Re: Todays drivers suffer without high tech systems
- From: "David Knowles" <david.knowles@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 20:24:05 -0000
"Ian" <if.ptnospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:cmDxf.75422$uR.27936@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> "David Knowles" wrote in message >
> > It's all very well thinking in terms of your modern car keeping you out
of
> > trouble, and this is fine up to a point, but if you start relying on
this
> > too much and overdo things, you'll still end up with a shunt. At the
end
> > of
> > the day, if you shoot into a bend far too fast, or leave your braking
much
> > too late, there is no way that your tyre grip will suddenly increase
> > hugely
> > to save you. Just four little contact areas are all you've got!
> >
>
> Not only do I think people rely on these safety aids to push the envelope
> they also don't appreciate the type of conditions they are encountering as
> they are too cosseted.
>
> For instance, today I drove up a hill with some ice on it. I could see the
> ice and expected to be able to feel when I went over it. In my 93 Shogun
> without ABS or traction control I would have felt something I'm sure. In
my
> 03 Mercedes with traction control I felt nothing and the only telltale
that
> the road conditions were poor was the traction control warning light came
on
> to tell me it was working. Some people might think that is good, but the
> lack of feel makes me think it is bad.
>
Well as I said, I have little experience of investigating (let alone
exploiting) these sophisticated safety aids, so I'm at a disadvantage here.
I suspect you're right though Ian. Insulating drivers from an understanding
of what their vehicle is doing, and knowing how far they are from the limit
of adhesion, may not be a good thing overall. One thing it might mean is
that the shunt (if/when it happens) will be at a higher speed than would
have been the case with older more primitive cars. In any case, if drivers
have not acquired the ability to feel when the limit is being approached,
sooner or later they are likely to be in trouble anyhow, fancy safety aids
or not.
I reckon we're back to the same old problem, we need a better standard of
driver ability - unless we want to wait until technology can do the entire
job for us - and I, for one, do not want that.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
.
- References:
- Todays drivers suffer without high tech systems
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- Re: Todays drivers suffer without high tech systems
- From: Brimstone
- Re: Todays drivers suffer without high tech systems
- From: David Knowles
- Re: Todays drivers suffer without high tech systems
- From: Ian
- Todays drivers suffer without high tech systems
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