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Brakes and Anti-Lock Brakes

3K views 15 replies 15 participants last post by  XStatic 
#1 ·
This morning I had a big SCARE! While driving to work on a two lane road, the third car in front in the left hand lane all of a sudden decided that he wanted to turn left. Well, tires screeched and cars quickly started getting hit from behind. This thing happened so fast I knew I was going to hit a 740 BMW in front of me as I quickly pressed HARD on the brake pedal. Even as I was doing so I KNEW I was going to hit the BMW. To my pleasant (an understatement) surprise the MDX's brakes and anti-lock feature stopped me about three feet from the BMW. With my heart in my throat I realized that the surging I felt when pressing hard on the pedal was the anti-lock feature working as it was designed to work. As I passed the three cars I felt relief that I was not the last car to hit the third car as then it would have all been my fault (at least that's the way it works in Georgia), and I was amazed that the MDX stopped so very quickly. I was also saddened to see the severe damage done to these vehicles who had tried to stop from a speed of about 40 MPH. I cringed to think of the damage I would have done to my MDX and also the BMW...you can bet my insurance would have gone up as it would have been ruled all my fault. Thank goodness I had enough distance between me and the BMW for the MDX to handle this emergency situation.

I just wanted to let the MDX crowd know that their vehicles have great brakes...at least by my experience, which I do not want a repeat.

Still amazed that I did not hit that BMW.

Regards, and careful driving to all.
 
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#2 ·
Glad you were able to stop in time to save yourself and 2 (or more) expensive cars :)
 
#3 ·
Glad you are OK.

Let me get this right. Where you live the last car in a pileup is at fault? That defies the laws of physics. If the other cars piled into each other before you got there how could you have caused the accident? There is this rule of causality you know.

Chris
 
#4 ·
MGTD,

the way it works in Georgia is the last car in a multiple car accident that hits the last car in the rear end is at fault for the entire wreck, if the last car forces the car he hits into the other cars,as it was in this case. If, on the other hand, you are the second car in a three car crash and you get your car stopped and do not hit the car in front of you, but, the car in back of you hits your stopped car and pushes your car into the car in front of you; the last car is then liable for the two cars in front and his own car...clear as mud, right?

When this happened this morning, I got my car stopped and went to see if anyone was hurt and heard the folks saying they were stopped and then all of a sudden they were hit...kind of like a delayed reaction. Bottom line, seems the BMW could not get stopped and smacked the car in front of him who hit the guy in front of him, who then hit the guy in front of him who was turning left. Sad ending, but the BMW is liable for the entire accident as the others made statements that they had come to a stop and then the BMW ran into the third car and then they had a domino UP scenario. Of course, the lawyers may wind up fighting this one out as it was not a happy scene.

I called my insurance agent just now to make sure I ws right on this...at least on this multiple wreck this seems to be the case unless they go to court and a judge decides differently.
Sorry if there was confusion and I apologize for this long note.

Anyway, we have good brakes and anti-lock brakes.

Safe driving to all!
 
#5 ·
I live in Georgia now, but it was like that in Kentucky too (grew up there).
 
#6 ·
Oregon is that way also but unless there is medical assistance needed the police will not show up. Every one pulls to the side gathers each others info, witnesses, and sorts out what happened. I got rear ended a few weeks ago, the motorist hit us from behind then we hit the car in front of us, the Toyota van that hit us from behind took off. I called 911, they said "is this an emergency", I said "hell yes" a van hit us from behind and took off and I have the plate number. She said "is anyone injured" I said "no". She said this is not an emergency and transferred me to another line which was one of those recorded messages "If you are in east portland hit 1" "if you are in west portland hit 2" after several minutes I finally got to the place where I could leave a message, the recording said they would get back with me. The next day Portland police called back to make a report. We were in the only 2002 TL silver we had on the lot. I told the customer, once we get both ends replaced it will be as good as new. Haven't heard from them since.
 
#7 ·
I have to totally agree with GaTadpole on the brakes on the MDX.

I almost slammed into a car a couple of weeks ago. The driver in front of me decided at the last minute to turn into a parking lot without signaling. This is my first vehicle with anti-lock brakes and I have to admit, even though I knew what they were supposed to feel like, the experience was a little eerie. I knew for sure I was going to hit that car, but my MDX stopped on a dime.
 
#9 ·
Glad......

that you came out okey with this experience. I'm glad you did not hit that 740, though it might have been a scary experience at least you now know what the MDX is capable of doing. These are just the exact situations when we all count our graces that we were driving the MDX and not another SUV. Another real life testament to the capabilities of the MDX.
 
#11 ·
zafer said:
ok, so who's fault is it here?

Boy... this picture was taken last Thursday? (file name dated 2003_0724) Where is it? What Happened? :eek:
 
#12 ·
Glad you are OK. However, I won't say MDX has great brakes. They are fine for a SUV but not great. ABS and VSA seem work pretty good. Here is my story.

One day, I was driving off a 2-lane ramp of a bridge. The ramp is pretty long and straight, 3/4 to 1 mile. There is a traffic light on the end of ramp. On the right side of my ramp, there is another ramp which merges in the traffic light. I was driving in the inside lane around 60 or 70 mph. It's was long, straight, no-traffic and no-cop. :) Then, I saw a front end of car moved out from the pier of bridge which on my left side. When I saw the car, I talked to myself "You are not stupid enough to run a red light here", since his view will be blocked by the pier of the bridge and won't see my car at all.

Then, he started to run the red light. However, there is a car just about to go in the intersection from the other ramp. Thus, this guy stopped his car in front of my lane. I floored the brake's pedal immediately. However, there was not much distance. I can't stop my car without hitting his car. Thus I turned right to circle his car. Unfortunately, there is another car came off from the other ramp. Thus, I ended up doing a S-turn around the car.

I did not release my barke until I passed the car. Thus, ABS did its job. And I didn't feel that my MDX will flip over. Actaully, it's quite smooth to make the emergent S-turn. VSA should contribute something.
 
#13 ·
Hi Zafer:

___If you look carefully, you can tell who caused all of this :D

___GaTadpole777, all kidding aside, I am glad you are Ok first and foremost. The X performed admirably by the sounds of it and hopefully you will never have to approach its limits like you did that particular day.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net
 

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#15 ·
Okay, I know this is off-topic but I thought it was funny.

I was in Walmart's auto section the other day and a customer asked the salesperson for brake fluid. The salesperson asked if the car had ABS or not and the owner replied he thought it did. The salesperson said "you need ABS brake fluid" and took a container of fluid off the shell that actually said "ABS brake fluid". I know it's all the same but what a sales gimmick, it was actually more expensive than regular fluid and it was no-name. I thought it was funny. Talk about selling refrigerators to the Eskimos.
 
#16 ·
JTM said:


Boy... this picture was taken last Thursday? (file name dated 2003_0724) Where is it? What Happened? :eek:
Caption:
A car owner picks his way across wrecked vehicles piled atop one another July 18 on a highway in central Caracas, Venezuela. Heavy rains flooded a river next to the highway, leading to the pileup.

Story:
Leopoldo Lopez, the mayor of Caracas' Chacao district, said 30 people were injured. Most of the injuries occurred when cars collided or when people attempted to get out of their cars as they began to float, he added.

"The water reached two meters (yards) in a matter of seconds," said Lopez.
 
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