The ABS thread
Discussion
Cards on the table - I'm a big fan of good ABS systems. In fact I'd be reluctant to buy any car without it.
The question arises - do you "use" your ABS? My own experiences have been "emergency only" (except when demonstrating it on split surfaces etc).
So which are you,
The question arises - do you "use" your ABS? My own experiences have been "emergency only" (except when demonstrating it on split surfaces etc).
So which are you,
- I use ABS all the time?
- ABS for emergencies only?
- My car has ABS but I've never triggered it?
- I don't need ABS....?
My car hasn't got ABS.
On the wife's car, I've triggered it once (during emergency stop on the motorway) but I was already coming off the brakes to compensate for the lock before I realised the ABS had fired so I actually probably got the worst of both worlds in terms of total braking force.
On the wife's car, I've triggered it once (during emergency stop on the motorway) but I was already coming off the brakes to compensate for the lock before I realised the ABS had fired so I actually probably got the worst of both worlds in terms of total braking force.
I have always felt that my car stops quickest just before the ABS cuts in, therefore under normal driving, even when hooning the ABS never gets triggered. The only time it does trigger is during an emergency stop.
Oh, and every time i approach a roundabout near Arundul with a big lump in the road about 50 yards before the roundabout, braking from 60mph the ABS always gets triggered by this bloody bump!
Oh, and every time i approach a roundabout near Arundul with a big lump in the road about 50 yards before the roundabout, braking from 60mph the ABS always gets triggered by this bloody bump!
10 Pence Short said:
I would have put the main purpose of ABS as allowing you to steer whilst you emergency brake without having to be proficient at cadence braking. I wouldn't expect it to stop me in a straight line faster than any competent person should be able to without it.
I suspect modern systems (specifically electronic brake-force distribution) can stop a car faster than a driver can, since they can change the brake balance independently across all four wheels on the fly to compensate for different grip levels. I agree that the main purpose is the maintain control, though.
I dislike 10+ year old ABS systems on loose surfaces, they often get confused and insist that I'm wrong about wanting to slow down. I expect newer ones are better, but haven't really tested any to find out.
Other than that, the only time I seem to trigger it is the occasional single wheel momentary activation across a wet manhole cover or something, which doesn't really count.
Other than that, the only time I seem to trigger it is the occasional single wheel momentary activation across a wet manhole cover or something, which doesn't really count.
I don't 'need' ABS to drive and I certainly don't invoke its operation during regular driving either, whether spirited or otherwise.
It's a last-ditch safety system that will give me extra time to think in a crisis situation that develops too quickly to plan an escape or react accordingly.
It's a last-ditch safety system that will give me extra time to think in a crisis situation that develops too quickly to plan an escape or react accordingly.
I dont think I have ever triggered it at speed, but it has a habit of going off when I brake even reasonably hard in town - probably because it gets confused by all the potholes, manhole covers, etc and the generally awful state of London's roads.
Last weekend, I braked down from about 60mph to about 5mph very hard indeed and ABS did not kick in. I think the quality of the tyres make a huge difference to whether or not ABS is triggered.
Last weekend, I braked down from about 60mph to about 5mph very hard indeed and ABS did not kick in. I think the quality of the tyres make a huge difference to whether or not ABS is triggered.
May have got old but I definitely prefer to have ABS. I rarely trigger in normal or even spirited driving (and before anybody checks the stream can be hustled nicely thank you !). I do however make sure to try and deliberately 'fire it off' on both sides regularly (once a month on a bit of gravel) as this reminds me what it feels like and prevents the ABS pump / valves sticking. As I understand it never triggering the ABS is an issue waiting to happen in the long term especially older cars.
I have never activated ABS on tarmac. The only time it has ever activated is when one or more wheels is on a loose surface whilst the others are on tarmac such as on a narrow country lane when meeting someone coming the other way. On snow it can be a pain as I want to lock the wheels so I can build up a mound of snow in front of the tyre as it slides but there is never a switch to disable it 
.
.10 Pence Short said:
If you're using it all of the time you're 'doing it wrong'.
Quite so. ABS is there for emergency stops, a competent driver should be using his observation to ensure that these are never (or extremely rarely) necessary.I've only ever triggered it in the car braking fairly hard on a bumpy road. Triggered it once on the bike I misjudged how hard the car in front of me was braking on a wet road and my firm braking suddenly became an emergency stop, completely my own fault but I very much doubt I would stopped safely without it that day.
i found it interesting that i could still brake over a shorter distance than modern ABS using threshold braking.
That was after practice at Millbrook and not in an emergency on the public road, but i was surprised nonetheless.
I guess ABS systems are still relatively crude as they need to be fault-free for many miles/years?
That type of training was really useful and good fun. Along with steering under braking.
That was after practice at Millbrook and not in an emergency on the public road, but i was surprised nonetheless.
I guess ABS systems are still relatively crude as they need to be fault-free for many miles/years?
That type of training was really useful and good fun. Along with steering under braking.
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