Yep. For at least the last ten years the accounts I've worked on have marketed ABS as a system that will help the driver maintain steering control while braking on slippery surfaces. At times, lawyers have made me add disclaimers noting that ABS is not meant to improve stopping distances. Of course the latest systems have much more sophisticated software backing them up than did the early entries, so they're better at managing situations like extremely slippery surfaces and slow speed application. Paul
> Pure ABS, is by design, an aid to controllability and not meant to provide > shorter stopping distances. > I think the industry, especially in the US of A did a bad job of educating > the > buying public to this fact. > > Kenneth Waller > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rob Studdert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: Self Portrait? > > On 23 Oct 2005 at 20:07, Kenneth Waller wrote: > > > At low speeds if a vehicle with ABS is being braked on unpacked snow, like > > in > a > > parking lot, it will stop faster if the tire is allowed to build up a snow > wedge > > in front of itself, as in sliding with no rotation. With ABS active, the > > tire > > will try to roll over the snow, not allow the tire to slide and not build > > up > the > > wedge. > > ABS is quite cablable now. From documents pertianing to my new vehicles ABS > system: > > "Off-Road ABS > > The off-road anti-lock brake system (ABS) > permits the front wheels to lock momentarily. > The beauty of ABS is that it allows the driver to steer > the vehicle in an emergency stopping situation; by > locking only the front wheels, oversteer is prevented. > However, many experienced off-road specialists do > not want ABS when driving off-road. They depend on > their own ability to lock the front wheels in loose > gravel or dirt because the shoveling effect created by > the front wheels builds up a pile of gravel or dirt in front of the > wheels, causing the vehicle to slow down. Therefore, off-road ABS > only acts at speeds less than 18 mph (29 km/h) on the front > wheels, when driving forward and in low-range gear reduction." > > And > > "The off-road ABS permits the front wheels to lock > momentarily. The wedge action created in front > of the front wheels supports braking. > > The off-road ABS only acts: > At speeds less than 30 km/h > On the front wheels > When driving forwards > In low range gear reduction" > > I guess the manufacturer figures that ABS works as per normal in all but the > most hideous conditions in the case of my vehicle, they have obvioulsy taken > all surface types into account these days. > > > Rob Studdert > HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA > Tel +61-2-9554-4110 > UTC(GMT) +10 Hours > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications/ > Pentax user since 1986, PDMLer since 1998 > > > > ________________________________________ > PeoplePC Online > A better way to Internet > http://www.peoplepc.com >
