Originally Posted by slopvehicle
I've had a few moments where drivers reacted unpredictably, meaning "I thought they saw me, but they didn't." It's always been these cases when I've used the brake.
I go for weeks at a time without using the withered handbrake-- just a supplementary cross lever on the front. I play this game with myself where I really try not to use it unless I really have to. And I know it ain't safe.
And the question I have for you is, how do you know that you wouldn't have made it without a hand brake?
I mean you had it so you used it, who's to say that if you were brakeless you wouldn't have? When you ride a bike as much as we do, you get into some close calls. I just find ti funny that it's assumed that either when you ride brakeless you don't get into these same situations or are incapable of dealing with them.