i'm not a car or driving specialist but i keep thinking about things as i drive, here's my question:

would i come to a stop quicker using a handbrake on dry tarmac? i know this is not the case on slippery surfaces (the reason why ABS brakes are used), but this left me wondering. There's no need to consider any handling issues, i'm assuming a wide open test track?

if you mean yank it and lock the wheels up then no. actually it doesnt matter its always going to be no. the handbrake only operates the rear brakes while the brake pedal operates all 4.

Bingo

so locking wheels is always less efficient on virtually all available surfaces, is what you say?

theres no traction with the blacktop of course its not efficient. why do you think they installed anti lock brakes on vehicles now?

precisely. You'll actually take longer to stop, and you'll also suffer extreme unnecessary tire wear. Flat spots are a bitch.

so true.

Not to mention hand brakes aren't made for this type of day to day abuse, premature failure would be guaranteed.

Yeah, cable stretching and snapped ends hadn't even occured to me, but it definitely happens. Actually, when I bought my poor little stang the handbrake mount was busted. Was an ugly fix since the center consoles are such a pain to remove on the 94-04 interior design.

well i was just thinking if the friction between sliding tires and dry tarmac (or other equivalent rough surface) could bring the car to a stop better than the brakes themselves. When i've heard about ABS brakes it's always been in the context of slippery road conditions.

thanks to everybody, i didn't expect such helpful answers