Does anyone actually use cruise control?

[minesapint]

I have tried many times to use the cruise control on our cars and motorhome, yet cant get the feeling that the vehicle is slightly out of control from my mind. I know I have friends who use it all the time and wouldn't be without, but I never feel happy when its on. It just makes me nervous. How does everyone else feel? Is it me? Am I being paranoid?

I use it all the time its good or fuel economy and your licence. The not being in control bit soon fades away, especially when you are on a long stretch of empty road in France, and you can relax your legs. You will soon come to trust and rely on it, and the paranoia will go. We had it retro fitted to our Dethleffs as a presnt to the driver (me).

 

[simsy56]

Only having a left leg I find it dead handy!

I've only got a right leg...........fancy going halves on a pair of flippers?

Craig

 

[irnbru]

Was scared to use cruise control at first but once I was talked through it I love it and use it on motorways. Mums just learning how to do it but she likes it too.

 

[Wobby]

I use it all the time, on my previous van with a Merc chassis the cruise control was also a limiter and that was very useful at avoiding breaking the speed limit. Just a pity the limiter isn't fitted on our Fiat base, still at leased we have cruise control..

Wobby

 

[ABZSteve]

Switch on cruise control using the On/Off ring on the stalk.
Get up to your chosen cruising speed. Activate cruise control at that speed by flicking the stalk upwards. (That's the bit that differs from the manual)
Sit back & relax.

Cruise control can now be deactivated/reactivated by a press of the button on the end of the stalk. Speed can be increased or decreased in small increments by flicking the stalk up or down. Holding the stalk up or down will result in a gradual increase or decrease in the set speed..

I will be OK when I get mine then, Merc is flick up, Q5 is push button, so I am pushing and flicking all over the flippin place depending on which one i am driving, so no change when I get MoHo

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[ABZSteve]

Always the odd one out...... I don't use CC.....can't be bothered.... and I find not slowing on bends that I feel a bit out of control...............

I use the stock, flick on and off as required, speed up, slow down when required. Give it a try, you may like it

 

[grumps147]

Probably the most sensible explanation of using cruise control in all conditions is explained here .. Broken Link Removed

Unfortunately I cannot copy and paste the text of the article.

Basically, even if it's dry and you adopt a casual driving style when using cruise control you can get into problems. Condition are the key, and adapting quickly to them.

 

[Wildman]

I would if I had it in the motorhome, have it in the Landrover and often use it.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Just got the hang of using it on my new car. It's so easy when you know how. The new panel van we are converting has it as one of the many extras Ralph had put on it before we get it. So I wanted to make sure I know how to use it. I plan on driving the Newly converted pvc a lot more than I drive the present MH. Just wish it would hurry up and be delivered then he can start on the build. Anyone would think it was coming from the other side of the world , not just Ireland.

 

[DanielFord]

?

I couldn't be bothered to trawl through a quote all the pertinent posts.
I think that the problem with cruise in the wet may be, when negotiating a bend, the action of steering actually scrubs off speed, when a human is in control, you would naturally ease off a little to go into a bend so it would be unnoticeable. However, cruise will try to mitigate the loss in speed by applying power. This is exactly the wrong thing to do, and could cause the vehicle to go out of control.
I tend to knock off the cruise upon entering a bend in the wet by dabbing the clutch, and resume it when on the straight again.

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[jointerjohn]

I use ours on most of our journeys i even use the stalk control(fiat ducato 2.3, 2011) to slow down and accelerate past slower traffic etc wouldn't be without it now, recent trip to barnsley from bristol (400mls) approx, returned 31.7 average mpg at 55mph weekend just gone bristol to newark (brownhills xmas meal) 200mls approx tried cruising at 60mph this dropped the mpg to 29 ,both figures using cruise control as much as possible.

 

[jimlagos]

I reckon mine has saved me a small fortune in speeding fines and fuel costs. I paid to have it installed on my second hand ducato, rather expensive, but worth it.

 

[Jaws]

Given a touch on the brake or clutch disengages the CC I do not understand ( honestly ) the out of control bit..

 

[buttons]

I use ours on most of our journeys i even use the stalk control(fiat ducato 2.3, 2011) to slow down and accelerate past slower traffic etc wouldn't be without it now, recent trip to barnsley from bristol (400mls) approx, returned 31.7 average mpg at 55mph weekend just gone bristol to newark (brownhills xmas meal) 200mls approx tried cruising at 60mph this dropped the mpg to 29 ,both figures using cruise control as much as possible.

Think of the mpg you could have achieved without using CC.

 

[Chris]

Given a touch on the brake or clutch disengages the CC I do not understand ( honestly ) the out of control bit..

My worry is what would happen if the driver had a heart attack at the wheel and died without touching a pedal?

The result would be a 3-5 ton lump hitting any stationary object at its set speed which I find scary, unlikely maybe but certainly possible.

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[Jaws]

OK, what would happen if the driver died and slumped forward pushing down hard on the throttle ? ( An equally likely scenario and one I have sadly had to attend a couple of times :-(

 

[Chris]

OK, what would happen if the driver died and slumped forward pushing down hard on the throttle ? ( An equally likely scenario and one I have sadly had to attend a couple of times :-(

Fair point I guess

 

[Jaws]

Alls fair in love, war and errr.. motorhoming !!

 

[melly watson]

Saves loads of fuel on long journeys, and relaxing, wouldnt be without it B-)

 

[tonyidle]

I was told by a police traffic officer friend of mine that it is not safe to use on wet roads due to possibility of loss of control before you could react and deactivate the CC, he said that he went to a bad accident on the A47 which was a result of using CC in the wet, took some time to figure out what happened, not a M/H by the way. That's what I was advised.

Probably depends on the circumstances (CC wouldn't get much use in the UK if used only in the dry) and type of road. Mine gets most use on motorways and dual A roads - it isn't a lot of use where slowing for bends is regularly required. I don't really understand the bit about reaction times - if you keep your right foot (or left in the case of Chris) somewhere useful you can hit any pedal needed as quickly as if CC wasn't in use.

Edit: Another thought. In most lack-of-control scenarios (aquaplaning, ice, Diesel on road, tyre failure) the very last thing that is needed is a sudden change in vehicle dynamics initiated by the driver. By delaying the stomp on the brakes that is often the reaction to such events there's just a chance that CC might go some way to improving his (or her) chances of avoiding an accident.

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[mjltigger]

I was told by a police traffic officer friend of mine that it is not safe to use on wet roads due to possibility of loss of control before you could react and deactivate the CC, he said that he went to a bad accident on the A47 which was a result of using CC in the wet, took some time to figure out what happened, not a M/H by the way. That's what I was advised.

My cruise control in the car disengages if esp triggers but with the fantastic mondeo suspension it corners incredibly well and the slight throttle squeeze on the way round a bend is exactly how I was taught to drive a fwd anyway.. wouldn't be suitable for a rwd I guess but I don't have it in my campervan so won't find out

My worry is what would happen if the driver had a heart attack at the wheel and died without touching a pedal?

The result would be a 3-5 ton lump hitting any stationary object at its set speed which I find scary, unlikely maybe but certainly possible.

If it's me driving I think that will be the least of my worries..

 

[Viking]

use it all the time with the girlfriend