In the USA, you don't have a choice with ABS brakes, except with older 
vehicles, and I agree, that a more skillful driver could reduce the 
stopping distance, but it is nice to have that available, just wish I 
could turn it off at times. But it appears to me that many times the 
braking force available isn't as much as it could be. Many vehicles on 
good friction dry pavement cannot with hard pedal pressure lock the 
wheels sufficiently to bring the ABS into action. All that happen is 
that you come to a longer than necessary stop.

The traction control, which is an add-on to the ABS is very nice, in 
particular when one wheel has traction and the other does not, but 
accelerating out of a tight corner, I frequently turn it off since 
slight wheel slippage at full throttle can result in cutting power to 
the fuel injectors.

Part of the real issue though is driver training. Today driving under 
adverse conditions including defensive and playing the game with a 
future vision, of eyes all over the place i.e. a mile ahead, the merging 
traffic, etc. is not taught.

Apptech wrote:
>>> A competent authority has assessed that ABS brakes 
>>> INCREASE stopping
>>> distances on gravel (metal) surfaces by typically 20+ 
>>> percent.
>>>       
>
>   
>> Is that a surprise?
>>     
>
> No.
> I wrote that mainly for my son, who has recently purchased a 
> car with ABS and was telling me how well it stopped on 
> gravel.
>
>   
>> I thought the point of ABS was to increase
>> CONTROL (steering) during heavy breaking, not so much to 
>> decrease
>> stopping distance.
>>     
>
> Yes & No.
> ABS generally decreases stopping distances and that is a 
> major aim, as is increased control.
>
> Optimum stopping typically occurs when the tyres are 
> slipping at about 10 - 15% of their rolling speed. More than 
> that and skid onset is imminent. Less than that and you 
> could get more stopping. A really really really competent 
> driver may be able to hold a vehicle in this region. Joe 
> average hasn't a show. ABS allows you to do this with ease 
> and concentrate on steering and avasion and ... .
>
>   
>> In fact, I'm surprised that ABS *ever* decreases
>> stopping distance...
>>     
>
> As above.
>
> I've read that cars with ABS rates have a higher percentage 
> of solo male fatalities than cars without. That makes sense 
> :-) - but the reasons may not be what they first seem. eg it 
> could be that males who drive by themselves are more likelt 
> to buy cars with ABS brakes.
>
>
>         Russell
>
>
>   
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