Reading all these posts it strikes me that context is very important. Road bikes are great when you are riding on...roads. But in a city, with potholes, crazy taxi drivers, people in parked cars opening doors and not looking, unaware pedestrians, etc. reaction time is critical. I was test riding a bike the other day and zoned out for only a second when I snapped back and found myself needing to brake hard and fast. I was on a Jamis Aurora. It took me longer to stop than I wanted. I remember thinking, "this is how long it should take me to stop" about halfway through my braking! Are brakes slower on road bikes? I don't see why they would be. Anyway, I think maybe being in the upright position of a mountain bike or hybrid helps in this kind of situation. Safety first!