Here is my take from personal experience.

ABS does work. But if you try to rewrite the laws of physics, ABS will not work or you.

But it works differently on different surfaces aka gravel, coal tar, cement.

How it works depends on the surface, your speed and the car.

Different surfaces different braking distances

Different speeds different braking distances

Different cars different braking distances/braking capacity

Seems even the condition of your brake pads might have a role to play

I for one will never engage in road acrobatics until I have fully tested and know how the brakes of the car will respond at speed both low and high. So I would actually drive up to say 160km or 180km and take note of how long it takes to reduce to 100km or to 50km or even 0km. I will do that between 5 to 10 times so that I know how the car's braking system works. I even brake until the car skids even when there is no danger. I speed up as described above and brake with the intention of reducing the speed of the car to say just 20km in front of a pothole and without entering the pothole, after that is done a couple of times, I can authoritatively command the car.

After my first accident on my first day of driving,there is nothing as important to the safe functioning of a car like brakes, and ABS is part of it. I practice braking in a variety of conditions as a key condition to being able to drive without incident whenever I have to drive a different make of car.

A situation such as the OP described is not the time to find out how a car's braking system/ABS works.

If you know before hand, then you will be acting on knowledge of not just driving, but knowledge of the particular car you happen to drive

http://www.askmen.com/cars/car_tips_60/73b_car_tip.html and http://www.wikihow.com/Brake-and-Stop-a-Car-in-the-Shortest-Distance

Ikenna351:

And I told you I was not wearing seat belt?

Ikenna

If you not wearing seat belts, it would be worse . Good thing u doing the right thing

Anti−lock brake system is not designed
to shorten the stopping distance:
Always drive at a moderate
speed and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you.
Compared with vehicles without an
anti−lock brake system, your vehicle
may require a longer stopping distance
in the following cases:
 Driving on rough, gravel or snow−
covered roads.
 Driving with tire chains installed.
 Driving over the steps such as the
joints on the road.
 Driving on roads where the road
surface is pitted or has other differences
in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at
appropriate pressure: The anti−lock
brake system detects vehicle speeds
using the speed sensors for respective
wheels’ turning speeds. The use
of tires other than specified may fail
to detect the accurate turning speed
resulting in a longer stopping distance.

Thought this may be useful, had to copy and paste from the 2005 Toyota Corolla manual i downloaded.
Tried uploading the whole manual but network is ........

@ikenna i need your help,i need to see you urgently,my engine (406 EW10)has been messed up seriosly,my bill closing to an hundred yet i see no changes in what my mechanic is doing.....can you drop your number ? or reach me on 08030979856 lets talk bro......

daramolaj1: @ikenna i need your help,i need to see you urgently,my engine (406 EW10)has been messed up seriosly,my bill closing to an hundred yet i see no changes in what my mechanic is doing.....can you drop your number ? or reach me on 08030979856 lets talk bro......

08052811236.

Ikenna