The Upside of Brake Squeal
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,868 Times
in
1,439 Posts
The Upside of Brake Squeal
I was cruising along today on a suburban street when a car coming the other way turned left right in front of me. I squeezed the brakes hard and they screamed like banshees. Net result: (1) I got stopped in plenty of time, but (2) the driver heard the squeal and gave me a wave of acknowledgement.
Usually when a driver cuts me off, I feel like they don't even notice. Lacking an air horn, the squealing brakes are a nice attention getter.
Usually when a driver cuts me off, I feel like they don't even notice. Lacking an air horn, the squealing brakes are a nice attention getter.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Highland Park, NJ, USA
Posts: 3,798
Bikes: "Hildy", a Novara Randonee touring bike; a 16-speed Bike Friday Tikit; and a Specialized Stumpjumper frame-based built-up MTB, now serving as the kid-carrier, grocery-getter.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
It also cuts through loud mosic, and makes oblivious pod-people walking in the middle of an MUP jump.
__________________
Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
My bands:
Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
My bands:
- Uke On! - ukulele duo - Videos
- Ukulele Abyss - ukulele cover videos - Videos
- Baroque and Hungry's (Celtic fusion) full-length studio album Mended.
- Artistic Differences - 8-track EP Dreams of Bile and Blood.
Last edited by neilfein; 09-09-08 at 12:42 PM. Reason: spelling
#6
Neat - w/ ice on the side
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Big Ring. Little Cog.
Posts: 1,200
Bikes: 2005 Dahon Speed TR, 2006 Dahon Mu SL, 2000 GT XiZang, 1999ish Rock Lobster, 2007 Dean Animas CTI
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
An oblivious jam in a convertible once panicked stopped while doing the 360 head swivel thanks to my squealing brakes. I don't think he ever realized it was me.
__________________
Current favorite bumper sticker: Wag more. Bark less.
Change you can believe in - Bigfoot Nessie 08
Current favorite bumper sticker: Wag more. Bark less.
Change you can believe in - Bigfoot Nessie 08
#7
on your left.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 1,802
Bikes: Scott SUB 30, Backtrax MTB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
yeah, I generally don't mind when my brakes squeal. It helps with squirrels and kamikaze rabbits better than anything else.
#9
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 169
Bikes: Raleigh Mojave 2.0, Dahon Speed D7
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
yeah my front brake squeals when i apply it hard, and i dont see any reason to do anything about it
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 1,096
Bikes: IRO Model 19, Surly Crosscheck, 1989 Arnie Nashbar, Cannondale CAADX, Niner Air 9
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Mine alert pedestrians and scare squirrels out of my way.
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,868 Times
in
1,439 Posts
#13
Leo
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Toronto
Posts: 122
Bikes: Specialist Tricross Sport & Norco Hybrid
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
When break squeal happens on my bike I generally thought it was good.
In fact, I sometimes wondered whether a manufacturer could develop a gizmo which would incorporate some kind of mechanism which would be sensitive enough to trigger an alarm, if for example, both breaks were depressed at an accelerated rate.
Usually the first line of defense when approaching danger at an accelerated rate is to break. Ringing your bell is at best second and it's sometimes too late at that point to alert who you're likely approaching and about to crash into. In addition, in an emergency stop both hands are occupied on the break...who has the time to loosen your grip on the brakes, in order to find and then activate the bell? Even if one did, valuable time has been lost.
Could such a mechanism at least reduce the frequency of cyclists being "doored"?
In fact, I sometimes wondered whether a manufacturer could develop a gizmo which would incorporate some kind of mechanism which would be sensitive enough to trigger an alarm, if for example, both breaks were depressed at an accelerated rate.
Usually the first line of defense when approaching danger at an accelerated rate is to break. Ringing your bell is at best second and it's sometimes too late at that point to alert who you're likely approaching and about to crash into. In addition, in an emergency stop both hands are occupied on the break...who has the time to loosen your grip on the brakes, in order to find and then activate the bell? Even if one did, valuable time has been lost.
Could such a mechanism at least reduce the frequency of cyclists being "doored"?
#14
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
... it's too late.
Best defense against getting doored is lateral distance. A bright headlight helps, too, but only if you're visible -- which requires lateral distance as well.
#15
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
#17
Leo
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Toronto
Posts: 122
Bikes: Specialist Tricross Sport & Norco Hybrid
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
OK, so such a mechanism may or may not be beneficial in preventing cyclists being "doored" but given the testimonials from posters on how squealing breaks have saved them from accidents, there still should be some benefits to such a gizmo.
#18
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
Impossible where I live (no, really -- if there's a curb, there's a parked car).
Never said there wasn't any benefits.. If there were enough cyclists, though, it could become a problem..
Never said there wasn't any benefits.. If there were enough cyclists, though, it could become a problem..
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Davis CA
Posts: 3,959
Bikes: Surly Cross-Check, '85 Giant road bike (unrecogizable fixed-gear conversion
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
Also makes suicidal squirrels re-think their plans to use your front wheel to end it all.
#20
Full Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 290
Bikes: Civia Bryant, Tern Eclipse UNO, Brompton
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I luv my squeeling breaks... here in Japan peds are ultra unattentive.. they will just walk out blindly from a side street without even looking to each direction.. until they hear my squeeeling and jump out of their skins.....
#21
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,868 Times
in
1,439 Posts
#22
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
#23
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,868 Times
in
1,439 Posts
I figure the typical driver thinks bicycles move at about the same speed as pedestrians. I try to take that into account.
#24
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
I just realized that the fact that the light was flashing might've confused them about your distance and speed...
Sorry, going on a tangent again..
Sorry, going on a tangent again..
#25
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,868 Times
in
1,439 Posts
You know, I've wondered about that. I've read that people can't judge speed with a flashing light, but I figure in the daylight they can see my bike and body well enough to judge my speed apart from the light, so the light just draws attention to me. When it's dark, I use a steady light.
I've looked for some rule as to when to use a flashing light and when not to, but I haven't been able to find anything.
I've looked for some rule as to when to use a flashing light and when not to, but I haven't been able to find anything.