WichitaFallsComplete.com
Why Do People Complain About Anti-Lock Brakes?
Because They Don't Know How To Use Them!
One of the advantages of anti-lock brakes is their ability to let you steer your vehicle around a hazard while you are effectively braking.
If you lock up your wheels, as happens when you "stand up" on your brake pedal in a vehicle without anti-lock brakes, you can no longer steer. You will skid in the direction you were going when the wheels locked up. Your front wheels will turn left and right, following your steering commands, but you will not turn! Only when the front wheels are turning can your vehicle turn.
In a vehicles without anti-lock brakes, you must release pressure on the brake pedal to unlock the wheels and stop the skid. Once you've done this you can steer the vehicle. But, you've lost your maximum braking power. You can't have both with conventional brakes. Most humans cannot pump and release the brakes, and steer, effectively enough and fast enough to get out of a "right in front of you, gotta stop now or drive around it" hazard. The anti-lock brake computer will beat us at that task every time, IF you let it do its job.
So, when do anti-lock brakes not work? When you apply them and then chicken out and let up on the pedal. If you slam on the brake pedal and STAY on it, your vehicle will come to a stop as fast as possible under the existing conditions. There's no way you can pump the brakes and stop any faster. Get on them hard and stay on them, steer around the hazard, and don't let up until you are sure you want your vehicle to continue it's normal running.
Go to a vacant parking lot, accelerate you vehicle to 25 MPH or so, then slam on the brakes and keep the brake pedal depressed. At the same time, turn the steering wheel right and left. You will see that you can change the direction of your vehicle during maximum braking. And, by the way, don't be alarmed at any noises and pulsing of the brake pedal. This is normal under maximum braking.
Anti-lock brakes are not magic. If you slam into something when you are properly using your anti-lock brakes, you would have slammed into it faster with conventional brakes.
I am not a professional driving instructor. I'm not even an amateur driving instructor. The above advice is based on my few years of city combat driving. Standard disclaimers apply. Close cover before striking.
Maynard