Re: Augered in my 5000s wagon!

[drobbins@wellfleet.com (David Robbins)]

> This car is ABS equipped and I did indeed brake before the turn but
> still couldn't get the front to come around fast enough. Are you 
> implying that I could brake through the turn and expect the front
> wheels to actually turn the car? This was a downhill left hairpin
> with a decreasing radius. The worst possible case.

Yes, Bob, that is what ABS does.  By not allowing the wheels to "lock-up" ABS
allows drivers to maintain control of their vehicles.  Drivers lose the
ability to steer when the wheels lock and begin to skid.  Of course, there
are situations where ABS won't do anybody any good - if there is no traction
(on ice for example), then there is nothing for the wheels to catch to, and
the driver can't control the car.

> I think my mistake was using the engine to slow the car down. I'll 
> need to devise an experiment to safely test this and try to brake
> through a turn with the clutch disengaged. Plenty on snow around
> here these days. Thanks for comments.
> 
> - --Bob

Don't take this as a flame, but this is exactly the problem with many people
who drive today.  The average driver doesn't understand how to use the new
technology that comes on their cars.  For instance, with ABS, one should
never pump the brake pedal; it is actually better to simply stand on it. 
Pumping it sends conflicting signals to the computer, rendering ABS pretty
much useless.

I would suggest that you find a large empty parking lot (like at an office
building on a weekend) and play around in a controlled area.  You can learn a
lot about your car, its handling capabilities and how it will respond in
different sitiuations by doing so.

-DMR.

BTW - Your message showed up in Digest four times.  Is this your mistake or
the MajorDomo server's?