Question: ABS - - - is it a good thing?

Answer: I think the answer is yes - - - it is quite the marvel of technology if you look at what it actually does - - - the operator of a vehicle can virtually put two feet on the brake pedal and push as hard as they want to and the ABS will not allow the wheels to lock up - - - and the operator can still maintain all directional control to steer around whatever stimulated the desire for rapid deceleration . The aim here with this technology is to remove the necessity of the operator to develop brake modulating skills.

The problem can be that a lot of vehicle operators when faced with an emergency such as a crash in front of them they fixate on the object and will drive into the crash any way - - - so being able to steer around the object may not be of issue with this in mind the other draw back is that a vehicles stopping distance using ABS is longer than a vehicle with the wheels locked up and sliding. The other slight problem is that if the vehicle somehow on a corner spins and is facing backwards at speed the ABS systems have no way to sense vehicle direction only that the vehicle is moving and the wheels are turning or not so a vehicle going backward at speed is also incapable of locking the brakes which would be most likely desirable rather than trying to control the vehicle at speed backwards. Now chances the average street car will never get into this scenario but you never know ? On a race track , with a well developed driver, the driver is capable of driving the car with more finesse and can out brake a car relying on the ABS.

Having said all this -- - - there are both good and bad points to ABS just like any technology - - if you don't have the skill to utilize the technology it can be a waste - - if the vehicle comes with ABS - - GREAT - - if it doesn't come as standard equipment - - spend the money on good defensive driving training that will teach you to stay out of situations where ABS would be an asset. If you have ABS then take the defensive driving and skid school training anyway - - -mastering control over equipment that you are operating will always be safer - - and more fun ! !