Do you have cruise control?

vorlon24 · 25-11-2004, 15:33

Saw this on a website:

Quote:

Claim: Using cruise control on wet roads or during heavy rain can cause you to lose control of your vehicle.

Status: True.

Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2002]

I had a wreck a couple of weeks ago and totaled our Lincoln Town Car. I hydroplaned on Hwy 135 between Gladewater & Kilgore, Texas. I was not hurt, just emotionally rattled! I know the Lord was with me.

I learned a lesson I'd like to pass on to you. You may know this already — but the highway patrolman told me that you should NEVER drive in the rain with your cruise control on. He said if you did and hydroplaned (which I did) that when your tires were off the road your car would accelerate to a high rate of speed (which it did). You don't have much, if any control when you hydroplane, but you are totally in the hands of God when the car accelerates. I took off like I was in an airplane. I'm so thankful I made it through that ordeal. Please pass the word around about not using cruise control when the pavement is wet or icy. The highway patrolman said this should be on the sun-visor with the warning about air-bags.

The only person I've found out who knew this (besides the patrolman) was a man who had a similar accident and totaled his car. This has made me wonder if this is not why so many of our young people are dying in accidents.

Be careful out there!

Has anyone here had a similar experience?

Sparkologist · 25-11-2004, 18:23

My car has cruise control. I shall certainly bear this lesson in mind next time I'm driving on the motorway and it is raining. Thanks for this post, vorlon.

vorlon24 · 25-11-2004, 19:19

I have to say that I am surprised that not more people know about it

fireman · 12-02-2005, 19:18

i also have cruise control but i have never experienced this

entwisi · 12-02-2005, 19:50

I have cruise control and use it quite regularly. What surprises me is the techicalities behind it. Most cars now use a speedo pickup off the gearbox so even if you were accelerating up to a set cruising speed the cruise control would only acce;erate untill the driven wheels were spinning at the set speed. It would then drop into cruise mode. You would need to be aqualplaning for a long way for it to give you serious trouble unless you were approaching a corner. I would also say that I only use teh cruise control when at my desired speed. i.e. I don't have it set at 70 and select it at 30 to accelerate up to that. I set it when doing 70(Cough!) and let it just maintain the speed.

What I would say is that I will never drive on tyres at the end of their life. I change mine as they approach 2mm. It always makes me wonder why people will pay £5-10K for a car then put the cheapest tyres they can find on it. It is only 4 small patches of rubber that keep you on the road.

Ian

Roy · 12-02-2005, 21:04

Hmmmm... well in my job I write software for motion controllers. In my software there are a ton of failsafes to prevent 'run away' drives. I find it difficult to believe that the cruise control software in a motor vehicle has the power to make the car 'run away'. It is pretty simple maths to detect loss of control in which case control should automatically be given back to the driver and so the accelerator should be released.

fireman · 12-02-2005, 21:09

i was thinking the same roy if my car detects any loss of traction then the cruise trips and the accelerator is then governed by the prevailing conditions ,

WillowTheWhisp · 12-02-2005, 23:17

A little while ago Busman raised a point about someone using cruise control and if they had a heart attack or stroke whilst using it. I can't remember exactly what the point he made was now because it's late and I'm sleepy but maybe somebody else who knows these things can be having a think about that whilst we're away. I know it was something to do with a passenger not being able to use the handbrake to stop the car.

fireman · 12-02-2005, 23:21

that i see as the only problem with cruise, the passenger would have to either touch the brake pedal or know how to cancel the cruise at the switch ... one of the first things i taught my wife.

WillowTheWhisp · 12-02-2005, 23:26

In our car it would be impossible for the passenger to reach the brake pedal. It's a very nice comfy car but that is a practical disadvantage. I shall have to look into the cruise switch cancelling. Hate being morbid but it's something important to know about.

fireman · 12-02-2005, 23:29

no you could not in mine but the passenger could switch off the cruise if they new how too

entwisi · 13-02-2005, 00:24

Same with me, the switch is the only way to turn it off if I was incapacitated,

<fx: makes mental note to show SWMBO>

Cheers for that....