View Single Post
Old 12-29-2010, 11:10 AM   #61 (permalink)
ShadeTreeMech
Basjoos Wannabe
 
ShadeTreeMech's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 870

The Van - '97 Mercury Villager gs
90 day: 19.8 mpg (US)

Lyle the Kindly Viking - '99 Volvo V70
90 day: 25.82 mpg (US)
Thanks: 174
Thanked 49 Times in 32 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by endurance View Post
..... ABS is great on packed snow and asphalt roads, but on loose gravel and glazed ice the skill of the driver is more important than the technology in the car. ........ Once all four wheels stop turning, the computer thinks you're stopped, so ABS no longer works. You need at least one wheel turning to have ABS work. Unfortunately, most folks don't know that until after the accident.
I now recall the van would lock up at less than 15 mph. But as it was a steep hill, it got over 15 mph easily, then the ABS held me at about 15 mph so long as I let off the brakes long enough to get the wheels turning. If it slowed down too much I had to let up or go into a skid. And it was on glare ice--this was after the ice storm a few years ago that made national headlines.

With as sophisticated as cars are getting, I wonder if the more high tech systems can "learn" the amount of available traction and ease on the brake pressure instead of locking up/unlocking constantly.

__________________
RIP Maxima 1997-2012


Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesqf View Post
I think you missed the point I was trying to make, which is that it's not rational to do either speed or fuel economy mods for economic reasons. You do it as a form of recreation, for the fun and for the challenge.
  Reply With Quote