Shouldn't all new cars have electric backup power brakes and steering by law?

[gone-ot]

Sounds like "Welfare Driving" to me, where the lazy get lazier and want everything done FOR them.

[darcane]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Sorry, there are many modern vehicles that weigh less than my '59 Biscayne with manual brakes and steering, and almost all of them have assisted brakes and steering.

And the ignition recall vehicles are small, commuter cars (Cobalt, G5, Ion, etc), not large, heavy cars. These should be fairly easy to drive with the engine off.

Power brakes with no assist can be a bear since the leverage ratio is not set up for unassisted braking, but it will still stop you if you put some muscle into it. And killing the engine will leave you with several full pumps of the brake pedal before you run out of vacuum assist.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Some aftermarket steering-by-wire setups are already available for quadriplegic drivers, but they're fitted with aeronautic-grade safety backup systems.

[Grant-53]

I have coasted vehicles from a Geo Prism to a 3 ton Cadillac hearse. Anything can be safely brought to a halt with some effort and a bit of patience. The hearse required both hands on one side of the wheel and both feet on the brake pedal coming down a mountain road. Worst case, grind into a guard rail or land in a fence. Snow banks and grape vines are great for soft landings. Have an exit strategy.

[Simonas]

I know someone whose car's power brakes didn't work for like three months. I'm sure his wife's legs were the strongest for miles around! People would be less overweight if they'd just not fix their power brakes.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Simonas

I know someone whose car's power brakes didn't work for like three months.

Unless she was using only the parking brake for most of the time

Anyway, in some older cars without all those electronic nannies it's easier to bypass the vacuum booster with just a hose and plastic clamps.

[Simonas]

It didn't have the parking brake working. It went out of adjustment all the time, so they finally gave up and only fixed it before inspection. It is an old car, built in 1989.

[elhigh]

Last summer the vacuum pump belt on my '93 Isuzu NPR broke while driving. An NPR empty is heavy enough, loaded with junk it's a significant load, and when the power assist poops out you're pushing on the brake pedal with everything you have even as the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead of you gets closer...and closer...and closer.

I only had to go about three miles back to the office, and it was a sweat-popping three miles. I've stopped bigger vehicles with only manual brakes and knew it was going to be tough, but I knew what I was up against ahead of time and the brakes were designed for it. With the power assist out, I was worried about breaking the pedal, seriously breaking it.

I LIKE manual systems. There's less to go wrong in the first place. Yes, things are harder. So what? If you really want to get where you're going, invest a little effort. You'll be healthier for it.

[Frank Lee]

If the system is designed to be manual, the effort required to use it is quite reasonable.

[YeahPete]

Isn't that the purpose of a handbrake? In case you lose another form of braking?

Last thing we need is more regulation.