feel and hear the skid."

Your description doesn't match theirs. According to them, the rear brake adds little to max braking power. They don't focus on the physics, but this is because it *can't* - a wheel with virtually no weight on it can't help you decelerate.

Their description seems a bit prone to failure. Is it really worth engaging the rear brake at all, when the sole purpose seems to be adding a fun fishtail to your deceleration?

I prefer Sheldon's method, to which he's added analysis of the actual physics involved:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

"Conventional wisdom says to use both brakes at the same time. This is probably good advice for beginners, who have not yet learned to use their brakes skillfully, but if you don't graduate past this stage, you will never be able to stop as short safely as a cyclist who has learned to use the front brake by itself.

...

The fastest that you can stop any bike of normal wheelbase is to apply the front brake so hard that the rear wheel is just about to lift off the ground. In this situation, the rear brake cannot contribute to stopping power, since it has no traction."

On a slippery surface using only your rear brake is silly given what I have described above. It doesn't serve to slow you down any appreciable amount because there is even less traction available on gravel, wet pavement, metal, etc.

Not really. You don't want to start a front wheel skid, so rear braking on slippery surfaces is a pretty good idea.

Do yourself a favor and train yourself to use only the front brake, except in slippery situations.

The problem is, that in an emergency braking situation, the rear brake is essentially worthless and if you lock it up, it can cause a crash, so why risk it?. I won't argue that you might be able to come to a complete stop more quickly using both brakes, but many times in an emergency, you don't brake to come to a complete stop, you brake to slow down so you can swerve to avoid something. If you lock up the rear brake, I guarantee you you will not be able to steer and swerve to avoid an obstacle.

The main reason to train yourself to use the fron only is that when you are in an emergency situation, you go on automtic pilot and you do what you are trained to do, what you habitually do, and if you train yourself to use the rear brake, you will use it in an emergency situation. No amount of telling yourself "Do not use rear brake in emergency" will get you to avoid the rear brake if you use it on a daily basis.

As far as not using the front brake in slippery conditions, even in straight line braking, if the front locks up for even an instant, you will likely go down.

Why? That is exactly what I do. You won't do an endo as long as your arms are properly braced.
Front breaks are where the largest portion of your breaking force come from rear breaks are used to keep your rear wheel in line with the front during a strait stop and are there to slow you on descents and turns when used with the front.


Something else i meant to put in my first reply. Never ever ride your breaks on long (or short steep descents) long (steep or other wise) descents. Your breaks will heat up and cause you to get break fade or total loss of breaking power. Instead feather your breaks alternating between no break and light presure. At the end of the decent apply breaking force to stop if you need to stop.

Ive seen riders ride their breaks all the way down on long descents and end up with no breaks when they needed them. One guy had his breaks so hot smoke was coming off them.

With all this talk of brakes, no one has said the obvious...

Always give them a squeeze before you ride to make sure they're engaged!

I was reminded of this the hard way last week, seconds after I started my commute one morning. Had to ride straight into a big pine tree to avoid a car parked in my driveway! Hope the neighbors weren't looking.

Wet leaves are slippery.

I would also say that wet leaves are a good thing to avoid. Even if they look dry, they can be wet underneath.

Black ice is even worse, but not by much. Sometimes black ice can be hidden under fresh snow, so I fear to tread on any snow, unless I have my studded tires:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/StuddedTire.jpg

Cities. Avoid cities. And MUPs.

On braking, depends. For heat dispersal, use both. Max stop w/max control, front only controlled by the right hand.

Trust your gut. If that car alongside you feels weird, they're about to turn across your path.

The fastest panic stop is to use a great deal of front brake, shift your weight rearward (behind the saddle and down) while also applying the rear brake (which now has more traction potential because you are counteracting some of the forward weight shift inherent in braking by moving your weight rearwards).
Moving your center of gravity back and-or down will increase your maximum stopping power, but not the method of achieving it. The front brake is all that matters, as long as the bike is likely to tip forward before the front wheel skids.

If the road is slippery and the front wheel will skid, use both brakes. The best braking then is just shy of locking up the wheels.

But get a feel for the rear brake in case you need to brake during a fast or sharp or steep turn. Just like in a car, heavy front brakes make you understeer. If you'd rather skid than go off the road, use the rear brake.

[QUOTE=Pete Fagerlin;4986758]

The rear brake is not worthless, if you're using the proper technique. Furthermore, locking the rear during an emergency stop is not likely to cause a crash.

QUOTE]

The fastest stop comes from using the front brake as hard as you can, but modulating the pressure on it to avoid the bike from doing an endo, or losing traction with the front. That is the limit of braking power on a bicycle.

At max braking, the rear wheel is going to be near leaving the ground. So please explain to me how can a tire that is hovering on the ground provide any braking ability? It has essentially no wieght on it and no traction.

I was cycling on gravel the other day and used (only) my front brake out of habit. My front wheel lost traction and I crashed. Gloves saved my hands. Ripped my pants.

Make sure you use the front brakes lightly on tractionless or wet surfaces.

From your link:

"For a powerful stop, squeeze the brake levers harder and harder - the front always three times as hard as the rear. The rear wheel will eventually skid. But by this time, most of the weight will be off the rear wheel, so it will skid only lightly. You won't wear a big bald spot in the rear tire - though you will feel and hear the skid."

Your description doesn't match theirs. According to them, the rear brake adds little to max braking power. They don't focus on the physics, but this is because it *can't* - a wheel with virtually no weight on it can't help you decelerate.

Their description seems a bit prone to failure. Is it really worth engaging the rear brake at all, when the sole purpose seems to be adding a fun fishtail to your deceleration?

I prefer Sheldon's method, to which he's added analysis of the actual physics involved:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

"Conventional wisdom says to use both brakes at the same time. This is probably good advice for beginners, who have not yet learned to use their brakes skillfully, but if you don't graduate past this stage, you will never be able to stop as short safely as a cyclist who has learned to use the front brake by itself.

...

The fastest that you can stop any bike of normal wheelbase is to apply the front brake so hard that the rear wheel is just about to lift off the ground. In this situation, the rear brake cannot contribute to stopping power, since it has no traction."

Skillful use of both brakes results in shorter controlled stops than using the front brake alone. This is because the rear brake can apply some stopping power in the half-second or so before weight comes off the rear wheel. The advantage of using both brakes together should be obvious to anyone experimenting with hard stops. Don't take my word for it, go out and try it both ways and see how it works out. The rear wheel skid is automatic and, as I see it, unavoidable in a really short and well-done stop near maximum controlled deceleration, but a rear tire skid is not something that should cause a loss of control. Enjoy it, I say.

Robert

...
At max braking, the rear wheel is going to be near leaving the ground. So please explain to me how can a tire that is hovering on the ground provide any braking ability? It has essentially no wieght on it and no traction.

Because when the braking process is started the rear tire is planted firmly on the ground.

Robert is absolutely correct.

About the conditioned automatic response to an emergency, yes the front brake is generally more effective. However, I had a nasty crash a while ago in very light snow when I grabbed the front brake instinctively when I spotted a pothole at the last second. Of course I should have gone for the rear, but since I'm so used to using the front that's what I did. So perhaps the moral of the story is to be conscious of any special conditions at all times when riding.

It makes sense that maximum front wheel braking is achieved when the rear wheel is just about to lift off the ground. But if slightly less than maximum braking force is used on the front wheel, wouldn't the extra weight on the rear wheel allow it to brake slightly harder, thereby making up the difference of the less than maximum front? How many cyclists can reliably max out the front wheel without doing an endo anyway? I should probably practice more, because I know I can't.

Don't look at it if you don't want to plow into it.

similar thing here. learned all about over-endos when i was a kid. somehow i remembered, one lunch hour returning to work across heath land this car windscreen wiper gets in my wheel / forks. instinctively let the bike pass under me & manage to unclip even though i still tumbled, on my side. trashed the front wheel.

watch out for evidence of burnt out cars on open heath land. they only take away the solid wreckage, not the bits & pieces.

My braking technique:
1) routine stop on dry, secure pavement: front only;
2) speed control on a long descent: rear only;
3) slippery surface, including almost all offroad scenarios: both together;
4) steep descent: both together;
5) panic stop: both together.

I am curious as to whether different wheels would make a difference in avoiding the type of accident I had on Sunday - I do not think I ran over the stick - I may have nicked it -or cars passing me may have tossed it up - I was watching road and generally try not to run over branches etc. It was a rather small stick. This is a tree lined street (one of our main bike path streets) and avoiding all tree debris is not possible. But my wheels (ona 2006 jamis quest) have spokes that are somewhat far apart - more so than on my hybrid - it is a jamis quest - would different wheels help with keeping stuff out of spokes? Or was this just a really freak accident that is unlikely to happen again? I ride this street all the time - it is my commute route and route to many of the other places I bike. I have only had the jamis quest fore three months.

For myriad reasons, I avoid any wheel with fewer than 32 spokes.

Oh yeah, don't run over the banana peel, particularly not with the front tire. Those things really are slippery. Like running over a gob of axle grease.

Skillful use of both brakes results in shorter controlled stops than using the front brake alone. This is because the rear brake can apply some stopping power in the half-second or so before weight comes off the rear wheel. The advantage of using both brakes together should be obvious to anyone experimenting with hard stops. Don't take my word for it, go out and try it both ways and see how it works out. The rear wheel skid is automatic and, as I see it, unavoidable in a really short and well-done stop near maximum controlled deceleration, but a rear tire skid is not something that should cause a loss of control. Enjoy it, I say.

Robert

I don't agree that using the rear brake will make the stop any shorter because for the micro-second the rear wheel is on the ground in a threshold front braking situation, the rear wheel does significant braking. If you do it right, the instant you hit the front brake hard, the rear end immediately unweights and provides no braking.

But much more important than a discussion of reducing braking legnths by a few inches is the very important fact that you admit to which is that if you use the rear brake in a hard-braking situation, the rear wheel will lock and the rear will slide. This is not something to "enjoy", it is very dangerous and to be avoided at all times. You are doing a huge disservice to the unwary on this site by even stating this.

In the case of a very hard braking, crash avoidance manouvre, its not just coming to a stop in a straight line as soon as possible. Most crash avoidance also involves braking AND STEERING. You cannot steer the bike effectively if you have the rear brake locked up and the rear wheel skidding. You will go down if you try to steer with a locked rear and possibly into the path of what you are trying to avoid.

Thats why it is best to train yourself to use the front brake only, or at least to set your rear brake so loose that it will not lock up your rear wheel in a panic, lever against the bar, stop.

I once got into an accident due to a rear wheel skid so I agree that it's nothing to "sit back and enjoy".

I was flying down a relatively steep hill when a car (a brand new Corvette) turned left across my path. Everything would have been fine except the driver decided to stop in the middle of the road. I suspect it was to prevent bottoming out his nice new car, but it's really anybody's guess. Anyway, I grabbed both breaks hard and swerved. I managed to get the front wheel out of the way of the back end of the car but the rear of the bike fishtailed to the right and slammed into the car. I was a little banged up, but otherwise okay.

I would definitely advocate zero or very light use of the rear break in an emergency.

On braking, I generally try to avoid getting into situations where I'm braking so hard that the rear wheel lifts. I use both brakes all the time. In normal braking you still get plenty of brake power to the rear wheel (and if it does start to lift, shifting weight rearwards is always advised). I think it's a worthwhile habit to get into to use both brakes whether they're needed or not, so that when you do get in a panic stop you instinctively reach for both. Apart from anything else, it means your brake pads don't wear out as quickly, and when they do, front and rear go together. Less of a maintenance burden.

Of course, I now ride a recumbent, and the danger of endoing is much reduced. I've had it in emergency braking situations a couple of times, and while I did get the rear wheel skidding, I neither lost control nor endoed. I was surprised and impressed, really.

Most crash avoidance also involves braking AND STEERING. You cannot steer the bike effectively if you have the rear brake locked up and the rear wheel skidding. You will go down if you try to steer with a locked rear and possibly into the path of what you are trying to avoid.

Thats why it is best to train yourself to use the front brake only, or at least to set your rear brake so loose that it will not lock up your rear wheel in a panic, lever against the bar, stop.


I disagree. Braking hard and steering at the same time is a recipe for disaster no matter which brake you're pulling. If you're going to try and turn to avoid a crash, let go of the brakes. If you're braking hard enough to skid, keep it straight and hope you stop in time. I'd rather take the chance of not stopping in time and maybe hitting, or trying to turn and brake and going down for sure.

I don't agree that using the rear brake will make the stop any shorter because for the micro-second the rear wheel is on the ground in a threshold front braking situation, the rear wheel does significant braking. If you do it right, the instant you hit the front brake hard, the rear end immediately unweights and provides no braking.

But much more important than a discussion of reducing braking legnths by a few inches is the very important fact that you admit to which is that if you use the rear brake in a hard-braking situation, the rear wheel will lock and the rear will slide. This is not something to "enjoy", it is very dangerous and to be avoided at all times. You are doing a huge disservice to the unwary on this site by even stating this.

In the case of a very hard braking, crash avoidance manouvre, its not just coming to a stop in a straight line as soon as possible. Most crash avoidance also involves braking AND STEERING. You cannot steer the bike effectively if you have the rear brake locked up and the rear wheel skidding. You will go down if you try to steer with a locked rear and possibly into the path of what you are trying to avoid.

Thats why it is best to train yourself to use the front brake only, or at least to set your rear brake so loose that it will not lock up your rear wheel in a panic, lever against the bar, stop.

To clarify: in the shortest stops, rear braking is basically irrelevant. But the shortest possible stops are generally not _controlled_ stops. These are stops where the rear tire is not touching the ground, by definition. Not very many people are smooth enough bike handlers to control a stop like that. In the real world, our 'panic stops' tend to be much more subdued, with the rear tire remaining on the ground, and thus able to contribute something to braking, especially when combined with a well-timed body movement.

If the rear can't contribute to braking that means it's not on the ground. You're talking about stops where the rear tire is in the air, and worried about a loss of control from a skid? Anyone who can control a nose-wheelie panic stop could easily control a rear tire skid.

The shortest controlled stops involve use of both brakes. Anyone who doesn't believe this should go out and experiment with front-only versus both-brake stops. It's not even close. You won't need a tape measure to tell the difference.

A rear tire skid should not on its own lead to a loss of control. Something else going on there, I don't know what. In fact you should be able to initiate a rear tire skid and control it, to the left or right, deliberately under quite forceful front-brake deceleration with no thought of crashing because of it. Not that a skidding rear tire is all that helpful for your braking, but, like I said, it's an inevitable by-product of proper 'panic stop' technique and nothing to strike fear in the hearts of men.

Robert

Wet leaves are slippery.So is wet metal - even slightly damp metal.

Anyone who doesn't believe this should go out and experiment with front-only versus both-brake stops.

I find experimenting with/learning braking to be very hard to duplicate real world events. As much as I've tried I can not get myself up to 20-25mph and brake hard (or too hard as needed to learn) and repeat. Either I know I will be braking in a moment and subconsciously pre-prepare or if I have someone else (say my wife) yell stop at 'random' times I still know she will be yelling for me to stop over some span I am riding, so I am ready.

Any tips for getting over this mental block of not being able to perform an emergency brake test without a true emergency? Maybe I need to get my wife to throw something in front of me. ;)

Al

It sidewalk riding, don't try to go off the sidewalk onto grass and try to get back on the sidewalk when the grass is two inches lower than the sidewalk, especially with road tires.

I got some gawdawful road rash doing just that when I was a kid!

I disagree. Braking hard and steering at the same time is a recipe for disaster no matter which brake you're pulling. If you're going to try and turn to avoid a crash, let go of the brakes. If you're braking hard enough to skid, keep it straight and hope you stop in time. I'd rather take the chance of not stopping in time and maybe hitting, or trying to turn and brake and going down for sure.

In a true emergency you have to be able to brake very hard and turn at the same time. One example is the right hook. A car suddenly turns right in front of you. You have to brake hard and turn to the right at the same time in order to avoid getting hit. Brake in a straight line and you will go straight into the side of the car. Turn without braking and you will not be able to turn sharp enough to avoid the car. You have to be able to turn and brake.

The only way you are going to be able to turn and brake hard is by using the front brake only! If you use the rear, it will lock up, if it locks up, you will go down, or you will not be able to steer.

In a panic, you will always revert to behavior that you are trained in, so if you consistently use the rear brake, you are "training" yourself to use the rear brake and in a panic, you will use it to possible disatrous results.

So don't use your rear brake at all, is the best policy. The front is more than enough to stop in all non-panic situations, and using the front only in a panic is the best guarantee of getting out of the situation without crashing.

To clarify: in the shortest stops, rear braking is basically irrelevant. But the shortest possible stops are generally not _controlled_ stops. These are stops where the rear tire is not touching the ground, by definition. Not very many people are smooth enough bike handlers to control a stop like that. In the real world, our 'panic stops' tend to be much more subdued, with the rear tire remaining on the ground, and thus able to contribute something to braking, especially when combined with a well-timed body movement.

If the rear can't contribute to braking that means it's not on the ground. You're talking about stops where the rear tire is in the air, and worried about a loss of control from a skid? Anyone who can control a nose-wheelie panic stop could easily control a rear tire skid.

The shortest controlled stops involve use of both brakes. Anyone who doesn't believe this should go out and experiment with front-only versus both-brake stops. It's not even close. You won't need a tape measure to tell the difference.

A rear tire skid should not on its own lead to a loss of control. Something else going on there, I don't know what. In fact you should be able to initiate a rear tire skid and control it, to the left or right, deliberately under quite forceful front-brake deceleration with no thought of crashing because of it. Not that a skidding rear tire is all that helpful for your braking, but, like I said, it's an inevitable by-product of proper 'panic stop' technique and nothing to strike fear in the hearts of men.
Robert

The major problem with a rear that is locked up and skidding is that you cannot turn. Go out and try it. Lock up the rear and turn the bars. What happens? I'll tell you what doesn't happen and that is that steering doesn't happen. The rear wheel will go out to the left or right, but the bike will go straight. So if you lock the rear, you are giving up the abilioty to manoeuve the bike.

Are you saying that you don't need to have the ability to turn the bike in a panic crash avoidance situation?