Cruise control

I was reading of an accident caused by using cruise control on a wet road. As usual someone came along saying it was a myth but AA experts and police said it was unsafe unless your car has traction control and electronic stability control and both are switched on.
The report was from six years ago and most modern cars have these but some cheaper models don’t and a lot of drivers are probably unaware of any of this.
Does anyone here use cruise control?

Yes! I use it as much as possible. In the car as soon as I go on the motorway, or even in a 30, 40 zones where I don't have obstacles to negotiate. That is just down to laziness really.

In the truck, the company wants us to use it as much as possible, so much so you get a marking for how often it's used. For example if you use it lots you'll get a B, if you use it rarely you'll get a E. So I use it all the time. I use it to speed up, I use it on country roads, motorways, 30 zones and even in traffic and in the yard at 12mph.

I think 12mph is the lowest speed it goes at.

I've heard it said about using it in the rain, but I always use it. If I see standing water, I'll click it off just before going through it. Or similarly I'll click it off before going round a corner, if I think traction will be an issue.

I use cruise control for 2 different reasons.
1. When I'm within a speed limit, i.e. 30 m.p.h., 40 m.p.h. Sometimes you can get distracted and the speed might creep up a bit, so the cruise control eliminates that possibility.
2. When I'm on a dual carriageway or motorway. I set it to an economical speed, usually around 55 or 60 m.p.h.
Having a 1.9 diesel, the return in m.p.g. is quite substantial. On a trip to Southampton, I averaged 69 m.p.g.
I do leave it off in wet weather though.

Cruise control is much better than it used to be when it was controlled by cables and cranks but I’m still not a big fan unless on a long drive up the motorway.
It’s good on trucks as they tend to travel long distances at more or less one speed. In my day, well I am getting on a bit, a fast truck would possibly get up to 60mph but would go down to as little as 20mph on a lengthy incline.

I've now got cruise control & speed limiter that can be set.
I find the speed limit setting more useful as there are so many average speed limits and variable speed limits, especially on the motorway, or in dual carriageway roadworks.
I do use the cruise control but I don't find it as relaxing as I thought it would be to use as there's a feeling of disconnect from the car, and I find myself constantly waiting to touch the brake or hit the cancel button in case someone pulls out in front of you.
But it would be great to use on a long drive over in say France where the motorways are much less congested.

I have driven cars with cruise control but I've never used it, I don't really do the sort of driing that warrants it, Manthing is always going on at me to use it, but I'm afraid I'd mess it up and have an accident

I like to use it to keep under 30 mph in urban quiet roads but not much point in busy traffic.

I could see it could be dangerous when drivers are tempted to cruise round tight bends at the same speed and not decelerate.

"accident caused by using cruise control on a wet road "

what are they saying went wrong/is wrong...im just not quite understanding the problem here.
ta.

Unless you have traction and stability controls the cruise control can easily misread the road conditions. If the car hits water and aquaplanes, which is scary at the best of times, the cruise control reads it as the car struggling and pushes the throttle down.

Fosy. It's to do with aquaplaning. The cruise control is governed by the speedometer. A patch of water slows the vehicle and the cruise control will try to compensate by increasing power. As more power is applied, especially front wheel drive vehicles, the aquaplaning increases therefore reducing traction. This is particularly noticeable on bends where the inertia of the vehicle will make it less stable, resulting in severe understeer.

Also, what Templar said.

ah, thanks both, i see what the problem is now.

Many years ago, I aquaplaned leaving the motorway on a damp slip road and ended up writing off a brand new car. Sadly, I can't blame it on the cruise control, just youthful inexperience. Actually, I was very lucky to survive.

Some things just happen in life and there’s nothing we can do about it. If we’re lucky we live to see another day.

badman,

Wow, brilliant explanation.

I know these things but rubbish at explaining them.

Drivers who use cruise control on unsuitable roads can be dangerous as keep a steady speed when they should be varying their speed.

Drivers who use cruise control on unsuitable roads can be dangerous as keep a steady speed when they should be varying their speed.

Yes you’re right. You can usually tell when your following someone using cruise control as the drive at one speed and keep their fingers crossed they don’t have to brake and automatically knock the cruise control off.

Cruise control on our roads is a waste of time.