Miata Mailing List: December 1996, Message #25
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   From: (none)

Subject: Re: Can't move, must go in snow: Torsen/ABS in Winter/Summer?

   Date: (none)



Previously on Can't move, must go in snow: Torsen/ABS in Winter/Summer?,

Clifford F Thompson  said...



> FINALLY, I'm about to order a '96.  I'm not going to blow this dealer

> incentive!



Congratulations!



> It's been well discussed that ABS doesn't help much if you don't know

> how to use it (don't pump).  But I haven't heard whether ABS (properly

> applied) provides significantly better braking overwhat a skillful driver

> can manage without it.  What's the conventionallwisdom on that point and

> what are the tradeoffs in summertime driving?  (I notice the R package

> does not have it.)



One of the TV tabloids (Datline NBC?) recently had a segment on this topic. 

The result was that ABS significantly improved controllability during extreme

braking, but the stopping distance for the same vehicle was actually _longer_

with ABS.



It is important to note that this was not a scientific study, and some cars

may actually stop shorter with ABS, but it seems unlikely.  The automatic

system does not allow continuous threshold braking.  As the tires start to

complain, the system dumps the pressure.  You can hear the tires alternatly

start to skid and then roll, as the pedal pulses.  The result is about 50%

threshold braking, and 50% nothing.



The real advantage of anti-lock brakes is the ability to continue to steer the

car while the ABS manages the braking.  The disadvantage is that for

straight-ahead stopping, a good driver performing threshold braking will stop

before the ABS equipped car, sometimes /way/ before.



That's why the R package doesn't have them.



	-John



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John Freas (jfreas@gte.net)

Red '90 Base (Red Dwarf)

Team Roebuck

Team Moss

Team Voodoo

Team "I have no idea what those dimple things on the windshield frame are

for."

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