Braking Distance - "The Lifesaver".

Braking Distance
"One second too close could cost your life." Braking distance is the space a biker must keep from the vehicle ahead to stop safely. In Bangladesh, this skill is often underrated but can save lives.

What is braking distance?
The required gap depends on the bike’s braking capability and the rider’s skill. As a guideline, keep a 2-second gap in normal weather and 4 seconds in bad weather.

How to practice:

• Learn your bike’s “language”: Understand its braking power through experience.

• Throttle awareness: Smooth control helps maintain consistent distance.

• Know gear-to-speed ratio: Stay in the right gear for better balance and control.

• Combine counter steering & braking distance: Especially on highways behind large vehicles, to handle sudden road hazards.

• High-speed braking distance: Crucial during overtaking to react or stop safely.

• Dealing with other bikers: Some riders will use your braking space to overtake; stay calm and prioritize safety over ego.

Risks of ignoring braking distance:

• Less time to react to obstacles like potholes, pedestrians, or animals.

• Increased crash risk if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly.

• Hard braking may cause loss of control, skidding, or ejection.

• In traffic, one crash can trigger multi-vehicle collisions.

• Rain increases stopping distance, making proper spacing vital.