Velvet wrote:

Er, actually ABS doesn't really affect stopping distances. It allows
you to steer while braking.

Not convinced by this :-)

It is simplistic, of course; the reality is that given perfect braking
technique a driver can stop at least as quickly in a non-ABS car; ABS makes
no difference to the grip of the tyres or the power of the brakes. A really
expert driver can theoretically stop shorter in a non-ABS car, because ABS
senses wheel slip, while a really expert driver won't allow that to happen.
In practice few drivers have perfect braking technique, but as previously
posted, on a dry road it is close to impossible to get the ABS even to cut
in on my car - it grips too well. So, ABS prevents some skids due to poor
braking technique, and allows steering while braking with less risk of loss
of control, but it doesn't really improve the braking performance of the
car.

It's also a mistake to rely on it in ice or on gravel. If all wheels lock,
the ABS thinks you've stopped and cuts out. Don't try this at home!

So, it's important not to think (or to allow people to think) "ABS stops you
quicker", because (a) technically it doesn't and (b) relying on that for
safety margin is a Very Bad Idea.

The taxi driver ABS trial was a near-perfect
double-blind study and it showed that those driving ABS equipped cars
accelerated harder, braked harder, drove faster and followed closer.

But I'm not a taxi driver!

Similar studies have been done on a wide range of drivers and a wide range
of safety devices, the conclusion is always the same.

Think: "Nobody believes in risk compensation, that's why it happens."

--
Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk