How Deep Should You Press for Cadence Braking?
2 Answers
Cadence braking refers to: first pressing the brake slightly, feeling the car decelerate significantly, then releasing the brake (not completely), and when feeling the car is about to lose braking inhibition, pressing the brake again, repeating this cycle. The technique of cadence braking is to avoid locking the wheels by not pressing the brake fully, preventing the inability to steer. More information about cadence braking is as follows: 1. When encountering an emergency at high speed, cadence braking is needed: the tires slow down while rolling to improve braking efficiency. Because while rolling, the tire and the uneven road surface come into contact, generating reverse thrust. During the rolling process of the tire, its deformation changes from round to flat, pressing against the ground, and this process also shifts with the rolling position, creating resistance, and the friction from rolling is actually greater. 2. When the following car is too close, cadence braking can be used to alert: current brake lights have significant flaws, only indicating on or off, unable to directly reflect the braking force through the brake lights. The role of cadence braking is to make the brake lights flash, attracting the attention of the following driver to avoid being rear-ended.
I remember when I first started learning to drive, my instructor taught me that the depth of threshold braking is crucial. Pressing too lightly results in insufficient braking force, while pressing too hard can easily trigger the ABS and cause the wheels to lock up. Through repeated practice, I found that the optimal depth is about 70% to 80% of the brake pedal travel, which allows the wheels to approach lockup without actually locking. On dry roads, pressing to about two-thirds of the pedal travel is sufficient when driving at higher speeds; on rainy or snowy slippery roads, a lighter touch is needed to avoid skidding. The key is to practice more—for example, testing the feel at different speeds in an empty parking lot to develop pedal sensitivity, so you can react instinctively in emergencies.
