Consider the possibility that this person may never have driven a vehicle without ABS. There would likely be little or no emphasis for teaching a skill (pumping the brakes) for a person in driver education, after a generation had passed with reliable ABS equipped on every car. Also consider that even a person with the requisite knowledge, driving a car with ABS, may not realize their situation until after they are in a skid.
Losing power steering in a vehicle with hydraulic "power assist" steering may be completely unlike losing power in a vehicle with electric assist. Given that in the recall, GM is replacing the electric power steering assist motor, one might assume that it becomes much harder to steer after loss of power. In other words, it may be much easier to rotate an unpowered hydraulic motor by its output shaft than it is to rotate a gear-reduction electric motor by its output shaft.
Finally, the fact that someone (such as yourself), or even that many people may have been skilled enough to be able to avoid fatally crashing their Chevy Cobalts is not proof that the cars are safe (enough). Nor does it excuse GM from ensuring that their products meet mandated safety standards.
Losing power steering in a vehicle with hydraulic "power assist" steering may be completely unlike losing power in a vehicle with electric assist. Given that in the recall, GM is replacing the electric power steering assist motor, one might assume that it becomes much harder to steer after loss of power. In other words, it may be much easier to rotate an unpowered hydraulic motor by its output shaft than it is to rotate a gear-reduction electric motor by its output shaft.
Finally, the fact that someone (such as yourself), or even that many people may have been skilled enough to be able to avoid fatally crashing their Chevy Cobalts is not proof that the cars are safe (enough). Nor does it excuse GM from ensuring that their products meet mandated safety standards.