It's come up often enough for me, in 55 years of riding. Experience does make a difference, but I haven't yet seen the risk of an unexpected stop drop to zero.

It's come up often enough for me, in 55 years of riding. Experience does make a difference, but I haven't yet seen the risk of an unexpected stop drop to zero. And I think learning to control the bike is still valuable for a beginner, so they can survive to the point of developing their street smarts. A panic stop teaches you how to control the bike. The recent e-bike boom has been a chance to observe a lot of beginners learning to ride. One habit I've seen on the paths is being "afraid to stop," resulting in minor collisions within groups of cyclists, and cars making panic stops when the bike paths cross roads. These are the people to whom I suggest learning how to use the brakes.