Table Saw Safety & The CPSC

[-MIKE-]

...were trained by fools.

[Jack]

Until you have ABS go off on dry pavement as you attempt to slow down normally to avoid ramming the stopped traffic in front of you, you ain't experienced the wonders of ABS. I pulled the fuse on my GMC truck after

3 fixes under warranty and one out of warranty. These things reduce braking power by 1/2 it seems.

[Just Wondering]

My vote's for people who learned to drive in another country.

[Larry W]

I should have been more specific. I was talking about situations like skidding on ice, where in pre-ABS days controlled pumping of brakes was (and is) an effective method of regaining control of braking.

[Larry W]

Didn't we have this same conversation a few months ago? Your assertion is possibly true for a defective system or perhaps one that has been poorly designed, but there is no question that ABS results in better stopping distances except for very skilled drivers, and for them only in straight line stops on dry pavement.

[Morgans]

"Just Wondering" wrote

My vote's for people who learned to drive in another country.

*************************

You are close to right. I direct traffic for moms and dads dropping the kids off at school every day. I started wearing an orange vest this year to keep from becoming road kill. My primary fear is from people that come from other countries and have never learned to drive, until they come to the USA.

You just have to be over 18, and pass a written and drive once around a block without hitting anything.

Remember everyone, these types are on the road with you every day!

-- Jim in NC

[-MIKE-]

I guess I don't call that "pumping the brakes," but just letting off the brakes if they lock up. I still have a friend who refuses to accept that his late model car with ABS will stop faster in snow than he can by "pumping" his brakes. Even after I, other friends, the dealer, and the mechanic told him the chattering he felt in the pedal was simply the evidence of the actual process used by the ABS, he still thinks it's a malfunction and he will still "pump" his brakes.

Every winter, I introduce several people here in the south to the apparently mysterious concept of down shifting with an automatic transmission in slick weather.

[Lobby Dosser]

On the Ranger, it is useless for most purposes. See sticking knee in ear ...

[Lew Hodgett]

----------------------------- When I learned to drive back in Northern Ohio, you quickly learned to NEVER use the emergency in the winter.

Trying to drive a vehicle with a pulled, frozen emergency brake cable is a bear.

Lew

[Larry Jaques]

Buy a car or truck that FITS YOU, silly person. It ain't rocket science.

-- With every experience, you alone are painting your own canvas, thought by thought, choice by choice. -- Oprah Winfrey

[Lobby Dosser]

Yeah, that was a Once ...

[Lobby Dosser]

It does, other than that.

[Ed Pawlowski]

BTDT. Good advice in wet weather in cold climates. If you don't use the brake on a regular basis, it can stick at any time, even in the heat.

[Larry Jaques]

So can't you simply open the door when you engage it? Or, if you're that big, just reach over with the other foot.

Piece o' cake, duck soup, mon.

-- In reality, serendipity accounts for one percent of the blessings we receive in life, work and love. The other 99 percent is due to our efforts. -- Peter McWilliams

[Larry Jaques]

And then you guys learned that a pair of half inch wrenches (oops,

12mm in the Ranger's case, or 10mm cuz they're odd?) and ten minutes time (including jacking) would have allowed the release of the brakes.

-- In reality, serendipity accounts for one percent of the blessings we receive in life, work and love. The other 99 percent is due to our efforts. -- Peter McWilliams

[Jack]

Yes, nothing has changed.

Not possible, absolute.

or perhaps one that has been poorly designed,

They are designed to detect locked up wheels and when detected, pulsate the breaks rapidly. This means the breaks are NOT on half the time, the result is half the breaking power. This is OK if you are sliding, it is not OK if you are simply stopping.

but there is no question that ABS results in better stopping

If you ever had them go off at 45 mph on dry pavement when simply performing a normal non-sliding stop, you would sing a different tune. For me, They can keep their ABS crap. At best, they could have a switch to turn them on in icy, snowy conditions. For me, and according to my garage, many other GMC owners, the best thing is to just pull the fuse.

[Morgans]

"Lew Hodgett" wrote in

----------------------------- When I learned to drive back in Northern Ohio, you quickly learned to NEVER use the emergency in the winter.

Trying to drive a vehicle with a pulled, frozen emergency brake cable is a bear.

************************* I had a old 4 barrel carb pontiac, that always idled way too fast until it was good and warmed up.

If you tried to brake on icy roads, you would lose control, because the power going to the rear wheels kept them from locking up, while the front brakes did lock up. No pumping would fix the problem. The only thing that helped was to slip the automatic transmission into neutral before you wanted to stop.

-- Jim in NC