Advanced Driving Hub

Re ABS and e-stops . . .

http://nosurprise.org.uk/2015/04/18/its ... surprises/

TripleS wrote:

WhoseGeneration wrote:

TheInsanity1234 wrote:The ABS in the Yeti seems to be pretty sensitive. Either that, or I brake with far more force than is necessary when doing emergency stops.

I seem to activate the ABS nearly every time I have to perform an emergency stop, regardless of road surface, weather, ambient temperature, tyre tread levels etc etc.

Well, you've opened yourself up to a bit of questioning about your driving if you're regularly performing emergency stops.

Quite: I thought the same. Are we doing a bit too much running before we've learned to walk properly?

Sorry and all that, and a lot of credit is due to our young friend, but there is, inevitably, much experience still to be acquired. Try to acquire it safely and don't try to do too much too soon.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Apologies if I've given the impression that I'm regularly doing emergency stops

I was merely stating that nearly every time I've had to do one in the Yeti since I turned 17, I've activated the ABS.

And probably stopped with a lot less fuss and drama than if there wasn't ABS, and possibly in a shorter distance than if you'd tried to avoid it working.

Horse wrote:And probably stopped with a lot less fuss and drama than if there wasn't ABS, and possibly in a shorter distance than if you'd tried to avoid it working.

I have no problem with the ABS activating, but there have been one or two cases where it's activated even when I didn't think I braked anywhere near enough to warrant the ABS activating.

TheInsanity1234 wrote:

Horse wrote:And probably stopped with a lot less fuss and drama than if there wasn't ABS, and possibly in a shorter distance than if you'd tried to avoid it working.

I have no problem with the ABS activating, but there have been one or two cases where it's activated even when I didn't think I braked anywhere near enough to warrant the ABS activating.

Exactly my point. You don't - can't - know how much grip is available at any given time and location. The only thingsyou can do are control the amount of brake pressure and the rate at which you apply it.

So perhaps it's *how* you braked, rather than the amount, which triggered the ABS?

Horse wrote:

TheInsanity1234 wrote:

Horse wrote:And probably stopped with a lot less fuss and drama than if there wasn't ABS, and possibly in a shorter distance than if you'd tried to avoid it working.

I have no problem with the ABS activating, but there have been one or two cases where it's activated even when I didn't think I braked anywhere near enough to warrant the ABS activating.

Exactly my point. You don't - can't - know how much grip is available at any given time and location. The only thingsyou can do are control the amount of brake pressure and the rate at which you apply it.

So perhaps it's *how* you braked, rather than the amount, which triggered the ABS?

Perhaps, as I do brake pretty strongly as part of my normal driving, but I do my best to be as smooth as I can in the application of the brakes, so maybe it's not the amount of pressure, but more the rate of change of pressure, i.e. how quickly I'm pushing the pedal down.

I don't know, I don't tend to analyse my braking during emergency stops

What I found curious during my learning is that I activated the ABS during an emergency stop, then my instructor told me I shouldn't use the ABS.

What's the bleeding point of fitting a car with a system to help you brake as hard as you can safely, without losing control, if you're then taught not to use it?

Rather than worrying about how you are activating the ABS, I would suggest that you might be better off looking at why you are having to "emergency stop" in the first place. You give the impression that it is happening often enough that there is some reason for concern.

Re-read the recent posts, he clarifies this. I don't think most people on here are used to receiving this level of self-reflecton and honest reporting.

Horse wrote:Re-read the recent posts, he clarifies this. I don't think most people on here are used to receiving this level of self-reflecton and honest reporting.

Maybe not, and a bit more self-reflection and honest reporting might not come amiss from most of us - not that it needs to include me, of course: TBH I think I've generally been fairly good at owning up to my mistakes, but it hasn't taken much effort; there's been so few of 'em.

Best wishes all,
Dave - complacent ass.

TheInsanity1234 wrote:What's the bleeding point of fitting a car with a system to help you brake as hard as you can safely, without losing control, if you're then taught not to use it?

Shouldn't be hard to work out the answer to this question - what ideas have you had so far?