What are the reasons for NOT using Cruise Control?

[Bird]

TOO many people are dependent on cruise and don't know how to maintain speed without it......I am not one of them

And too many people (the majority, in fact) THINK they are better drivers than they actually are.

 

[LD1]

You are dreaming if you think you are maintaining a set speed within 1/2 mile. YOu are doing good to keep it within 3mph. I had many a trip border-to-border and coast to coasst back in the 50s/60s/70s in cars without CC. I KNOW I can do it within 3mph. lower than that is impossible without staring at the speedo full time.'

One does not have to be in "tailgate position" to get screwed up by an someone not using CC. I am usually back a 100 ft or more and someone not on CC will have my left thumb working constantly making up for it. Seems people no using it are also the ones who slow down on corners for no reason. Followed one the other day, slowing down from 60 to 54 on every corner, ones that could be taken a 90 without even straining.

Summasry. People nodt using CC on the open road are poor drivers.

Well, think what you want.

I have driven vehicles from the 80's. And agree, its hard to maintain a speed. Heck, I have a hard time maintaining speed in my wifes car as I am not used to driving it.

But for the last 15 years, I have always had a 100HP saturn SL 5-speed. On my third or forth of the very same model now. Rest assured, I can keep it well under a 3mph variation.

But thats still not the point. IF you have your CC set at the speed limit, and are behind me, I will NEVER cause you an issue.

IF you are one that just HAS to be up on the person in front of you, then yea....you may have some issues if you are running CC. As I speed up in anticipation of a hill.....if you are giving your left thumb a workout bumping up your speed to match me.....then duh......your gonna be using that left thumb again when I slow as I crest the hill. And yet again once things level off and I resume the speed limit or a tad over.

But.....as I speed up in anticipation of that hill, if you just maintain your CC setting and let me put some distance on.....my slowing by the time I crest the hill is NOT gonna cause you any grief.

AND, if you dont like my driving.....GO AROUND.

ITs hard to believe that some people thing the ONLY way to be a good driver is to use CC. :confused2: Just a ridiculous statement.

 

[Egon]

It's all them "From Away" drivers that don't seem to know how to drive and cause all the problems. Us Local's are perfect drivers!!:laughing:: :dance1:

 

[rtimgray]

And too many people (the majority, in fact) THINK they are better drivers than they actually are.

I think it was a Swedish psychology study that determined that 93% of Americans consider themselves to be "above-average" drivers.

I always like to think of it like this: think about how dumb the average person is; now realize that half the people you meet are dumber than that.

Driving is like baseball: It's not important how fast you get around; all that matters is how many times you get home safe.

On the subject, I use cruise control when on controlled-access highways, but seldom other than that because of the rural roads that I predominantly drive on. In heavy traffic when traveling, I don't use it too much because the speed varies too much.

On a recent road trip of about 8 hours each way, we did most of our driving at night. While that can lead to some sleepy days, the driving is so much easier because I could just set the cruise and motor along. That is very much my preference when applicable.

Good luck and take care.

 

[Dftodd]

Here's something for the argument on whether cruise control maintains a constant speed better then a person.

The cruise control in both my trucks (GMC 1500, ford F550) and my wife's Mazda 3 maintain speed great on gentle slopes, level ground and down hill. Going up a hill (not gentle slope) eventually the engine rpms needed to maintain speed kick the transmission into a lower gear. Usually happens around 2 mph below set speed. Then the speed increases between 2mph and 4mph above set speed till the vehicle crests the hill.

We've all had those experiences where we think the person next to us is racing us, and doesn't like to be passed. Chances are good that unless they flip you off as your next to them, they were running down the road in cruise control and there vehicle kicked into passing gear

Certain highways in Texas, I've been able to go a couple hundred miles with the cruise control maintaining the same exact speed. Most of the highways in Arkansas and Oklahoma, my cruise control will vary the speed a couple times over a 5 mile stretch of road depending on which part of the state your in

 

[turnkey4099]

It's all them "From Away" drivers that don't seem to know how to drive and cause all the problems. Us Local's are perfect drivers!!:laughing:: :dance1:

That's odd, that rule seems dto be same here. Coincidence? I think not!

 

[turnkey4099]

Here's something for the argument on whether cruise control maintains a constant speed better then a person.

The cruise control in both my trucks (GMC 1500, ford F550) and my wife's Mazda 3 maintain speed great on gentle slopes, level ground and down hill. Going up a hill (not gentle slope) eventually the engine rpms needed to maintain speed kick the transmission into a lower gear. Usually happens around 2 mph below set speed. Then the speed increases between 2mph and 4mph above set speed till the vehicle crests the hill.

We've all had those experiences where we think the person next to us is racing us, and doesn't like to be passed. Chances are good that unless they flip you off as your next to them, they were running down the road in cruise control and there vehicle kicked into passing gear

Certain highways in Texas, I've been able to go a couple hundred miles with the cruise control maintaining the same exact speed. Most of the highways in Arkansas and Oklahoma, my cruise control will vary the speed a couple times over a 5 mile stretch of road depending on which part of the state your in

Hmmm...I haven't noticed such in any of t he cars with CC (1972 Plyouth was firsst one). Could be I haven't watched the speedo dthat close. I will do it the next time I'm in hilly country. My 89 F150 6cyl seems to be fairly steady but again I may not have noticed.

 

[dmccarty]

Here's something for the argument on whether cruise control maintains a constant speed better then a person.

The cruise control in both my trucks (GMC 1500, ford F550) and my wife's Mazda 3 maintain speed great on gentle slopes, level ground and down hill. Going up a hill (not gentle slope) eventually the engine rpms needed to maintain speed kick the transmission into a lower gear. Usually happens around 2 mph below set speed. Then the speed increases between 2mph and 4mph above set speed till the vehicle crests the hill.....

Yep, we have had a couple cars over the years that would do just that behavior. Hit a hill, start to loose speed, drop to a lower gear, which would sound like we were trying to drag race, and then speed up. I drive my truck with cruise control all of the time and this behavior on some of the cars is a PITA. If we are on a trip, and hitting hills, I will often turn off cruise control because I can do better maintaining speed and not over reving the engine. This really applies when we are going on vacation, have four people in the car and a bunch of luggage. That extra weight can cause the cruise control to go bonkers.

Now, my truck is a different story since it is a manual and has a turbo. Danged thing can be scary climbing mountains because it just GOES! Most everyone else is slowing down but the truck just maintains speed and climbs. Twas funny to have cars pass me like I was standing still on flat land or small hills but once in the steep grades, I would pass the cars like they were standing still! :laughing::laughing::laughing: Then we hit the crest and start going down hill. :shocked: I maintain speed, or try too, and the cars I passed now going zooming by because they can handle the turns better than the truck. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[Dftodd]

Yep, we have had a couple cars over the years that would do just that behavior. Hit a hill, start to loose speed, drop to a lower gear, which would sound like we were trying to drag race, and then speed up. I drive my truck with cruise control all of the time and this behavior on some of the cars is a PITA. If we are on a trip, and hitting hills, I will often turn off cruise control because I can do better maintaining speed and not over reving the engine. This really applies when we are going on vacation, have four people in the car and a bunch of luggage. That extra weight can cause the cruise control to go bonkers.

Now, my truck is a different story since it is a manual and has a turbo. Danged thing can be scary climbing mountains because it just GOES! Most everyone else is slowing down but the truck just maintains speed and climbs. Twas funny to have cars pass me like I was standing still on flat land or small hills but once in the steep grades, I would pass the cars like they were standing still! :laughing::laughing::laughing: Then we hit the crest and start going down hill. :shocked: I maintain speed, or try too, and the cars I passed now going zooming by because they can handle the turns better than the truck. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

My f550 for work is a v10 gasser, and weights 13,500lbs. It's pretty much an anchor on a hill Add 10,000lbs towing and you can forget cruise control period. You gotta kick the beacons on in order to not get run over

The f250 diesel we have at work does great. My Sierra has the 5.3 and 4 speed automatic. So it's fairly noticeable on the hills. Son's Sierra with the 5.3 and 6 speed automatic does much better. Wife's Mazda does great if it's just the two of us. Add a couple in the back, then you really notice it.

I used to hit the hills in vermont with and old f250 dually, 7.3 naturally aspirated diesel, with 5 speed manual transmission, pulling a 30ft goose neck with a load of freshly milled green cedar stacked 7ftx8ftx30ft. Had more then one person pull in behind me at a truck stop and ask what the he## I was running in the truck for a motor I was pulling away from guys with brand new Cummings and Power Strokes :cool2:

 

[kidr]

I don't use CC and i must be doing pretty good because a lot of drivers hand signal me that I'm #1.