Why did tires 'chirp' in panic stop?

[frank@zk3.dec.com (Douglas Frank USG)]

Hi all,

Day before yesterday, I was 'spacing' behind another car whose brake lights
came on unexpectedly.  I stood on the pedal and stopped in plenty of time
(luckily I wasn't tailgating as usual), but managed to 'chirp' the front
tires a bit.

Now, my car has ABS.  Why would the tires squeal?  It ain't supposed to
skid!  I felt nothing in the pedal-- no pumping.  I was doing about 35 MPH
at the time.

-- 
--Doug

Douglas Frank  Digital Equipment Corp.   (a tiny little division of
ZKO            110 Spit Brook Rd.         CompWinTel Heavy Industries, Inc.)
DTN 264-0501   Nashua, NH  USA  03062-2711

DAWN  n. The time when men of reason go to bed.