Stopped at a red light: leave yourself a way out
In MCrider's latest video: where to stop, what a car that will not stop looks like in your mirror, and a two-cone drill to practise the escape.
2 min readUnited StatesBy PitPin Desk
Staying in first gear at a red light is a good habit. In MCrider's latest video, Kevin says it only helps if you stopped with room to go, saw the car coming in time and have practised the move.
Where to stop
Many riders stop like a car driver: centre of the lane, close to the bumper ahead. In a car, the boot takes a rear impact. On a bike, you get hit and pushed into the car in front.
Stop far enough back to see the rear tyres of the car ahead. A bike needs room to steer around it, and you will not have time to back up first.
Line up with the left or right wheel track of that car, on the side with an open path. All else equal, Kevin prefers the left side, so the driver ahead can see him in the mirror. Keep checking the path, because an empty lane next to you can fill up. Angle the bike slightly towards your escape route, but straighten the bars before you stop.
Watch the mirror early
Start checking your mirror as you slow for the light, before you touch the brakes. If you are only rolling off the throttle, your brake light is not on yet. Once stopped, squeeze the brake a few times to flash the light.
A car that is braking hard dips its nose and stops growing in your mirror. A car that will not stop keeps its nose level and keeps growing at the same rate. Sometimes the driver's head is tilted down. That is when you move. Keep watching until at least two cars have stopped behind you.
When the light turns green
The danger moves to the cross traffic. Look left, right, then left again, far enough down the cross street to spot a car still coming fast. If a car is stopped beside you, let it go into the intersection a little ahead of you. Do not wait too long either, because the driver behind is watching the light, not you.
The drill
At the light, stay in first with the clutch in, right foot on the rear brake, left foot down. Kevin says holding the clutch in does not wear it, because the plates are separated.
In a car park, set two cones about a car's width apart, stop behind them so you can see them on the ground, and stop to one side. A friend behind you raises a hand to signal a car that will not stop. Ease into the friction zone, add a little throttle and turn out. Practise both sides.