I think ABS is effective at what it is designed to do.
However, when there is a good chunk of snow on the ground, I would prefer to deal with it myself -- and yes, after many years of driving in the UP, I trust myself over an automated system. Sometimes I *want* the wheels locked, and if the car turns a bit to either side, I don't care.
As for the OP's situation, I once had an accident in a similar situation, except newer tires and in an SUV with ABS. Also hit the only other car on the road at that hour. They didn't see us due to the 10' high snowbanks at the intersection (if they could've moved over a lane we would have missed). Came up to intersection very slowly, extra room, and ABS was like "NO SIR YOU WILL GO STRAIGHT AND NEVER STOP".
Then again, some people could use ABS. Women for example My wife damn near killed us all this summer on dry roads. The retards who merged onto the highway and then cut in front of us at 45 mph caused it, but I thought she was going to kill us. Lock brakes, overcorrect and yank wheel back and forth a few times. Finally did a 270 and ended up stopped in the center lane facing the side of the freeway. Left one of those huge weaving skidmarks that you see and wonder how they happened. At least our new car has everything for her -- AWD, ABS, traction control, airbags out the ass, etc.