Originally Posted by
terrymorse
I disagree. Given the known fact that braking is more effective from the drops, it's clear that it is the preferred position for emergency braking.
What's the matter, is there something wrong with your neck? Because my range of vision is the same on the hoods and the hooks. Oh wait, I can see slightly more of the sky when on the hoods. That's helpful.
That's irrelevant. The difference in head height between hoods and drops is minimal.
Since many accidents occur at slow to moderate speeds, riding in a manner to reduce the chance of accidents is prudent.
This is just a string of such stupid statements, I'm in awe.
First, I carefully distinguished between riding the drops vs. riding the hooks, and said that the worst position for emergency braking is the drops, much worse than the hoods. Unless you have a unique brake handle arrangement, this is undeniable.
I'm simply astounded that you don't know that your ability to look over your shoulder is much better in a more upright position. Nothing wrong with my neck, just the simple fact that the more I'm leaning forward, the less useful information I can get from turning my head. You have it absolutely backwards, turning your head while leaning forward can reveal things next to you up to a certain point, but turning it further just reveals more sky. If you're upright, turning your head further reveals more angles at the relevant "that could hit me" level. It's shocking that you don't know this, it's a primary reason why a lot of urban bikes are flat bars.
If you're more upright, you present a higher profile to vehicle drivers behind you. It's not your head position that matters much, it's your back. It's not a huge effect, but it does make you slightly more visible which could be critical in a low-visibility situation like fog.
Your last statement is just a truism, applicable at any speed. It's also question-begging at its worst.