Incredibly Stupid & Criminal Pedestrian (Long)

"John David Galt" > wrote in message
...
>
> In my view the real solution to this problem is to kill off the free
> ranging
> deer and all other similar sized wildlife.

Oh Yeah. Extinction. What a solution. -Dave

"John David Galt" > wrote in message
...

> In my view the real solution to this problem is to kill off the free
> ranging
> deer and all other similar sized wildlife.

Howzabout:

* Slow down
*Drive defensively
* Not drive that road at all

Just a thought.

David W. Poole, Jr. wrote:
> "Daniel W. Rouse Jr." wrote:
>
>>I'm almost convinced it's better to NOT have ABS and properly learn
>>threshold braking (releasing the brakes when the wheels first lock
>>up and reapplying them again when the wheels aren't locked up anymore,
>>then repeat as the emergency situation requires).

Threshold braking involves the brakes NOT locking up. You brake
as hard as you can without causing lockup.

If you have already locked up then you can try and correct your
error by applying a bit less braking force, but you've already cost
yourself a lot in that period between letting off the pedal, and
re-applying it (especially in the wet).

> Do professional automobile racers equip their cars with antilock
> brakes?

No, but their reason is that ABS systems add to the weight of
the car, and most races are in dry conditions where ABS makes
little difference.

In fact, some rally cars DO have ABS. One advantage it gives
is that all 4 wheels can be controlled and held at threshold
individually, something you can't do with a single pedal for
all 4 wheels, or even if you have a brake-force distribution lever.

David W. Poole, Jr. wrote:
> Alan Baker wrote:
>
>>>>Gearing down would *not* have helped.
>>> Surely you're not serious? Locking the wheels will provide for better
>>> control of the vehicle than free-wheeling wheels? Uh, why do they put
>>> ABS on cars now?
>>
>>The brakes are *capable* of locking the wheels, ergo they can provide
>>all the necessary stopping force and engine braking isn't necessary.
>
> In the case of the OP, his wheels locked for 100 feet. That was 100
> feet he wasn't doing the job of stopping his vehicle as fast as
> possible.

In dry conditions, the coefficient of friction for sliding tyres
is only slightly less than that of gripping tyres. It would take
great skill at threshold breaking to be able to stop faster than
simply planting your foot.

> It's also 100 feet that, if he would have had to turn his
> steering wheel, he may have lost even more control.

That is of course true.

> I'm just thankful that I've had the opportunity to drive a manual
> transmission and learn how to use the engine for deacceleration; there
> have been times such engine braking has gotten me through situations
> where foot brakes probably would have cost me,

The traction occurs at the point where the tyre touches the road;
the tyre doesn't somehow magically know whether its resistance
to turning is coming from squeezing the brake rotor, or from
resistance in the axle. While there might be some advantages
to engine braking (eg. greater control over braking force and
weight transfer), you can't increase your tyres' traction.

> particularly when water or other substances contribute to the
> asphalt's coefficient of friction.

The coefficient for gripping tyres is actually quite similar
for wet and dry (with good tyres). But once you are sliding,
then the coefficient is nearly zero.

"Old Wolf" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> No, but their reason is that ABS systems add to the weight of
> the car, and most races are in dry conditions where ABS makes
> little difference.

What have YOU been smoking? Dry roads are the only condition where ABS is
somewhat effective. In winter weather conditions, ABS actually increases
stopping distance. (though theoretically, it might give you some steering
control in exchange, but actually it just increases stopping
istance) -Dave

Dave wrote:
>
> "John David Galt" > wrote:
> >
> > In my view the real solution to this problem is to kill off the free
> > ranging deer and all other similar sized wildlife.
>
> Oh Yeah. Extinction. What a solution. -Dave

Rats with antlers. I don't think we're going to have a deer shortage for
quite a while. In the city we can regard them as cute, but in the rural east
it's a different story entirely.

Our daily bike ride takes us near the foothills if the San Gabriels. Every
once in a while we see deer coming down to nibble the acorns under the street
trees. I saw a dead one pulled over to the side of the road, obviously hit by
a car. I later discovered that had it been bled properly it would have been
food. Maybe next time...

Ain't it cool about the pupfish?

--
Cheers,
Bev
================================================== ================
"I used to be convinced that MicroSquish shipped crap because they
simply didn't give a flying **** as long as the sheep kept buying
their ****. Now, I'm convinced that they really do ship the best
products they are capable of writing, and *that's* tragic."
- John C. Randolph, about MS quality control.

Dave wrote:
> "John David Galt" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>In my view the real solution to this problem is to kill off the free
>>ranging
>>deer and all other similar sized wildlife.
>
>
> Oh Yeah. Extinction. What a solution. -Dave

There is no need for any animal dangerous to man -- or car -- to exist
outside of cages.

Skip Elliott Bowman wrote:
> "John David Galt" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>
>>In my view the real solution to this problem is to kill off the free
>>ranging
>>deer and all other similar sized wildlife.
>
>
> Howzabout:
>
> * Slow down
> *Drive defensively
> * Not drive that road at all
>
> Just a thought.

The road exists for us to drive fast on. And so does the world.

This might be another case of what is going on quite a bit in my area
lately.

Some pedestrians just think they are too cool to pay attention to
traffic, use crosswalks, etc. I saw one just this morning saunter across
a busy 4 lane road about a hundred feet from an intersection with
signals, crosswalks, etc. The guy had to stand and wait between lanes
for an opening in traffic. The cars don't stop for pedestrians outside
of crosswalks here, sort of like a big game of chicken (I was stopped
for the light at the intersection). After all the trouble this guy went
through, when he reached the far side of the road, he walked to the
intersection anyway.

--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
Do not mold, findle or sputilate.

>> Oh Yeah. Extinction. What a solution. -Dave
>
> There is no need for any animal dangerous to man -- or car -- to exist
> outside of cages.

I believe he's serious