Ahhh, finally a chance to talk about the nut behind the
wheel!!! ( no offense to wives or any other specific nut...)
As Chief Classroom Instructor for the Tarheel Chapter of the
BMW Club (whew!) I can confirm that our students who have
already voted with their wallet that they are interested in
driving really have no clue how to use the brake pedal...or
any other control on the car. The engineers at one auto
manuf (can't remember) responded to a plea for "more
performance" by saying that the average driver doesn't even
use half of the car's capabilities as produced now.
With our Teen program, we've had a 90% reduction of
accidents after just one 8-hr day in a parking lot with some
cones; we basically show them the limits of whatever their
car is, and what it feels like to "be there". Most of
parents come by and tell me something to the effect that
"I've been driving for 20 years, and I wouldn't believe that
the car could do that..."
EVERYONE should find a local driver's school and spend a few
weekends there. Fewer bumper repairs will seem trivial
compared to the reduction in trips to the butcher shop where
I worked for so many years..
I'll get off the podium now.
PM
>
> It so happens that I have a 1993 Chev Suburban (4x4) with
ABS. Never had a problem stopping it on dry pavement or
slippery. What's the problem?
>
My guess: A combination of following too closely (Karl
lives near
Chicago, right? They ticket you if you keep a safe
following
distance...) and fear of the brake pedal. Lots of people
get freaked
out by the pulsing pedal and noises that ABS makes when it
starts to
work, so they let off the pedal. That leads to vastly
increased
stopping distances.
--
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