What if your master cylinder **** the bed or you had leaks, the emergency/parking brake is mechanical, no fluid involved. Might not be the case with comet idiot but could help someone else in the future.
I have had the parking brake system save my *** a couple times when the car wouldn't stop because I had a bad master cyl. It does matter and is effective at stopping the car whether its twice the distance or not.
That light goes on once the pedal depresses beyond normal travel..and that's when you know...you braking on cable n rear shoes and nothing else.
