"Charlie Self" wrote in message
...
Leon responds:

I have never known or thought a car with ABS would stop shorter and I have
the background for working in the automotive industry for 23 years. It
simply helps you maintain control of the vehicle particularly when on an
inconsistent or slick surface. I have never really heard that ABS makes a
car stop shorter.

Well, I've been piddling with cars for more than twice that long, though
not
often from an industry standpoint. But I had thought that ABS was supposed
to
keep that sucker in a straight line, which generally will mean shorter
stops
than does skidding, letting up on the brakes and correcting before
slamming 'em
down again.

ABS aslo greatly assists breaking when cornering if the need arises. The
ABS purpose is to keep all the wheels spinning until all have equal drag.
If one wheel locks up the vehicle will start to rotate. On a slick surface
you can easily loose control.

I'd like to see some test results--I'm sure someone did some at some
time--comparing ABS stop distances to an expert driver who pumps away with
abandon.

There is that Pumping term again.. LOL.. I recall my parents talking about
pumping the brakes. My recallolection of pumping brakes is sitting in a car
up on a lift and pumping the brake pedal then holding it down while the
mechanic opened the bleed valves on the wheel cylinders and calipers to
remove the air from the system. Those were the days when a brake job
automatically included rebuilding the wheel cylinders and calipers.
Anyway, I always applied the pressure to the brake pedal until I heard or
felt a change in the tires sound or felt a change in tire traction. For
most people I believe that stopping distances can be improved with ABS but
all things being equal sometimes skidding on a rough and stable surface can
stop a car rather quickly. In Houston you can lock up the tires on the
"Concrete" freeways and come to a stop rather quickly, then drive off with
flat sopts on your tires.


Of course, part of the problem is the number of drivers who perceive
themselves
as experts, when most of them aren't even competent beginners when it
comes to
emergency maneuvers.

Yeah...exactly. Houston is loaded with these people. I learned this
morning that there are 5,000 accidents every year in Houston simply from
people running stop lights. Basically when a light turns red it means 3
more cars are permitted to enter and cross the intersection. I missed that
in drivers ed and still cannot fint hat rule written anywhere. ;~) If you
stop for a red light when it turns red you might get rear ended.