Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Most of us are familiar enough with our vehicle to know how to work the cruise without having to read the words on the control...
One action turns it on and off, another action sets the speed. Another increases or decreases the speed. I think there is another function or two that does something else, or maybe multiple ways to perform the same functions. It is all grouped together in a combination switch. I can never remember which action does what because i use it so rarely. Every time I use it I need to do a refresh by looking at the tiny words on the button at a light, or by experimenting with it. Experimenting, I often turn it off while trying to do something else and have to start over. It is annoying, I would rather just drive the car myself. I enjoy driving.
If i am useing my cc i set it to the speed limit, if you’re in a hurry stomp down on your accelerator and hit your passing gear, i always drive the speed limit, if the speed limit is 55 i do 55 we’re dose it say that it’s ok to go faster than the speed limit. I don’t set my cc to go faster because we’re dose it say that it’s ok to go 5 mph over the speed limit, if it were ok than the speed limit would be 60 mph not 55.
It's an "unwritten rule" that 5-10mph above is acceptable, and I have NEVER seen anyone get pulled over for going those speeds... where I live most of the highways are 65mph, and the police won't even notice you until you hit 80mph. What everyone else WILL notice is someone creeping along at the exact speed limit, particularly in anything but the far-right lane. You'll get tailgated, passed, and probably flipped off by the other drivers - and the cops might pull you over just because "you were being suspicious."
Where you live, is it common to go exactly the speed limit? Or are you always the slowest one on the road? If the former, I'm guessing you're in Florida. LOL
I start to pass you and then you speed up; or you speed by me, get over in front of me and then slow down.
It's very annoying, please stop.
Neither my wife, son, or daughter uses cruise control. I followed my son somewhere last week and erratic is all I could think of.
I always use cruise control. In my opinion it smooths out my own driving experience, and I too believe there would be more steady flow of traffic (not including rush hour, etc) if more would use it.
Where you live, is it common to go exactly the speed limit? Or are you always the slowest one on the road? If the former, I'm guessing you're in Florida. LOL
Haha... I just checked your posting history, and you apparently live in Tampa FL. Nailed it!
My grandparents had a condo in Florida (to escape Philly winters), and it was the one place where my grandmother could keep up with the other drivers. When she visited us in California, she'd refuse to let us drive on the freeways, or "death tracks" as she called them... made us drive all the way from San Mateo to San Francisco via El Camino Real, which takes like 5x as long as the freeway. Ahhh, grandma. Miss her, but not her driving!
Haha... I just checked your posting history, and you apparently live in Tampa FL. Nailed it!
My grandparents had a condo in Florida (to escape Philly winters), and it was the one place where my grandmother could keep up with the other drivers. When she visited us in California, she'd refuse to let us drive on the freeways, or "death tracks" as she called them... made us drive all the way from San Mateo to San Francisco via El Camino Real, which takes like 5x as long as the freeway. Ahhh, grandma. Miss her, but not her driving!
HA! I can imagine that being a very long ride!
My grandfather would drive faster than the posted limit but he would swerve in his lane back and forth. He said half of that yellow line in the middle was his lol
One action turns it on and off, another action sets the speed. Another increases or decreases the speed. I think there is another function or two that does something else, or maybe multiple ways to perform the same functions. It is all grouped together in a combination switch. I can never remember which action does what because i use it so rarely. Every time I use it I need to do a refresh by looking at the tiny words on the button at a light, or by experimenting with it. Experimenting, I often turn it off while trying to do something else and have to start over. It is annoying, I would rather just drive the car myself. I enjoy driving.
Is this on an older GM vehicle? The CC controls on my old 2004 Cadillac made no sense at all. Now I have a Mercedes with adaptive cruise and it's my favorite part about the car. I use it whenever I'm in traffic and/or on the freeway for more than 5 minutes.
Is this on an older GM vehicle? The CC controls on my old 2004 Cadillac made no sense at all. Now I have a Mercedes with adaptive cruise and it's my favorite part about the car. I use it whenever I'm in traffic and/or on the freeway for more than 5 minutes.
2009 RAM.
I am also unaccustomed to using it because a large number of my prior vehicles did not have it. At least I do not think they did. If so I never used it. For several decades, I avoided anything with an automatic transmission and mostly drove vintage cars.
Yeah, waaaaay too long. She probably told people we lived an hour from SF, since that's how long it would take via El Camino - but in reality it's only 18 miles, and ~20 minutes without heavy traffic.
Quote:
My grandfather would drive faster than the posted limit but he would swerve in his lane back and forth. He said half of that yellow line in the middle was his lol
LOL... my grandmother would have said "I'm old enough to do as I please," as that was her excuse for everything! She lived to 97, so she REALLY didn't give a hoot for the last 10-15 years! One time she was pulled over by the cops, and when they asked why her birthdate was scratched off (her license), she replied "I'm clearly old enough to drive, and it's none of your business when I was born." He let her go.
I just returned from a 400-mile trip (800 round trip) and here are some of my personal observations, all pertaining to interstate driving:
It's not rocket science. Driving takes alertness at all times, whether you use CC or not. Just because I use cruise control, it doesn't mean I'm less attentive to the road. In fact, it's useful because it helps me stay at a speed I'm comfortable with. If traffic is light, I can pass a slow poke without disengaging. If traffic is heavy and there are many people wanting to pass, I adjust my speed accordingly and then go back to CC when it's safe and makes sense for the driving conditions. My gas mileage is better when I use CC because my speed remains constant and my foot/leg doesn't get tired and make it difficult to maintain the exact same pressure on the gas pedal.
Many people are either oblivious, too dumb, or too lazy to get out of the left lane. I had to pass a guy on the right in Texas (I-30) because he refused to get out of the left lane, doing 65 in a 75, as we passed signs that said "Left lane for Passing Only." I see it all of the time. It's very common in Texas. I try to stay in the right lane unless I, like the sign said, need to pass. It's what I was taught in Driver's Ed so many years ago. Simple concept, really.
I was passed by many cars that I later passed, who then passed me again, etc. As the OP said, they seem to have an issue with being passed. I'm not a speed demon. In a 75 mph zone, I set cc for 80; in a 70, I might do 76-77. And I leave it. That's my choice. It's a range that I consider reasonable for me. If you want to go faster, that's your choice. You won't find me hogging the left lane. If you want to do the exact speed limit that's your choice as well, but stay in the right lane and don't speed up when I go by. If you feel threatened by a 60 year-old woman in an SUV passing you, you should get some therapy for your insecurity issues. Or learn to use your CC and stick with one speed and be happy with it.
Of course, I will not use CC when it's raining (can cause hydroplaning), in heavy traffic, when encountering lots of curves, etc. But I am a very proactive driver. I watch the road carefully in all directions. I know where the cars are ahead of me, next to me, and behind me. I anticipate. I act accordingly. If I see someone merging onto the interstate or a stalled car on the shoulder, I move over to the left lane. I pay attention to how fast or slow the traffic is ahead of me as well as behind. I see drivers speeding up and slowing down all the time. If you can't handle keeping your speed steady, maybe you should use CC. If you can't stay alert while driving with CC engaged, perhaps you should leave the driving of a big, powerful machine to someone else who is more capable. And common courtesy should be much more common than it is. But it's getting rarer all the time, and not just on the road.
I actually got pulled over once, 41 years ago, because I passed somebody on the right on I-57 in Illinois. The cop said he had to decide between me and the slow poke in the left lane and decided on me since I was young and he thought he'd have more influence on me and my future driving. I knew better, but since then I've worked harder to avoid passing on the right. I will often flash my lights behind someone plodding along in the left lane with no one in the right lane, but most are either too stubborn or oblivious to move over. I've never had a ticket in 44 years of driving.
Unless you're driving an antique, CC is usually an option on your car. I've driven many manual transmissions over the years and except for the 69 Chevelle, they all had CC. DH's Mustang is a six-speed manual and he uses CC frequently. It improves his mileage and keeps him from going too fast. If you're really good at keeping your foot steady for long periods of time, good for you. I do better with CC and it doesn't hinder my alertness at all. In fact, I can hit the brakes quicker when my foot is not on the gas. In any case, if I'm behind the wheel, CC or not, I'm paying close attention. I think more people could be okay with using CC if they got used to driving with it, but obviously not everyone is the same. If I keep passing you, it's because you're the one who can't pick a speed and stick with it. That's your choice too. Just stay out of the left lane!
I couldn't use CC locally if I tried. Around town where I live, few people do the speed limit. On the main stretch of road, a four-lane divided road with speed limit of 50, most do 35-40 and some even slower. On roads where it's 35, they seldom hit 30. And we have tons of roundabouts, which seem to put people into a state of panic that renders them incapable of movement. It is frustrating to think that people are incapable of maintaining the proper speed or deal with the numerous roundabouts. I can't decide if it's a lack of intelligence, distracted drivers, laziness, or fear. I dislike driving around here but I doubt it's much better anywhere else. I've concluded that most people are just not paying attention like they should and it's definitely gotten worse since cell phones became common.
Speaking of staying alert when driving, why does it seem that so few people use Bluetooth for phone calls? I haven't held a phone to my ear while driving in well over 10 years, and I never text while driving. I use the steering wheel controls to change the stations on my stereo and the voice commands to engage my navigation. Yet I see people of all ages, genders, and race, screwing with their phones while driving. No wonder accidents from distracted driving are getting to be so common. Making a new Facebook/Instagram/Twitter post is obviously so much more important than slamming into the car in front of you...right?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
