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xmastreee t1_iu47ykp wrote

Reply to comment by ramriot in TIL bicycle brakes in the UK are reversed from the US and Europe by UlisKromwell

Well I was told you make hand signals with either hand. So which side of the road you're on is irrelevant.

The front brake should be on the right. It's the more important one because you can actually stop with it rather than just skidding. Sure, excessive force will put you over the handlebars, but that's why you need your dominant (most people are right handed) hand to get the fine control required.

And look at motor scooters. Not bikes, automatic scooters with no foot controls and only levers. The front brake is always on the right wherever they are in the world. Why should it be different for bicycles?

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ramriot t1_iu4bx89 wrote

I agree partly, but there is a ton of subtlety about signalling a move out into traffic should leave a hand for the rear brake. Here is a good answer to that issue from Quora.

I can't speak to scooters if you mean the modern uprated kids toy device, but for mopeds which were also called motor scooters in the UK the brake layout seems to have settled down internationally to I think rear on left, front on right. But since almost all of these today have turn signals that can be operated by the thumb there is no need to hand signals, see above.

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xmastreee t1_iu8qn0h wrote

Yeah, scooters like mopeds, but also larger ones. Anything twist and go basically, with no foot controls.

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