This is somewhat surprising.....

In the USA, my insurance premiums could have gone up if I had ABS fitted on my car for 2 reasons: people with ABS trust to their brakes more and secondly, people who aren't familiar with ABS can pull their foot off the brake when it kicks in. Both in the insurance statistics increase claims.

Does everyone in the UK learn to drive a car with ABS? (I know you guys have the emergency stop in your tests which Queensland (Aus) and Connecticut (US) tests don't.)

Not necessarily, I learnt to drive in my mothers 1960 MG which certainly didn't have ABS and I'm sure there are other people who have not had lessons from a motoring school.

I too have read claims re: drivers putting more faith in their brakes when they have ABS, and panicking when they feel it actually working hence increasing claims - with this new legislation I'm sure that within 15 years or so virtually all people will learn to drive in a car with ABS - my biggest gripe however, apart from the obvious one that not everyone will learn to drive in a car equipped with ABS, is that one should be able to stop without the use of ABS or caydence braking so it is in actual fact, as insurance companies have unwittingly pointed out reducing the skill needed to drive a motor vehicle. :pity:

lifting your brakes because you've got ABS is surely as ludicrous as driving into a wall to see if your air-bag works ok :ohmy:

When I learnt to drive there were no abs brakes and I've had cars with and without them.. when I brake I brake because its necessary and I brake until I have stopped, like I was taught to .... relying on abs and lifting???? I didnt think there would be people silly enough to do that!

The way I read it I think the issue is with people panicking when the brake peddle vibrates / pumps and taking their foot off the brake aswell as leaving braking too late because folk have too much confidence in ABS - I presume the new legislation is to allow learner drivers to experience the 'brake shake' and also so that they can be fuly educated to learn that ABS does not reduce stopping distances when used in normal conditions it merely allows a person to come to a halt under full control.

It's all another example of political correctness and the nanny state in which a lot of the World now exists .......... makes me want to go out and buy a non ABS, non air bag, non air curtains, non crumple zone, square steering wheeled Allegro just to be awkward

I fully agree BB! :thumbs.gif: :thumbs.gif: :thumbs.gif:

That and another excuse by the car manufacturers to hike prices.