Originally Posted by nick w
Wow, abs must be great on a motorbike.
In a car though, which continues in a straight line once the wheels lock, there is no quicker (not necessarily safer) way to stop, in a straight line, than to lock the wheels.
Check out Roadcraft, the police driving handbook.If you, say, go round a corner to find the road completely blocked, locking up is your best chance of stopping.

I'm sorry but I totally disagree with that. Once the tyres start to skid you will take a longer distance to stop. The only exception is if you really know what you are doing and turn the car sideways as you mentioned below. If you don't know what you are doing you will probably roll the car because as the car starts to spin you will automatically back off the brakes, the skidding tyres will then bite and over you will go. This, by the way, is a clear example of the fact that tyres that are not locked up have more grip.

Quote
I can't resist adding this rather controversial thing, which I have to fictionalise but is a truth I assure you.

In 1971 ish a young man was a front seat passenger in a Volvo 145 estate being driven by a member of the security services. The car was heavily loaded with hospital equipment. The vehicle was making extremely rapid progress through the Battersea district when it rounded a corner to find the road completely blocked just a few yards away. The driver then performed a manouvre which consisted of (more or less) spinning the steering wheel to the right and then slamming on the brakes. This positioned the car at 90 degrees across the road (effectively parallel with the obstruction) and we stopped absolutely dead. The car rocked but stopped instantly. The young man was in shock but the driver just grinned and said...."oh yes that's called the xxxxx stop". He then turned us fully round and set off again. Unfortunately no amount of memory raking can produce the missing word. But it's a taught manouvre.
Not one I'd care to try though, but does improve on normal stopping distances, that's for sure.

I saw someone do exactly that when a motorcycle went done in front of him.Without the skill and instant reaction of the driver the rider would have been seriously hurt or worse.

I had a similar experience when out with a trained ex-military person who was the chauffeur and bodyguard of a top insurance company managing director. The car was a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and he often brought it home if he was out late or an early start was required. Apparently there were some concerns about possible kidnapping at the time and he showed me just how quickly he could turn the car around for a getaway if the road was blocked. He checked to make sure no traffic was around and at about 50 or 60 kph locked up the wheels, spun the car around almost in its own length, and then accelerated away in the opposite direction. Something similar to a handbrake turn but perhaps quicker to put into action. Most impressive.

Peter

[Linked Image]