I agree abs isn't always that great, and it does seem to sometime take longer to stop in some situation, seems like it in my mother windstar ...
as for insurance, I get a abs discount, I payed 3k for the year, should get about a 800 dividend check next september making it about 2200 for the year for two cars, one with 100% coverage and one without collision, thats $183 per month in CT and I am 24 with one speeding ticket in 2001