The points being made about snow building up in front of the wheels is a bit hypothetical, init. You'd have to be going a silly speed, given the conditions, to generate a skid on snow that is deep enough to bunch up in front of the wheel. Normally the traction on slightly deep snow is not that bad.
It's ice that causes the problem, not snow. And there's no way you're going to get ice bunching up in front of your wheels. If you're skidding with locked wheels you have no control over your direction.
My point about ABS is exactly as someone else said ABS does not allow for normal driving in these conditions, but it does allow a degree of control, as far as direction is concerned, under braking. Until the conditions, (ice), are so bad as to not provide any traction at all. Then, I agree the ABS is useless. But it's a continuum, not a yes or no, black or white situation.
In no way is ABS a substitute for more sensible driving.
My apologies if I gave the impression that I thought otherwise.
I still stand by what I said before. Use your gears to slow down more, unless you have ABS, because what you are attempting to do is to control the direction as well as slowing down, without losing traction.
You could still use your gears even if you have ABS.
It appears to me that once people have lost traction becasue their wheels are locked they lose perception of which way their wheels are pointing. If they do suddenly regain traction they'll most likely shoot off in an unexpected direction. But more likely they'll continue to slide but by now their wheels are not even pointing in the direction of travel so ABS has no chance.
