The ReactionGate™ is designed to evaluate emergency braking, one of the most critical defensive riding skills that Police Motor Officers may develop. The two most notable cone patterns and practice techniques used in training are:“Brake and Escape” or “40 mph Decel”. In this training, a rider approaches at a set speed, brakes hard, then avoids an obstacle. Detecting the speed of the rider and selecting the direction of the “escape” are two of the greatest challenges in making this test objective and truly random.

ReactionGate™ by PSI, Inc. eliminates the need to have personal, a flag person to simulate an obsticle and evaluator to monitor LIDAR or other speed determination device, on the course.

Brake and Escape - course

The Brake and Escape course is best set up in a large parking lot or other paved area with at least a 300’ long run for the rider to accelerate, level out, decelerate, and escape the pattern. At a fixed rate of speed the rider crosses a threshold and immediately begins aggressive braking. Down the course an indication appears to simulate an obstacle that needs to be avoided. Once the motorcycle is brought to a reasonable speed, the rider is able to swerve away from the obstacle and into the clear lane.

This exercise teaches not only confidence in rapid braking but it also hones the skill of swerving to avoid obstacles and ultimately to keep the rider as safe as possible.

Evaluating and testing

To select the lane of travel an evaluator can stand at the end of the course and indicate a random lane with the use of flags. This, of course, puts the evaluator at a risk with the motorcycle heading directly towards them. Additionally, if there is any formal evaluation criteria this brings a subjective element to the evaluation where the flags are not always displayed at the same time nor is the lane selection truly random. The evaluator at the end of the course also has no way of knowing if the rider is approaching at an appropriate speed as well.

A LIDAR or other speed detection device may be used to determine if the rider is approaching the cone pattern at the correct speed. Generally, there is also a maximum number of cones that the rider can touch and still have a successful ride. This course can certainly be used in a competition setting with the use of an objective evaluation system like the ReactionGate™.

ReactionGate™ Solution

The ReactionGate™ is a product specially designed for this exact scenario. A “beam” is placed at the threshold that the rider will pass immediately prior to braking. Once across the threshold of the course, one light will illuminate indicating an object that needs to be avoided. As the rider rapidly decelerates, a safe speed is reached where they may then swerve into the appropriate lane and “escape” through the clear route. The ReactionGateTM is able to determine the speed of the rider as they cross the “gate” and if required can fault out the rider with flashing lights. Additionally, the ReactionGateTM truly randomly selects the lane to avoid and is able to reproduce a consistent evaluation time after time.

Use Cases

• Motorcycle and driver training
• Accident avoidance
• Braking and deceleration practice
• Rider objective evaluation
• Determines speed of vehicle as enters cone pattern
• DUI Checkpoint or other counting
• Motorcycle competitions