I have a 2007 Toyota SUV. Often when I've had to hit the brakes hard ABS kicks in and the pedal does the familiar 'click click click' in rapid succession. The vehicle keeps skidding, however. This is my first concern - are anti-lock brakes really going to help me not hit the car in front of me better than regular brakes? In one case I skid, in the other case the brakes just keep engaging and disengaging. What's the difference?

Second, I hit a pothole today. Directly after the ABS was engaged for a second or two. I wasn't skidding. The pavement was dry and fine. But the "normal" brakes wouldn't work for a second after I hit the pothole. An unintended side-effect, I'm sure.

So is ABS dangerous?