Emergency Brakes

Two friends and I were riding the neighborhood back when I was 12 and we came upon three other kids walking the streets.  As we were passing, the girl on the left side decided it'd be a wonderful idea to run across the road to join her friends.

Having just switched over from coaster brakes, I still backpedaled to slow down when in a panic.  Since the brakes were on the bar I clipped her trailing foot and she slowly gimped home.

Mom made me call the family and apologize so I called the first Smith in the phone book on Theresa Drive.  I got through the entire apology before she told me that her granddaughter lived down the street so I had to do it again.  Little Miss Smith was milking it hard with crutches at the bus stop the next morning.  She had ditched them by the afternoon.

Anyway, whether from complete lack of maintenance in harsh conditions or you're a hipster and you don't need brakes, sometimes you need a backup.  I had no front brakes today since the cantilevers froze up and I had to use alternate braking on the precipitous grade heading home.  I tested it before the hill and it stopped almost as well as discs.

Right foot on pedal, left heel braking on pavement.

I've seen kids in the neighborhood jam their feet on the rear tire at the seat stays to stop their bikes.  The left leg braced against the pedal with the foot on the ground works far better.

Now when the chick crosses the road, I won't have to call her Grandma.