Maybe this is sound advice. Read carefully!!:
When to Use the Emergency Brake
Using the emergency brake to stop a moving vehicle
outside of a total brake failure is not recommended and can damage your brake system. This is why it's not a good idea to pretend you're a racecar driver and slam on the e-brake to spin in a circle. Driving with your emergency brake engaged can also cause damage to the emergency brake cable and the service brakes. If this happens to you, have your brake shoes and
rotors checked as soon as possible, to ensure everything is OK.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-p...cy-brakes2.htm
It'll meet you halfway down the article some:
Now onto the big question: Is using the emergency brake safe when the other brakes fail? Yes and no. Pulling the brake lever quickly will cause the vehicle to fishtail, lock up or skid, essentially removing control of the vehicle from the driver. But if you're ever in the highly unlikely but extremely serious situation of having your service brakes fail to function, try to stay calm and pull the emergency brake lever up slow and steady, bringing the vehicle to a longer but more controlled stop.
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Sorry about the thread jack folks... some people, sheesh...