ABS in the snow

[DDRFan]

don't know whether this has been posted before but a certain Mr Tiff Needell tests 3 modern driving enhancements ABS, traction control and ESC (ESP) in various situations.

In the ABS example he demonstrated going down a slippery hill and not smacking into the sides with ABS turned on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3m24bjkfg0

I'm not totally convinced turning off ABS is a good idea (assuming it was something you could do in our cars) i don't really ever remember what driving a car without ABS is like anymore. a few racing games i've played appear to simulate locking of wheels and i know i have to release the brake to regain control of steering, but cos i'm going racing speeds releasing the brake i'm already too far into the bend to make it so probably end up in the gravel!

but driving on snow has it's own problems - only last night whilst pulling up to a junction that had some snow, even at slow speeds of something like 10mph, i press the brake lightly and the ABS starts banging on my foot quite violently. if i'm only just pressing the pedal lightly and the ABS is kicking in, what would the car do if it didn't have ABS? am i gonna drift off into the main road?!
i think for my lame driving skills, having ABS is safer.

[Snoopy]

I remember that fifthgear i actual thought about it when the other thread went abit crazy.
As i said in deep snow ABS is a problem imo, that video shows smooth slippery snow there is a huge difference imo in how a car stops in deep snow to smooth snow. It builds up the snow in front of the wheels and acts like a brake/wall to slow you down with no ABS, with ABS it just keeps going and going and going.
ESP as i said i agree with him it stops you swopping ends.

[Hyperspace]

During the downhill braking test with ABS enabled, it isn't immediately clear if ESP (which the Jaguar has, as you soon discover) is disabled or not.

The problem is that ESP and ABS always work together as a team. They are tightly integrated systems so I think it would be difficult to disable one or the other.

We're getting closer, but I'm afraid it doesn't completely answer Rolfe's original query.

[dubber36]

but driving on snow has it's own problems - only last night whilst pulling up to a junction that had some snow, even at slow speeds of something like 10mph, i press the brake lightly and the ABS starts banging on my foot quite violently. if i'm only just pressing the pedal lightly and the ABS is kicking in, what would the car do if it didn't have ABS? am i gonna drift off into the main road?!
i think for my lame driving skills, having ABS is safer.

In situations like that you should be reading the road further ahead looking for more grip. Keeping a wheel in fresh uncompacted snow, or close to the grass verge where there is likely to be some loose gravel will always aid braking when it's slippy. Even taking advantage of some grip way before the junction to allow you to apply a little more braking force is good practice. You may annoy the driver behind by seemly braking too early, but better that than slide across a juction and possibly have the car behind you giving you a helpful push.

[DDRFan]

In situations like that you should be reading the road further ahead looking for more grip. Keeping a wheel in fresh uncompacted snow, or close to the grass verge where there is likely to be some loose gravel will always aid braking when it's slippy. Even taking advantage of some grip way before the junction to allow you to apply a little more braking force is good practice. You may annoy the driver behind by seemly braking too early, but better that than slide across a juction and possibly have the car behind you giving you a helpful push.

yeh man i've found even on a thin layer of snow that traffic hasn't been going over, i pull over to the side to let oncoming traffic pass parked cars and ABS is going crazy as it tries to stop the car. it's actually quite scary because for the rest of the year i've been used to the very effective brakes and it's really weird not really feeling grip for braking. i already feel i'm being very careful but there is that lingering thought at the back of my mind thinking "omg i'm gonna have an accident" - i think i'm going to have to take it even more easy for a few weeks.

today i had some Audi dude right up in my mirrors and i was driving through a pedestrian (pelican) crossing it was going amber. it was a borderline stop or carry on, if nobody was behind me i probably would have stopped but with this Audi so close and the road wet and cold and i got summer tyres on and i don't know whether the driver behind would react in time i thought i'll keep going although i did feel a bit scared in case a pedestrian might jump out in front of me.

the Audi jumped the amber light. f**king mentalist.

another related question, do you think ABS might have helped the driver of this Fiesta?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbAd_56yqfg (maybe not safe for work....  )

[Hyperspace]

I doubt it!

[MerlinUK]

come on lads, your doing something wrong if you cant drive with normal tyres in the snow.

[Hyperspace]

It's not impossible to drive in the snow with summer tyres but it's a lot faster, eaiser and safer with winter tyres, that's for sure.

Slowly but surely, we are starting to realise their benefits.

[Phil1980]

It's not impossible to drive in the snow with summer tyres but it's a lot faster, eaiser and safer with winter tyres, that's for sure.

Slowly but surely, we are starting to realise their benefits.

I think thats the problem, people with winter tyres will be lulled into this false sense of security that they can drive faster when really the only time they can drive faster is in light snow, and even then you can only go as fast as the car in front (who probably won't have winter tyres).   I am happy keeping my all weather tyres on and just taking the extra care in driving. 

[Hyperspace]

Unlike ABS and ESP which can only maximise the amount traction you already have, winter tyres genuinely increase the amount of traction available at your disposal. That's why they allow you to accelerate, corner and brake much better. It also allows the ABS and ESP to work more effectively, because their window of grip is significantly widened.

They are no gimmick and the advantages they provide are quite real, especially in snow.