It's been interesting to read the theory of ABS, but let me share an experience
with you.
A little over a year ago (9/98) I was on my regular morning commute on Boston's
Southeast Expressway, driving a 1996 Mercury Mystique with ABS. The car ahead
of the car ahead of me slowed rather abruptly; the car ahead of me stopped very
abruptly; I stomped on the binders and drove right into his back bumper.
Believe me, I had left adequate space between us. I've commuted close to a
megamile and this was the first accident that I've been in.
The ABS would not allow the brakes to come anywhere near locking up. The pedal
was against the stop and the car just wasn't stopping. There was no pulsing
going on at all. Remember, the action of ABS is to relieve braking pressure
when the system senses that the brakes are about to lock up. Guess what happens
if the sensors react too quickly? $2000 worth of damage that barely showed, much
of it due to the a/c components right behind the bumper.
If you have an ABS system --- check it out sometime before you need to stop in a
hurry! Just MHO.
Bud
--
Bud Krueger
http://home.ici.net/~bkrueger/
52TD
77MGB
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