ABS - or is it Pure BS

From: Buck Savage <hhacker_at_home.com>
Date: Mon Apr 5 18:17:32 1999

>Bill Pechter <pechter_at_pechter.dyndns.org> wrote:
>> > ABS - American Bull Shi...
>> >
>> > I have noted one difficulty with ABS, and that is its failure to
operate on
>> > snow
>> > and ice. Since I live in Southern California, I do not get that much
snow
>> > but,
>> > in any quick application of my Mustang's breaks, on snow covered roads,
>> > they always seem to lock up. Well, the pumping action occurs but, at
each
>> > application of the pump, I notice wheel lock-up. There is no stopping.
>> >
>> > William R. Buckley
>>
>> Noted the same thing with my wife's Acura in New Jersey.
>> The bad news is (unlike the last two years) we usually get snow here.
>
>Hi
> I think people miss the point here. First, nothing short
>of retro rockets will slow you fast on snow and ice. The
>best rule here is "SLOW DOWN". Even rainy or dew slick
>roads reduce traction a lot. ABS' generally do much better
>on ice and snow than can be done manually. Yes, they generally
>lock and on lock but it is much better than complete lock
>as all but a trained expert would do under such conditions.
> I'm not all that great a fan of ABS but I think for anyone
>not trained in skid control, it will do better than most
>people would do. Skid training is something that has to
>be learned as an automatic reaction. It requires regular
>refreshing to keep the skill in tune. It can't be learned
>by reading a book, it must be experienced.
> ABS will not do magic, it will in most conditions give
>one a better chance than they would normally have. It won't
>make up for foolish drivers.
>IMHO
>Dwight
>

The detail here is that it occurs even with extremely
light pressing of the brake (sorry for the earlier misspelling)
peddle.

Sure, very slow travel is the best course, which I judiciously
demonstrate in my driving under such hazardous conditions.

I, too, wonder how the computer knows (obviously, it does
not) when lock is due to locking up as opposed to halted
motion.

William R. Buckley
Received on Mon Apr 05 1999 - 18:17:32 BST

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