Servos
Most cars these days rely on a servo, which relies on the vacuum created in the engine manifold to amplify the pressure of your foot on the brake pedal.

Turning off the engine to save petrol at the top of a hill would be a very, very, very, silly thing to do in a servo-equipped car.
( Stevedix http://www.stevedix.de/blog, Mon 16 Feb 2009, 10:05, 2 replies)

...
Although, the vacuum booster is always additional to the mechanical linkage rather than a required component. i.e. You will still have brakes without the engine, though it may not feel like it if you are used to the booster (especially with discs).

Anyway, there's a reason why all cars have two independent braking systems; that lever between the seats is there for a reason, and it's not just parking!
(silene, Mon 16 Feb 2009, 12:34, closed)

'94 primera
too old?
( willenium Fist bump for verification, Mon 16 Feb 2009, 21:18, closed)

Unlikely....
Power assisted braking (using a vacuum booster)was first used back in the 30s. I guess that it would be technically possible to design an ABS system where the release valves 'failed' open (meaning no brakes), but nobody would design a system like that for obvious reasons.

I think the most likely explanation is that you were just used to the amount of pressure that you needed with the power assist and without it it felt like you had nothing (given that discs need a LOT more force than drums), especially given that you wouldn't have had much time for analysis!

Still, not much use after the event, and a much better story the way you wrote it!
(silene, Tue 17 Feb 2009, 10:09, closed)

Sounds about right
all the cars I have had without ABS have weighed about half that of this Primera.
( willenium Fist bump for verification, Tue 17 Feb 2009, 12:43, closed)