The correct way to brake

[MunG35]

my question is still: Is braking over a greater distance better or worse for the brakes?

[l33tc4k30fd00m]

Brakes? Hah! Why use brakes when you can use an anchor!?

[Toksin]

Bra...kes?

Seriously though, I think it's pretty dangerous to go fullspeed up to a point the brake hard when driving on the street. You could misjudge, or you could slide if its wet.

Lots of people in NZ tend to brake late, which is not very comforting when say, you're carrying a pregnant woman and about to pass a give way sign, and you have to slam on the brakes because it looks like the guy coming up to the give way sign isn't going to slow down (but he then brakes late and drifts halfway into the road).

[HogieGT-R]

whatever happened to dragging your foot to slow down?....oh wait that only works with bicycles..........i like to gradually apply my brakes though, increasing the pressure until i stop...seems the most pleasant for me

[CarSuperfreak]

braking slowly over a longer distance is better for your brakes; they don't get as hot, and they will end up lasting longer. think of it this way: If you have, say, a bicycle tire spinning in front of you at a pretty good velocity, and you are going to stop it by placing your hand on it, is it easier on your hand to slowly apply pressure to the tire gradually? or to ram your hand against the tire and attempt to stop it instantly

[TankMMC]

If you want the brakes to last longer its better to break more gently over a certain distance. If you break hard all the time the pads wear out much faster, and you get brake fade ( depending on the car and the brakes themselves - on the Honda I currently have it takes 2-3 "rapid deccelerations" with a fully loaded car for the brakes to not be able to lock up at all, and smoke be pouring out from behind the hubcaps

Another thing is you have to be careful in the wet, obviosly you can lock up but also be careful of painted road markings, when wet those are slippery as fuck and if you lock up with even one of your wheels on them your car can change direction unexpectedly without being asked to

[mike@af]

Originally Posted by SiGNAL748

...or if that doesn work i shift into reverse...

I know someone that did that accidently. We were in San Fransisco, going down the hills and the driver accidently shifted into reverse. Needless to say all of the occupants were laughing our asses off.

[CarSuperfreak]

[l33tc4k30fd00m]

Uh? Good for you?

...WTF?

[boingo82]

Another thing about braking hard vs slowly decelerating...

If you are going towards a red light, and don't brake until the last second, you usually have to come to a complete stop. Then you probably gun it to get back up to speed.

But if you just ease off the accellerator when you see the light is red, and maybe brake a little, you can coast in and probably not have to stop at all. Then you do not have to give it as much gas to get going again.

So, softer braking is not only better on your brakes, but gives you more time to react in case of impending accident, is easier on your tires, easier on your engine, and nets better fuel mileage.

[93rollaracer]

i usually do the slow braking thing, of course there's always the occaisonal "oh shit" stop if somebody jumps in the middle of the road or i see a cop coming or something like that

[Oz]

Originally Posted by boingo82

Another thing about braking hard vs slowly decelerating...

If you are going towards a red light, and don't brake until the last second, you usually have to come to a complete stop. Then you probably gun it to get back up to speed.

But if you just ease off the accellerator when you see the light is red, and maybe brake a little, you can coast in and probably not have to stop at all. Then you do not have to give it as much gas to get going again.

So, softer braking is not only better on your brakes, but gives you more time to react in case of impending accident, is easier on your tires, easier on your engine, and nets better fuel mileage.

Yeah, but where's the fun?

[MunG35]

Originally Posted by l33tc4k30fd00m

Brakes? Hah! Why use brakes when you can use an anchor!?

i like the way u think

[Cl0ak]

I'd rather have a cop write me a ticket than shift into reverse.

[Flatrater]

Heat and friction is what wears the brakes down. Avoid both the best you can the brakes will last longer. A long brake cycle will make just as much heat as a short hard brake cycle.

Watcb out after a certain temp the brake pads become soft and you will lose brakes till the cool off.

And lastly if you want the brakes to last forever don't use them. But for the price of a set of pads who really cares as long as you stop.