question for those without ABS

[poison]

Whoa, that's messed up. The brake systems are pretty over-built. I mean, they're designed to withstand every average joe's response: panic induced adrenaline dump, and extreme over-reaction, the 'stomp'. Glad it stopped for fuzzy!

 

[robeats]

I have never felt disadvantaged without ABS. I've never driven a Protege5 with ABS, so I can't compare apples to apples, but I've driven several other cars with ABS that seem to have the system kick into effect at exactly the wrong moment. In the past, while driving cars with ABS, I've been surprised by sandy spots while braking...admittedly, I like to break late, and these unexpected engagements added distance to my stop that made me very uncomfortable.

The idea that when briskly driving a car with ABS, it is expected for the driver to go from finessing the brakes under good traction to "standing" on the pedal when the ABS system engages is disruptive to the driving experience and dare I say, dangerous to unprepared or poorly trained drivers. Simplified ABS systems like those offered in older models and in the lower-end models of recent years do not offer predictable enough results in my opinion.

Personally I find it hard to have confidence in brakes that may intermittently reduce braking force, at times for no apparent reason. After driving my non-ABS P5 for several years now, I have come to enjoy the predictable braking experience.

I doubt this opinion will change until I experience an intelligent braking traction control system that engages predictably and improves stopping distances, actually augmenting the driver's skills instead of hindering them.

Anyone else feel this way?

 

[bgibb68]

i have abs and a couple weeks ago it saved me from tboning a 80's civic that decided to blow through a yield sign and stop dead in front of me....i slamed it a gear down and stomped the brakes and swerved and just skated around the car....missed it by an inch.....no joke....

sometimes though abs is a joke, like in my old s10 which i wish i disabled cause if the abs kicked in, i wouldn't have brakes....depends on the car

 

[widgit117]

Well I am glad that you and your car are alright. I believe that ABS is a safety system like any other. If used properly, it can be invaluable though if used improperly it can have unwanted results. Just be smart when using your brakes, remember the more you use them the sooner you will have to replace them.

 

[ucMP3]

I prefer not having ABS, you just have to be easy with on your brakes and pump, not STOMP. Granted this takes experience because I have definately had experiencces when I didn't know how to brake properly. But now I can't think of any situation I would rather have ABS. And if you're in a situation where you're sliding on ice and can't get any grip, ABS will not help... There is simply no traction for your tires to grab onto. (thumb)