The idea behind ABS is excellent.
The application of this technology on some vehicles is poor. Our trucks are unfortunately one of these examples. I have also experienced the sudden "release" of nearly all of my breaking power upon semi-hard breaking while hitting a bumpy patch in the road - causing me to nearly hit the vehicle in front of me.
I have also driven vehicles with amazing ABS systems that will stop you on a dime and give you a nickle in change!
I'd agree with Steve that real driver training is lacking in the U. S. in general. I was fortunate enough to attend the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving for 4 days... I HIGHLY recommend it!
Quite possibly the most fun thing I have ever done - while also being an eye opening experience. Prior to attending I had driven many high performance cars and bikes in the US and on the Autobahn in Germany and thought I could only slightly improve my skill set. Boy was I wrong. The typical driver out there is at best "terrible".
The problem is that in the U. S. , driving is seen as a "right", not as a privilege (and part of this 'problem' is the lack of public transportation and the sheer distances between points - not a bad problem to have). In many European countries, driver training is mandatory and it typically costs $5K in training prior to getting a license. If you roll back an inch (in a manual transmission) you will fail your exam! Other factors that contribute to safer driving there is the higher age (18) required to be licensed and the fact that alcohol consumption is typically learned PRIOR to driving - sure, you'll have some 15 and 16 year olds getting into drunk bicycling accidents, but by the time they are driving they know when not to get in a car. Actually, drinking there is so relaxed that the big mystery about it is simply not there come age 18. Same thing with sex and topless women... . if you see them at the beach all the time (topless women that is), it's not such an awkward, taboo subject later in life. So I guess my whole point here is: WE NEED MORE TOPLESS WOMEN!
The application of this technology on some vehicles is poor. Our trucks are unfortunately one of these examples. I have also experienced the sudden "release" of nearly all of my breaking power upon semi-hard breaking while hitting a bumpy patch in the road - causing me to nearly hit the vehicle in front of me.
I have also driven vehicles with amazing ABS systems that will stop you on a dime and give you a nickle in change!
I'd agree with Steve that real driver training is lacking in the U. S. in general. I was fortunate enough to attend the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving for 4 days... I HIGHLY recommend it!

The problem is that in the U. S. , driving is seen as a "right", not as a privilege (and part of this 'problem' is the lack of public transportation and the sheer distances between points - not a bad problem to have). In many European countries, driver training is mandatory and it typically costs $5K in training prior to getting a license. If you roll back an inch (in a manual transmission) you will fail your exam! Other factors that contribute to safer driving there is the higher age (18) required to be licensed and the fact that alcohol consumption is typically learned PRIOR to driving - sure, you'll have some 15 and 16 year olds getting into drunk bicycling accidents, but by the time they are driving they know when not to get in a car. Actually, drinking there is so relaxed that the big mystery about it is simply not there come age 18. Same thing with sex and topless women... . if you see them at the beach all the time (topless women that is), it's not such an awkward, taboo subject later in life. So I guess my whole point here is: WE NEED MORE TOPLESS WOMEN!
