Re: Augered in my 5000s wagon!

[Bob Kunz <bkunz@hpbs114.boi.hp.com>]

> 
> <switch off the ABS when there is snow on the ground???
>  Call me crazy, but isn't that what ABS is for?  Low traction situations are

Actually it is better to turn off ABS in DEEP snow. I've tried this and 
it does have merit. If you need to stop in a straight line, locking the
wheels and building up a snow bank in front of the tire will slow you
down faster than having the ABS try to keep the tires rolling. But... 
with the wheels locked you lose steering control (not that it would 
much better with ABS, but at least something). It really does work.

Since I'm the one who augered in the car, you can trust me. :-)

I did get the chance this morning to play with the car on ice. I was 
able to control the vehicle (it really understeered) during turns with
ABS operating on ice. I started at about 30 mph, initiated a turn, hit the 
brakes and continued the turn until I stopped. Without ABS, the car
followed newton's laws of motion as if on that hypothetical friction
free surface. Wherever I hit the brakes I followed the tangent.

Of course this was all done on a flat surface. I'll have to find a safe area
with a slope next.

--bob