Oh dear, here we go again. 

Urban Myth

I have never had a problemwith cruise control doing anything other than what I set it at.

of course you would not use it if the road was icy or slippery but WET!!!

drivers must drive to the conditions and adjust speed and attitude accordingly. that also means being aware of what is going on around you and not being distracted by the gadgets in the car.

CONCENTRATE on what you are doing and you will be ok.

frank

For the benefit of those who have not opened D&D's RACQ link here's an interesting excerpt.

Seems 36 year old females are particularly at risk.

 

 

 

Internet warnings, urban legend and myths

1. For several years the internet has circulated warnings about the dangers of using cruise control in wet or icy conditions.  While there is a grain of truth in these warnings, they generally greatly exaggerate the issue and provide inaccurate information.  Here are some examples:
   
   A 36 year old female had an accident several weeks ago. It was raining, though not excessively when her car suddenly began to hydro-plane and literally flew through the air. She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden occurrence! When she explained to the Police Officer what had happened, he told her something that every driver should know -  never drive in the rain with your cruise control on.
   
   Read more
2. NEVER KNEW THIS BEFORE
   
   I wonder how many people know about this?
   
   A 36-year-old female had an accident several weeks ago and totalled her car. A resident of Wollongong, NSW, she was travelling between Wollongong & Sydney. It was raining, though not excessively, when her car suddenly began to hydroplane and literally flew through the air.
   
   Read more
3. A 36 year old female had an accident several weeks ago and totaled her car. A resident of Kilgore, Texas, she was travelling between Gladewater & Kilgore. It was raining, though not excessively, when her car suddenly began to hydroplane and literally flew through the air. She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden occurrence!
    
   When she explained to the highway patrolman what had happened he told her something that every driver should know - Never drive in the rain with your cruise control on. She had thought she was being cautious by setting the cruise control and maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain.
   
   Read more
4. I had a wreck a couple of weeks ago and totalled our Lincoln Town Car. I hydroplaned on Hwy 135 between Gladewater & Kilgore, Texas. I was not hurt, just emotionally rattled! I know the Lord was with me.
   
   I learned a lesson I'd like to pass on to you. You may know this already--but the highway patrolman told me that you should never drive in the rain with your cruise control on. He said if you did and hydroplaned (which I did) that when your tires were off the road your car would accelerate to a high rate of speed (which it did). You don't have much, if any control when you hydroplane, but you are totally in the hands of God when the car accelerates. I took off like I was in an airplane. I'm so thankful I made it through that ordeal. Please pass the word around about not using cruise control when the pavement is wet or icy. The highway patrolman said this should be on the sun-visor with the warning about air-bags.
   
   Read more

The Facts

Youll notice the examples use near identical wording and American terminology.  Many use US place names while others have been Australianised, presumably to give greater local credibility.

But the claims need to be considered from a technical point of view. For example;

Claim: ...her car suddenly began to hydro-plane and literally flew through the air
Reality:  Cruise control has nothing to do with hydroplaning.  If there was sufficient water on the road to cause hydroplaning, it was going to happen regardless of whether cruise control was engaged or not.  A hydroplaning car may feel like its flying but it isnt, and wont.

Claim:  ...your car will begin to hydro-plane when the tyres lose contact with the road, and your car will accelerate to a higher rate of speed making you take off like an aeroplane.
Reality:  When there is a film of water between the tyre and the road the car will hydroplane, however it will not accelerate to a high rate of speed making you take off like an aeroplane.  The fact is speedo readings are derived from wheel speed rather than actual vehicle speed, so if the wheels slip they will speed up and this will be reflected in the speedo reading.  But the vehicle wont actually speed up to any great degree.

Claim: ...when your tires were off the road your car would accelerate to a high rate of speed
Reality: Same explanation as above.

Claim: Never knew this before
Reality: Information about safe and appropriate use of cruise control is in vehicle handbooks.  It may not be in the same emotive terms as the web warnings but the relevant information is there.

Claim: Never use the cruise control when the pavement is wet or icy
Reality: There is a degree of truth in this statement. Certainly cruise control should never be used when the road is icy or slippery.  The bottom line is you need to make your own decisions about the road conditions and the appropriateness of using cruise control.

Claim: You don't have much, if any control when you hydroplane
Reality: Absolutely correct.  Thats why you should avoid getting into that situation.

 

 

-- Edited by Santa on Saturday 16th of November 2013 11:35:15 PM

Santa wrote:

---

Its a 10 year old report, lifted almost word for word from a new article in Texas, the Snopes report is well worth reading.

Somehow the pic and the report don't seem to match up.

 

-- Edited by Santa on Saturday 16th of November 2013 03:05:22 PM

---

 If you look at the picture everything is bone dry 

Gday...

May I pose a question?

Irrespective of whether using cruise control or not, has anyone encountered aquaplaning in their vehicle when driving in the wet?

If so, do you remember the feeling? - of initially realising it was occurring - of experiencing the feeling of being suddenly "out of control" - and when you lifted off the throttle did you experience a feeling of 'gaining speed'. Perhaps you even touched the brakes and became very worried because there was no 'reaction' and it may have even increased the feeling of "being out of control".

The point I am so labouriously trying to make is that, when there is 'standing water' on a road surface, the potential for aquaplaning is very real. 

When a tyre hits such a situation, whether you have cruise control engaged or not, you are quite likely to aquaplane. Racing cars of any type, including motorcycles, do so regularly on wet tracks. It is the tyre losing contact with the road surface and 'floating' on the water surface that causes the 'aquaplaning' - and surprisingly it is NOT speed related - it will occur at any speed - but has the higher potential for danger at higher speeds as your reaction time is reduced.

The only way to reduce the potential of aquaplaning when driving in the wet is to do what all drivers should be doing ALL THE TIME ... reading the road conditions. If the road is wet, and you see a patch of 'standing water' be prepared to back off, DO NOT BRAKE, concentrate on the steering, but do not make any sudden move with the wheel, and be alert to the possibility of aquaplaning. Perhaps, if you have cruise control operating, disengage it which will, in itself, reduce throttle and slow the vehicle. 

It is not the fault of any driver that they react poorly to 'incidents' when driving. The fault is in the system that supposedly teaches people to drive ... sorry, not to drive, but to pass a basic test to obtain a piece of paper - and part with some money.

There is nothing in the 'learning process' for a driver these days about how to handle a vehicle in the wide variety of road conditions at various speeds that we will encounter. Hence, when confronted with a 'situation', so many 'over-react' and become involved in what is laughingly called 'an accident'.

The definition - ac·ci·dent 

a. An unexpected and undesirable event, especially one resulting in damage or harm:

b. An unforeseen incident.

If we become alert drivers, constantly reading the road conditions, than very little should be "unexpected" or "unforeseen". Never say "It will not happen to me". Because, quite likely, IT WILL - sometime, somewhere, somehow.

I guess I should now stand down from my soapbox an resume my usual place under the table

Cheers - John

 

 

-- Edited by rockylizard on Sunday 17th of November 2013 01:55:19 PM

"....suddenly accelerated and took off like an aeroplane."

Wouldn't it be good if true, aeroplanes could do away with those big noisy engines & fit smaller engines but also fit & use cruise control.