FLSTC
Well-known member
With winter conditions still with us, thought I post these two interesting videos. I concur with the assessments therein, although may be a minority opinion...
Winter: 4WD on ice, ABS stops longer
- Thread starter FLSTC
- Start date
You gain steering at the possible cost of braking distance in a panic situation. They should have shown a second video showing pylons in the cars' path and made it a steer-and-avoid-while-braking exercise.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Then another video with someone driving responsibly for the conditions so panic maneuvers and ABS are not necessary.
It’s easy to say that panic maneuvers are never necessary if you’ve never been in a situation where something happens that wasn’t your fault or is entirely out of your control that puts you in a crappy situation through no fault of your own. Then that argument falls apart.
It’s been known since the inception of ABS that it increases stopping distances, and has been used as an argument by many against it, however there is ZERO debate (at least from those who understand it ) that it aids in maintaining vehicle stability and controlability in unforeseen circumstances, which in the hands of somebody who doesn’t just freeze up (and drive right into the impending accident) can allow you to actually avoid it entirel in many situations.
It won’t fix stupid however, and I have seen many people panic and simply drive straight into into things and crash when they could easily have steered around the situation. Target fixation is a thing in automotive crashes as well, just like motorcycles
It’s been known since the inception of ABS that it increases stopping distances, and has been used as an argument by many against it, however there is ZERO debate (at least from those who understand it ) that it aids in maintaining vehicle stability and controlability in unforeseen circumstances, which in the hands of somebody who doesn’t just freeze up (and drive right into the impending accident) can allow you to actually avoid it entirel in many situations.
It won’t fix stupid however, and I have seen many people panic and simply drive straight into into things and crash when they could easily have steered around the situation. Target fixation is a thing in automotive crashes as well, just like motorcycles
FLSTC
Well-known member
I thought that the first ‘4WD stops better on ice’ video would be more controversial... I’ve always heard this platitude:
If you drive a vehicle with AWD or 4WD drive keep these rules in mind.
1. You may be able to get going much better than 2WD vehicles but you cannot stop or steer better. AWD only helps acceleration.
https://www.wheels.ca/news/does-all-wheel-drive-actually-help-in-winter-driving/
If you drive a vehicle with AWD or 4WD drive keep these rules in mind.
1. You may be able to get going much better than 2WD vehicles but you cannot stop or steer better. AWD only helps acceleration.
https://www.wheels.ca/news/does-all-wheel-drive-actually-help-in-winter-driving/
PLau
Well-known member
I disagree with the statement quoted.
AWD does not ONLY help acceleration (if you only look at roads as straight stop and gos, I would agree). AWD can help maintain more control and/or traction when in slide assuming you're not hammering the brakes trying to stop.
Ever feel the difference when driving a FWD and AWD car when driving over those heaves of snow between lanes on the highway, or even the difference on street car tracks?
That being said, there are people that do drive AWD cars that don't understand that it still does take the same amount of time to stop as a FWD or RWD car, or ever practice/experience what to do in a slide.
To add, there is a reason why FWD and AWD cars are in different classes and why AWD cars perform much better on an ice racing track.
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