I brake BEFORE corner and then drive through it.

Makes you wonder why ABS is used eh?

 

Again, it shouldn't be if you are doing everything else right. It's only there to save your ass.

 

There is a term for this type of thinking: "illusory superiority." Many surveys have shown that 70-90% of drivers (including probably 99% of the people on this forum) believe their driving skills are above average, which is statistically impossible. My favorite article on the topic (which won an Ignobel prize) is:

"Unskilled and unaware of it: How difficulties in recognizing one's own incompetence lead to inflated self-assessments." By Kruger, Justin; Dunning, David. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol 77(6), Dec 1999, 1121-1134.

A truly skilled (race) driver may be able to outperform ABS in controlled conditions, but the conditions for an emergency stop in the real world are anything but controlled, and those who want to turn ABS off because they believe they can consistently outperform ABS are deluding themselves.

 

I think that's the concise and well stated version of what I was trying to say.

 

Agreed.

Basically three takeaway points from this thread:
1) ABS is NOT some form of "super" braking system - it's there as a last resort
2) As much as possible, brake and decelerate in a straight line before you turn
3) Keep the speed down on public roads - prevention of an accident is better than, well, an accident itself (sure can't cure one can you?)

In my case I had no choice - ABS wasn't offered on the car at the time of purchase (I don't live in the US) so I had to learn to brake without it.

Still, the correct frame of mind is to drive properly on public streets and do the absolute best to avoid accidents, ABS or not.

 

Back in the early days (10-20 years ago), when the systems were pretty primitive, a good driver on dry pavement could beat ABS. However, now that these systems all operate at 100Hz feedback or higher and can individually modulate each of the four brakes in response to pavement imperfections, non-planar pavement surfaces, uneven corner weighting, other sources of non-uniform normal force at each contact patch (both static and dynamic), small variations in tire pressure, etc., etc. etc... it is pretty much impossible to beat the system, which can get every ounce of traction out of each of the four contact patches, nearly every moment. Period.

Take a NEW car to a track and try it with/without the fuse pulled. You'll see. If you are looking to disable the ABS on your GE Fit, you are making a mistake.

 

thats on an advance system, there is no way the fit has the abs that advanced otherwise i wouldnt have slid all over the place.

 

"Unskilled and unaware of it: How difficulties in recognizing one's own incompetence lead to inflated self-assessments."

 

I think you are wrong. The fits ABS is advanced as any other vehicle with ABS. It also comes standard with EBD (electronic brake distribution) and BA (brake assist). Electronic brakeforce distribution or EBD or EBFD is an automobile brake technology that automatically varies the amount of force applied to each of a vehicle's brakes, based on road conditions, speed, loading, etc. Always coupled with anti-lock braking systems, EBD can apply more or less braking pressure to each wheel in order to maximize stopping power whilst maintaining vehicular control.[1][2] Typically, the front end carries the most weight and EBD distributes less braking pressure to the rear brakes so the rear brakes do not lock up and cause a skid.[3] In some systems, EBD distributes more braking pressure at the rear brakes during initial brake application before the effects of weight transfer become apparent.


They all do what was described in the earlier post. We are living in 2009 why would Honda put an outdated ABS system on a fit?

If you slid all over the place then I really dont want to know how you drive or be anywhere near you on the road. Unless its on ice. I never ever had a skid before.

 

Thanks for the links -- this is useful information.

 

not at all the fit doesnt have stability control nor yawn control hahah besides given road conditions and lack of an advanced abs, my front wheels did lock up causing me to slide then when abs unlocked one of the wheels, the opposing side locked up. tell me how the system isnt advanced, if it cant keep up with its own movements?

 

"We are living in 2009 why would Honda put an outdated ABS system on a fit?"

$$$$$

 

not out dated but not as adavaned as it could be with out paying extra money

 

Dude, you are still missing the point. If ABS had kicked on, you're driving incorrectly. If you've caused ABS to activate, your stopping distance is greater than if you had applied brakes exactly right. ABS basically flutters hydraulic fluid to the brakes, in a sense quickly applying and releasing them, as you said at a high rate. Note, the brakes are turning on and OFF. If you apply brakes correctly at their very limit, they are always ON and you will stop faster. There should be zero cases when you are flying around the track activating ABS on every corner. If you are doing that, you will be beaten around the course by a driver who is able to properly modulate his brakes. The reason is you are entering the turn to fast, braking too late, slowing down over a greater distance, missing your apexes, losing too much speed, and exiting the corner slower.

If you are activating ABS on the street or the Track, you are doing it wrong. You can argue that no one is a good enough driver to brake at the correct threshold required to beat ABS to a complete stop. You can not argue that the activation of ABS is due to poor driving technique or will decrease your braking distance.

The only time it 'decreases' your braking distance is if you've already lost control. The point is, you shouldn't be losing control. You should always be in control.

 

This is why my Fit has stability control . I think you need to have an advanced ABS system to have stability control (that is, a relatively high sensor sampling rate, individual monitoring of each wheel, and the ability to selectively apply brakes at a wheel independently), and I doubt the ABS systems between the Fits with and without stability control are all that different... but maybe it is (which may account for some of the price discrepancy).

 

Say that when you have to panic stop on a rainy stretch of highway. No amount of track ability is going to help you stop a car on a wet road with no warning. Not every ABS firing is when you've lost control. ABS fires anytime it sees a difference in wheels speeds during braking. I've even felt my ABS fire off when braking down a hill on a really bumpy road.

I agree ABS isn't necessary to drive safely,but to get rid of it on the sheer basis of thinking you won't need it is stupid. It's there if you aren't paying attention or something else happens. Proper braking techniques are a good thing to have - even in daily driving - but you never know when you might need to stop in a panic braking situation.

 

What really can complicate your life is having vehicles WITH and WITHOUT ABS. Gotta remember which is which if the poop hits the fan.
It is my impression that the Fit's ABS is less noticeable thru' the brake pedal than others I've driven.
Also, the Fit's what, 63% of it's weight on the front wheels complicates the braking process.
Moon

 

no you're missing the point read my sentances again. i said "my wheels locked up" and that proves that abs couldnt hadle the difference of knowing wet roads from dry roads, proving that with out stability control the abs doesnt help all the time, let alone with out actually working, because my wheels locked up abs didnt make sure that both were unlocked at the same time, also proving that the fits abs system isnt as advanced that it could be.

 

Throw this mod in with:
- "I want to know how to disable my daytime running lights"
- "I want to have my foglights and high beams on at the same time!"
- "I don't like the look of my corner lights, how do I make it so they don't come on?"
- "How do I disable my xxx safety system?"

Your stupidity is benign until it starts to affect the safety of others.

Of course, this does not apply if you only want to perform these mods for 1) a car show or 2) a track event.

 

ok how about i wish i had a way to turn off abs when i wanted?
damn i didnt ask the question i just wanted to bring up the fact that abs on this car isnt the best it could be, and people think its some kinda gods aid when it actually could make more things dangerous