I have it on the S60, and use it for SPECS stretches, or the odd occasion when I'm on a motorway in late evening. On a run down the M4 a couple of weeks ago in the small hours for example, it worked superbly. Those instances are few and far between though. Most of my driving involves commuting on a rush hour M3 / M25 and you can just forget maintaining any steady speed, or averaging more than about 25 mph most days.
The major routes in these parts are far too congested between the hours of 7am and 7pm to even entertain the use of cruise.
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As above, I find it useful in roadworks with speed checks, and on the M42 where the variable speed limit gantries are ... it's a useful means of ensuring your speed doesn't drift upward.
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On a run down the M4 a couple of weeks ago in the small hours for example it worked superbly.
Didn't you worry about what might happen if (God forbid) you started to nod off? Now I'm not suggesting you or anyone else on the BR would drive while tired, and nodding off without CC is hardly advisable. But the thought of being driven off the road or into the back of something under power is a frightening one.
I did have CC on a previous car, and did go through phases of using it when/where appropriate, but I can't say I miss it.
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As most people have said, appropriate use is the key. Heavy traffic and many A or B roads forget it. Light traffic, average speed cameras, brilliant, Glasgow to Carlisle and beyond, CC all the way.
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I'm not speaking from a position of experience here because I have only used my cruise control once! (for about 5 minutes on the North Circular late last week)
I did find the whole experience a bit freaky, not having full control of the car's speed (mainly that when I started to ease of the accelerator for traffic ahead, the car obviously ignored me).
That said, I do think that I will try to use it on the motorway and dual carriageways, when they are not too busy. Due to my inexperience I am not great at maintaining a set speed, and it can sometimes feel like a distraction. There are quite a few 50 mph restrictions on the northern M25 at the moment, due to roadworks so it could also be useful there.
It didn't feel uncomfortable using the cruise control (even though there was a fair bit of traffic), just weird, and I think that was maybe because, as a new driver, I am tending to leave decent gaps to the car in front (nothing extreme, just the good old two second rule).
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The CC3 is the first car I've had with cruise control, so you can understand my desire to play with the new toy.
Trouble was I collected the car on a cold evening in March and there was some icy slush on the road.
So I found myself, with about 12 miles on the clock of my brand new car, slewing from side to side on a slippery road as first one wheel spun and then the other.
Happily, there was nothing much on the road and I disabled the cruise before totally losing control.
I still use it, but only in good driving conditions - I wouldn't even risk switiching it on in heavy rain.
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I still use it but only in good driving conditions - I wouldn't even risk switiching it on in heavy rain.
Good point ifit, one for the newer drivers or CC virgins to take note of.
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>> I wouldn't even risk >> switiching it on in heavy rain. >> Good point ifit one for the newer drivers or CC virgins to take note of.
Also certain (marked) motorways on the continent...
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The spookiest part to a cruise control noob is when you encounter an incline and the system applies power to maintain a constant speed. My father in law has a Golf IV TDI 130 with cruise, and the monstrous midrange torque of the PD engine tends make itself felt even under gentle acceleration with a gentle, but firm push in the back.
It's quite spooky going up Stokenchurch hill on the M40 and really feels like the car is trying to run away with itself. The speed of course remains steady, but it is such an odd feeling having a car apply power by itself.
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I don't understand the reason to have to speed up to overtake, the whole point with a motorway is to keep a constant speed, its not a side road where you need to get in front of the vehicle in front asap because you are on the "wrong side" of the road, you are all going the same way on the motorway! I set mine on the motorways at either an indicated 70 or 75 dependent on the mood (real 65/70) and just anticipate the traffic and move out when I'm least likely to cause anyone else to have to slow down... it takes practice at first but its not hard and lets face it if you are constantly over-riding the cruise you may as well not bother... which is probably why some people don't like it...
Incidentally, I'd say that someone using cruise properly at those sorts of speeds is probably more aware of the surrounding traffic than most other road users because to use it peoperly (ie not speeding up/slowing down) you have to be very aware of other traffic and their speeds relative to yours so you can keep that contant speed...
Edited by b308 on 14/10/2009 at 10:43
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I use CC a lot, but only on roads with heavily policed (in a variety of ways) speed limits or on open motorways (i.e. north of Preston).
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Its useful on the relatively quiet and straight roads of rural France. I used to use it quite often on UK motorways years ago, but not any more - too busy. The only time I used it on a recent visit to England was on that long, long stretch of roadworks on the M1 past Nottingham - and that was in deference to the speed cameras.
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"Its useful on the relatively quiet and straight roads of rural France"
Poland too has great roads for cruise control, I rarely switch it off come rain, hail or snow. I set it a few kph faster than the trucks and a few kph slower than the cars. That way nobody gets under my feet and trucks don't have to pull out to overtake.
I never pass slower traffic on cruise though, I always kick-down and move back into lane one as soon as poss.
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I set mine on the motorways at either an indicated 70 or 75 dependent on the mood (real 65/70) and just anticipate the traffic and move out when I'm least likely to cause anyone else to have to slow down...
I do a few long motorway journeys per month and I do exactly the same. However, it's a recurring issue that if I pass a car that is travelling slightly slower than me and then I pull back into Lane 1, it will immediately speed up and pass me, and then slow down again, often staying in Lane 2 so effectively blocking me.
It's sure it's not people causing trouble on purpose (although it could easily develop into that) but it happens again and again.
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I use CC a lot in my Mk6 Golf with dsg. Of course the car will change gear as well as vary the throttle position as the road varies, which takes a little getting used to.
It also gives my right foot a rest. The golf has a hair trigger throttle from rest, followed by an unresponsive throttle at low speeds which I find makes my ankle ache.
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Tried using CC, set to 65mph, in my new Audi (2.0 Tdi CR 170) whilst towing a caravan on a long-distance motorway trip to the South of France. Started to notice a faint, but nasty rattle from the engine on uphill sections of the motorway....realised that the CC senses a speed drop on the gradient and floors the throttle, something a sympathetic driver would probably never do, especially in 6th. Stopped using CC whilst towing, in the interests of engine preservation. Personally, I find CC useful in average speed controlled zones, but don't use it much otherwise. And OP is right, there's nowhere comfortable to put your right foot in the Audi, if not on the accelerator. CC came as standard, but I wouldn't bother paying extra for it.
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"there's nowhere comfortable to put your right foot"
Sit cross-legged, or twist round and rest them on the passenger seat.
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A dedicated wife would massage them for you
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And there's my argument about the time it takes to get the foot on the brake:)
Pat
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I've rarely used on the last three cars I've had that came with it. Sometimes in the long,long 50mph stretchs of motorway with roadworks on it I'll use it, but even then I find it easier to maintain a steady speed with my right foot!
If I'm on a long journey, switching it on for 5 mins lets me get the cramp/ache out my right foot!
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On the way up to Dundee at the weekend, went through several long 50mph sections ,with SPECS,and using my GPS speedo to keep a true 50mph, was able to pass many vehicles.
Got two footrests on the Octavia and tend to use the cruise a lot, even in 30mph zones.
Slightest touch of the brake disengages it.
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both our cars have them..and I wouldn't be without it now. Nothing really to add that hasn't already been stated...practice makes perfect ....and I agree you are more aware of your surroundings and anticipate more when you're using it.
Wife's car's one has the annoying trait of allowing itself to drop below your pre determined limit by a few mph, hesitating and taking a few seconds to get back to the exact speed again if you've overriden it temporarily (e.g. to speed up a bit to pass someone, then want to go back to your original speed), ...this means the person you've just overtaken is now catching you up again and thinks you've throttled off..my car doesn't do that.
Sometimes if someone pulls out into my lane, i'll try to anticipate when to knock the cruise off, then anticipate when to put it back on again, so that I never have to touch the throttle or brake.
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>>Wife's car's one has the annoying trait of allowing itself to drop below your pre determined limit by a few mph, hesitating and taking a few seconds to get back to the exact speed again
That suggests the integrator in the controller isn't been reset when the cruise control is being over-ridden. The controller effectively thinks that because you've been going faster than the set speed for a while that it should back off - then, once you've been going below the set speed for a way, the effect cancels out.
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That suggests the integrator in the controller isn't been reset when the cruise control is being over-ridden. The controller effectively thinks that because you've been going faster than the set speed for a while that it should back off - then once you've been going below the set speed for a way the effect cancels out.
Can i do anything about it?
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Take it back and get it changed? I was thinking the same as NC, its a faulty system...
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...Can i do anything about it?...
Westpig,
Isn't Mrs WP's car a Jag?
If so, it might have a similar system to my Ford, which doesn't drop speed in the way you've described.
I'm far from expert in these things, but it sounds like a fault to me, albeit perhaps a not very serious one.
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X Type 2.0 diesel estate...4.5 yrs old, well out of any warranty...always done it
if you're doing say 70mph on cruise ....;-).... gradually catch someone else up, accelerate manually to get past, then let the cruise take over again (either leaving it to itself from the higher speed or by turning it off and turning it back on again when you're manually doing 70mph again)...it'll momentarily slow to about 67mph, before picking back up the the 70mph
probably not bad enough for me to justify spending much on it....but nevertheless irritating...if it were something they could bung through the diagnostic computer at the next service i'd have it done
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>>Can i do anything about it?
I would enquire to see if there are any soiftware updates which should be applied to the ECU - I imagine if the car is reasonably modern, cruise control will simply be software inside the controller actuating the drive by wire throttle rather than a seperate cruise control system.
If no updates are available, then, it's not a fault as such, rather it's just naive, or overly simple programming of the controller; a design fault effectively, and you'll be stuck with it - sorry.
Disengaging cruise while you override it will prevent the integrator becoming wound up with excessive speeds it can't correct, but, that's a hassle.
At least the problem hasn't led to any oscillation of your speed or any instability!
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Like LDO I don't often find cruise useful on normal SE roads. I still have to try it on a long motorway drive.
The control in my car is a bit sticky. It may be me not using the stalk properly, but sometimes I have to try two or three times to get it to work.
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I've only had and used cruise control on relatively new 7.5t lorries. On an empty motorway it is nice to take some of the strain out of your right leg by being able to lock the lorry's speed on to the limiter at 56mph, but...
And there's my argument about the time it takes to get the foot on the brake:) (Pat (PDA))
If I have to brake to whilst the CC is in use there's a real risk of my load tipping forward - because I'm going straight from accelerating to braking with no "cruising" in between.
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because I'm going straight from accelerating to brakingwith no "cruising" in between.
Eh? If you are on CC you are "cruising". It only accelerates if you have dropped below the set speed, and you should not be accelerating into a problem anyway.
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There's a difference between a loaded lorry and a car. I realised that yesterday when I read the posts on here.
I think what us lorry drivers are used to is that as soon as we 'stop' accelerating the load immediately starts to slow us down.
Pat
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I think what us lorry drivers are used to is that as soon as we 'stop' accelerating the load immediately starts to slow us down.
But that sounds like you can't drive at a constant speed (which I'm sure you can)?
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But that sounds like you can't drive at a constant speed (which I'm sure you can)?
Cruise control does let us drive at a constant speed. I probably didn't explain myself very clearly. Most cars fitted with cruise control tend to be quite powerful - or, more correctly, to have a favourable power-to-weight ratio. Most lorries don't. A fully loaded modern 7.5t truck will have a PWR of 20bhp/tonne, a 44t artic will have around half that figure.
Imagine having your 1,800kg 5-series powered by an engine putting out 18bhp, and you can see where I'm coming from.
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I think it may be a terminology thing, accelerating = power on, cruising = power off, in truck speak. Feel free to correct me Pat or Dave.
Edited by Old Navy on 15/10/2009 at 12:34
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I think you might be right ON. Without CC one generally has to keep the accelerator pedal 100% to the floor to make progress, even lifting the pedal to 75% will cause a truck to slow down somewhat. It was this feeling that I referred to earlier, that the "jolt" of applying the brakes and simultaneously removing all power is much greater than a good trucker would ever allow to happen.
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That's exactly why I'm uncomfortable with it Dave!
And without wishing to drag up past threads, it explains too why lorries are reluctant to 'ease off' to let another one past them.
But please don' start that again:)
Pat
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>>it explains too why lorries are reluctant to 'ease off' to let another one past
No, that's just pure ignorance and idleness on the behalf of the driver - there's no apologising for it.
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I must have missed that, I could have sworn I didn't apologise:)
But that is because I was taught to be tolerant of other road users!
Pat
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No, you were acting as apologist, making excuses for ignorant behaviour.
Tolerance is fine, I have no problems with making allowances for the unavoidable bulk of trucks as they make their way through traffic, but, rolling road blocks borne out of ignorance and idleness is quite another matter.
I hope the next government bans trucks from overtaking on all roads, excepting for overtaking cyclists, and slow moving agricultural vehicles.
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No number cruncher, I was most certainly NOT acting as apologist and I don't need an explanation of what that means either.
I was simply giving an explanation of why it happens.
If you care to consult a dictionary there is quite a difference .
I was also taught good manners so have refrained from replying in usual lorry driver manner to you.
I trust you will know what that is.
Pat
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>>explanation of why it happens.
But, Pat, it explains nothing. It's just another non-reason, like the mythical need to save the seconds it would cost to ease off.
Why choose to defend these ignorant actions?, it's certainly not an aspect of the industry at it's best is it?
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Once again NC, you try and put words into my mouth! I didn't defend anything I gave an explanation, albeit one you find unable to understand.
Look at it this way, I have over the years broken downat least a half a dozen times, in an artic, on a single carriageway.
Without exception it's been brakes, wheel bearing or propshaft problems that have brought me to a halt and not allowing me to move.
On every occasion I have caused a considerable tailback of traffic.
This has always resulted in at least a couple of car drivers pipping their horns, waving their arms and on one occasion, shouting through the sunroof at me to tell me I shouldn't park there:) ( at least that's the polite version)
They obviously knew that I'd parked up to annoy them, and their couple of minutes were more precious than my couple of hours waiting to be repaired and on the move.
There's a moral to this tale..........................
I know that even if they had to pay my repair bill they would still think I 'parked' there just to annoy them!
Pat
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>>There's a moral to this tale..........................
Is there? I don't see any link there at all.
Breaking down is, providing reasonable maintenance has been provided for the truck, unavoidable. Rolling road block overtaking, is , on the other hand, very easily avoidable.
By offering an "explanation", you are, whether you are intending to or not, legitimising the actions of the ignorant and idle contingent among truck drivers.
It's not that I'm struggling to understand, it's just that I don't accept any of the explanations given for these roadblocking overtakes.
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Sorry Pat, I'm with NC on this one, I can't see any excuse for the long overtakes. And yes, I have driven a heavily loaded 7.5T and I can see it's a nightmare, but even so, regaining 2 mph is really a non-issue.
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I hope the next government bans trucks from overtaking on all roads excepting for overtaking cyclists and slow moving agricultural vehicles.
Glad it's not just me then.
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>>>>>> legitimising the actions of the ignorant and idle contingent among truck drivers.
It's not that I'm struggling to understand, it's just that I don't accept any of the explanations given for these roadblocking overtakes.<<<<<
Idle?....where did that come from? When did you last work 75 hours every week as normal, and get prosecuted for taking 1 minute short of a lunch break!
The moral NC, is that I learned to smile sweetly at abuse and relish the fact the person was so blissfully ignorant, but so sure they knew everything!
Also borne out in your statement above 'I don't accept any of the explanations'!
Now, let's not be impolite and get back to cruise control:)
Pat
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>>Idle?....where did that come from?
It came from me, borne of my view that a certain type of truck driver just holds his foot to the floor, and allows the 56mph limiter to do all their thinking for them, being too bone idle to lift the throttle for a second, allowing the overtake to happen quickly.
>>When did you last work 75 hours every week as normal, and get prosecuted for taking 1 minute short of a lunch break!
It's been a while now since I had to drive a truck to earn my income, and I'm in no rush whatsoever to get back into the cab. However, that doesn't translate to a blind acceptance of everything truck drivers do.
'I don't accept any of the explanations'!
That's simply because I haven't heard any good explanations for this ignorant behaviour, and I strongly suspect there are no good explanations for it.
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>I don't understand the reason to have to speed up to overtake, the whole point with a motorway is to keep a constant speed...
No it isn't! Sorry if this seems abrupt, B308 - I've often appreciated your moderate views and measured expression - but I don't agree with that at all. The whole point of a motorway is to facilitate safe and (reasonably) rapid progress. It's nice if you can also cruise at a steady speed, but can you imagine the chaos if everyone tried to maintain a constant speed? It wouldn't just be the odd inconsiderate truck driver blocking a whole lane crawl past a marginally slower vehicle; it would be every third car driver too.
Once you're out of lane 1, you're no longer cruising, you're overtaking, and you have a duty to other users of the road to complete that overtake in a reasonable time. That means that when you - with CC on or not - approach a slower vehicle, you have three choices:
- Decide not to overtake, but to adjust your own speed downwards and follow the vehicle in front;
- Judge that your current speed will carry you past the slower vehicle in a reasonable time, so pull out and carry on;
- Speed up to carry you past the slower vehicle without holding up anyone else.
I have another worry with using CC out of lane 1; imagine you're passing a line of four trucks when suddenly one starts flashing an indicator. If you're on pedal control, you naturally lift off and slow down a little while you assess whether the driver has seen you and intends to let you pass before he pulls out, and whether you have options in lane 3; with CC, that doesn't happen and it might cost you vital space and time to make a safe decision. Unless I can see I'll have lane 2 to myself until my manoeuvre's complete, I hit the 0 button before I pull out and don't Resume till I'm back in Lane 1.
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>I don't understand the reason to have to speed up to overtake the whole point with a motorway is to keep a constant speed... No it isn't! Sorry if this seems abrupt B308 - I've often appreciated your moderate views and measured expression - but I don't agree with that at all. The whole point of a motorway is to facilitate safe and (reasonably) rapid progress. It's nice if you can also cruise at a steady speed but can you imagine the chaos if everyone tried to maintain a constant speed? It wouldn't just be the odd inconsiderate truck driver blocking a whole lane crawl past a marginally slower vehicle; it would be every third car driver too.
Sorry, WdB, but I entirely disagree, the motorway is a means of getting from a to b in an easier manner than using other roads because it has no slowing for junctions, etc, "rapid" progress is the bit where I feel that you are wrong... Yes, you can make "rapid" progress if you wish but there is nothing wrong with cuising at less than the max limit, both users are using the motorway for its correct purpose. I would suggest that there is a sizable number of motorway users who already drive at a constant speed - lorry drivers - who are limited to 56mph - and only cause issues for the more impatient amongst us. Actually there would probably be less chaos if everyone stuck to the same constant speed.
Once you're out of lane 1 you're no longer cruising you're overtaking and you have a duty to other users of the road to complete that overtake in a reasonable time.
Yes you are overtaking... but that does not mean that you should break the speed limit to do so, if I'm cruising at 65/70 then there is no earthly reason I should need to speed up to get past someone and break the limit just because there is someone catching me up who is... and what about those lorrys you mentioned earlier, or more pertinant to the discussion, coach drivers and those who are towing and limited to 60? Are you suggesting that they too should break the limit?!
I will continue to do my utmost to ensure that I don't delay any other road user, legal or not, but I will continue to do so within the law... If I come up behind a lorry overtaking I will adjust my speed accordingly, and not get wound up about it, I'd suggest that those who wish to make "rapid" progress do the same when they come across someone like me overtaking at the legal limit.
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