Overheard by my work colleague's wife in school recently shortly after our first winter snows in Aberdeenshire. Three teachers (ladies) talking about ABS; they were aware that their car(s) were fitted with ABS, but one individual, describing what happened when she braked in the prevailing conditions, 'the pedal started banging and thumping so I took my foot off it straight away!'
How many drivers (off both sexes) are not aware of how ABS manifests itself? Also how the pedal effects can vary from car to car, and what you should do, and not do.
Maybe raising awareness of ABS and its effects is a good point for all car dealers to include when selling cars?
Also more support for taking your wife (or husband) to the 'extremely useful' empty snow-covered supermarket car park and find out!
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Try telling a punter about ABS and how it works,no chance,most dont even listen when you tell them what fuel it runs on.Who ever reads that very imformative book thats lying in the glove box?
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Frightening, isn't it?
And what is worse - and it has been mentioned a million times here before - is that many of those who DO know what ABS is assume that they can drive at 80 mph right up your exhaust pipe, because "I have ABS, so I'll be able to stop on a sixpence."...
My favourite story is of a guy at work, bought a BMW 320i (second hand), and within a week of getting it, helped somebody out with a jumpstart.
I don't know all the details, but I know he blew one of the engine management electronic boxes, and it cost an arm and a leg to replace.
"Isn't this covered by warranty?" he asked.
"No, it isn't - and if you'd read the instructions, you would know what NOT to do when jumpstarting," says repair bloke.
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Exactly! They just don't want to know.
D
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shouldnt have a driving licence if they dont know simple stuff like this...
lost count of the number of time I've had to stop people taking radiator caps off hot engines
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mark ansell wrote:
> Also more support for taking your wife (or husband) to the
> 'extremely useful' empty snow-covered supermarket car park
> and find out!
Just tell me where, with Sunday trading, you can find an empty snow-covered supermarket car park!
And where you take the kids to learn to ride a bike/roller skate/skate board in safety?
(OK, I know living down south doesn't help with the snow, but you get my point!)
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Mark
Doesn't surprise me. Colleague at work took his Citroen back to the dealer because the brake pedal 'vibrated' one slippery morning, and was concerned brake failure was imminent. Yes, it was the ABS working.
So few people read the instruction book - couple of others:
Colleague who complained his Cavalier didn't have a switch to turn on the interior light - again had never read the book.
Another who was charged 1hr labour to reprogramme the remote locking plip on a Vectra, a 1 minute job described in the manual.
regards
JS
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Isn't this why "brake assist" has been introduced - because people lift off when the ABS cuts in?
Chris
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I have learnt to check ABS/B.A. on a regular basis(Empty straight road) so that
I know what to expect in the event of an emergency.I would have expected that to be conducted in modern day driving instruction & the actual licence examination?
Simon
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Simon Saxton wrote:
> I would
> have expected that to be conducted in modern day driving
> instruction & the actual licence examination?
Ah, but some of us never had modern day driving instruction ...
I'll go find a clear straight road!
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