Cruise control on a NJ highway--useless?

conandrob240 said:

ctrzaska said:

sac said:
Those who say you never use it - have you ever tried? It can make a huge (positive)difference on long driving trips.

I have. The last thing I need is one less thing keeping me focused on the actual role of driving, particularly on longer trips where monotony and its negative impact on reaction timeis already a factor.

Completely agree on this. I find it to be really useless and the feeling of loss of control I snot one I am comfortable with

I disagree. I feel like I have more control. I can decide the speed I wish to travel or how much I wish to exceed the speed limit. No worries about unconsciously gradually increasing speed so that I'm far over the speed limit. Without the distraction of monitoring my speed I can pay attention to other drivers and potential hazards on the road. When going downhill my car doesn't gain speed and I'm not hitting the brakes to combat gravity.

To turn it off all you need to do is tap the brakes (or the thingamagig on the steering wheel) or accelerate.

I'm curious if the studies they did regarding cruise control involved drivers who already used it or if the test subjects were not familiar with the feature.

I do use it frequently on long stretches and I often use the controls on the steering wheel instead of constantly working the brake and accelerator. I find that it gives me a good sense of control but I've used it for years now.

It's a beneficial feature vis-a-vis fuel consumption, but maybe there's an educational component that isn't being addressed on a wide scale.

And some people's brains are already so full of information they can't adapt to anything new.

Yeah, that new-fangled cruise-controlly thing. That's a real break-through, new technological stumper right there.

conandrob240 said:
Yeah, that new-fangled cruise-controlly thing. That's a real break-through, new technological stumper right there.

Your sarcasm is noted.

If you read this thread you can see there are people who usr it and those who don't, for different reasons. If I wanted to publish a study on how using cruise control is more dangetous than not I would find a bunch of people who had never turned it on in their car and study them.

How did you learn how to safely operate a vehicle using cruise control?

ctrzaska said:

tjohn said:
I wish more people would use it on highways. It may be my imagination, but on my drive to/from Rochester this last weekend, it seemed to me that a lot of people in the passing lane would slow down a bit when alongside the vehicle they were passing. Cruise control prevents this from happening.

Interestingly enough, there's a study that says cruise control is responsible for people driving in the passing lane longer than necessary. Makes sense given folks don't accelerate when passing on CC.

Unfortunately, in the U.S. we don't follow the German practice of getting out of the passing lane as soon as possible. Having said that, I have noticed that a lot of drivers slow down for some reason when pulling alongside of the vehicle they are passing. Cruise control prevents this.

Other than that, it is not legal to exceed the speed limit to pass on a multi-lane highway. So, if I am driving at 75 mph and I am passing somebody going 74 mph, there is no legal basis for me to increase speed. If there are people behind me, I usually do speed up to clear the lane, but I don't know that a police officer would consider that to be a valid reason for speeding.

I will also point out that steering wheels, turn signals and high beams are old-fangled features which many drivers display a profound failure to master.

Well, in NJ at least.

tjohn said:

ctrzaska said:

tjohn said:
I wish more people would use it on highways. It may be my imagination, but on my drive to/from Rochester this last weekend, it seemed to me that a lot of people in the passing lane would slow down a bit when alongside the vehicle they were passing. Cruise control prevents this from happening.

Interestingly enough, there's a study that says cruise control is responsible for people driving in the passing lane longer than necessary. Makes sense given folks don't accelerate when passing on CC.

Unfortunately, in the U.S. we don't follow the German practice of getting out of the passing lane as soon as possible. Having said that, I have noticed that a lot of drivers slow down for some reason when pulling alongside of the vehicle they are passing. Cruise control prevents this.
Other than that, it is not legal to exceed the speed limit to pass on a multi-lane highway. So, if I am driving at 75 mph and I am passing somebody going 74 mph, there is no legal basis for me to increase speed. If there are people behind me, I usually do speed up to clear the lane, but I don't know that a police officer would consider that to be a valid reason for speeding.

It seems to me more frequent for the car being passed to speed up as it is being passed..

conandrob240 said:
Well, in NJ at least.

Everywhere in the US. Driving down to DC recently, I saw cars with plates from up and down the coast who seem to have an aversion to letting people know they were turning or changing lanes.

mrincredible said:
I'm curious if the studies they did regarding cruise control involved drivers who already used it or if the test subjects were not familiar with the feature.
I do use it frequently on long stretches and I often use the controls on the steering wheel instead of constantly working the brake and accelerator. I find that it gives me a good sense of control but I've used it for years now.
It's a beneficial feature vis-a-vis fuel consumption, but maybe there's an educational component that isn't being addressed on a wide scale.
And some people's brains are already so full of information they can't adapt to anything new. ">

Part of the issues I've read stem from an over-reliance on ACC to replace awareness on the part of drivers, many of whom often assume that ACC can/will do things that it will not or cannot (ie full stop vs slow, pace of reacceleration, setting of appropriate vehicle distances, etc etc). Some of the most glaring examples of this stem from folks who use it in the rain, which can be a deadly misstep for several reasons.

Sybil said:

tjohn said:

ctrzaska said:

tjohn said:
I wish more people would use it on highways. It may be my imagination, but on my drive to/from Rochester this last weekend, it seemed to me that a lot of people in the passing lane would slow down a bit when alongside the vehicle they were passing. Cruise control prevents this from happening.

Interestingly enough, there's a study that says cruise control is responsible for people driving in the passing lane longer than necessary. Makes sense given folks don't accelerate when passing on CC.

Unfortunately, in the U.S. we don't follow the German practice of getting out of the passing lane as soon as possible. Having said that, I have noticed that a lot of drivers slow down for some reason when pulling alongside of the vehicle they are passing. Cruise control prevents this.
Other than that, it is not legal to exceed the speed limit to pass on a multi-lane highway. So, if I am driving at 75 mph and I am passing somebody going 74 mph, there is no legal basis for me to increase speed. If there are people behind me, I usually do speed up to clear the lane, but I don't know that a police officer would consider that to be a valid reason for speeding.

It seems to me more frequent for the car being passed to speed up as it is being passed..

I notice this far more than I do folks slowing down. That said, the slowing often reflects negatively on those who can't seem to do two things at once: recognize someone's coming up behind them (hello-you have a rear view) and maintaining (if not increasing) speed to get out of the passing lane when immediately practical to do so.

I will admit that there are times, especially on highways with two lanes in each direction, that when I am passing a car if a car comes up behind me in a way that I judge is too aggressive (for example coming too close) that I will slow down and match my speed to the car along side me for awhile just to piss off the driver behind me.

tjohn said:

ctrzaska said:

tjohn said:
I wish more people would use it on highways. It may be my imagination, but on my drive to/from Rochester this last weekend, it seemed to me that a lot of people in the passing lane would slow down a bit when alongside the vehicle they were passing. Cruise control prevents this from happening.

Interestingly enough, there's a study that says cruise control is responsible for people driving in the passing lane longer than necessary. Makes sense given folks don't accelerate when passing on CC.

Unfortunately, in the U.S. we don't follow the German practice of getting out of the passing lane as soon as possible. Having said that, I have noticed that a lot of drivers slow down for some reason when pulling alongside of the vehicle they are passing. Cruise control prevents this.
Other than that, it is not legal to exceed the speed limit to pass on a multi-lane highway. So, if I am driving at 75 mph and I am passing somebody going 74 mph, there is no legal basis for me to increase speed. If there are people behind me, I usually do speed up to clear the lane, but I don't know that a police officer would consider that to be a valid reason for speeding.

If youre doing 75 you aren't passing someone doing 74 without: a) taking an hour to do so or, b) exceeding the speed limit. In fact, you ought to just follow in line.

On a related note, does ACC now flash brake lights when the normal, slower speed is resumed after passing? I ask only because most times I'm intentionally decreasing speed by not hitting my brakes I'm sending a message to some schmuck behind me to stop tailing me, not to an unwilling person who may find themselves coming up behind me far too quickly than they expected. (Though the time I had antifreeze in my wiper fluid reservoir-- don't ask-- was hilariously more efficient.)

..

Someone is pulling out all kinds of accounts today.

ctrzaska said:

mrincredible said:
I'm curious if the studies they did regarding cruise control involved drivers who already used it or if the test subjects were not familiar with the feature.
I do use it frequently on long stretches and I often use the controls on the steering wheel instead of constantly working the brake and accelerator. I find that it gives me a good sense of control but I've used it for years now.
It's a beneficial feature vis-a-vis fuel consumption, but maybe there's an educational component that isn't being addressed on a wide scale.
And some people's brains are already so full of information they can't adapt to anything new. " src="//static.wwstf.com/common/plugins/redactor/emoticons/1.0/images/16.gif" unselectable="on">

Part of the issues I've read stem from an over-reliance on ACC to replace awareness on the part of drivers, many of whom often assume that ACC can/will do things that it will not or cannot (ie full stop vs slow, pace of reacceleration, setting of appropriate vehicle distances, etc etc). Some of the most glaring examples of this stem from folks who use it in the rain, which can be a deadly misstep for several reasons.

...which would kinda support MrIncredible's question about whether people actually know how to use it.

Second (or third) using it on Ridgewood and Prospect when we were living in SOMA. It's fun to hear others do it too! Same where we are now, when there are 25 or 30 mph posted zones that feel like they should be 40.

On the highway, I find it cuts down fatigue, and keeps me at the speed I want when I'm rushed or tired. I can focus on the the steering, the distance between my car and the car in front, and the route (no GPS).

(And when slowing, I do still tap the brakes several times, though it only takes once to cancel the CC, and w/ABS you're not supposed to pump the brake. I really want to alert the driver behind.)

I grew up in Phoenix, so I've lived in two different 'worlds'. I wouldn't say that many people out West use cruise control in their daily driving. It's generally a 'long drive on the highway' sort of thing. If it use it or not really depends on how far I'm going and how congested the roads are. Generally if I'm still in Northern NJ I probably haven't gone far enough to bother with it.

tjohn said:
I wish more people would use it on highways. It may be my imagination, but on my drive to/from Rochester this last weekend, it seemed to me that a lot of people in the passing lane would slow down a bit when alongside the vehicle they were passing. Cruise control prevents this from happening.

It really irritates when people do this. I don't know if they're using cruise control. They come up on my left from behind. Then they snuggle with me. What's up with that? I slow down, and then they slow down, so I guess they're not using cruise control. They're just inattentive. So I slow way down. Then they either pass me by maintaining speed, or they start noticing their need to speed up. Then I do something a little manipulative. Once they are a little ahead, I stay behind. Remember, I'm in the right lane. I match their speed. Then someone comes up on their behind. The new guy can't pass in either lane. If the first guy has any semblance of attention left, they realize they ought to move over. Wow, I've made a left lane bandit move over. Pretty neat trick!

Tom_Reingold said:

tjohn said:
I wish more people would use it on highways. It may be my imagination, but on my drive to/from Rochester this last weekend, it seemed to me that a lot of people in the passing lane would slow down a bit when alongside the vehicle they were passing. Cruise control prevents this from happening.

It really irritates when people do this. I don't know if they're using cruise control. They come up on my left from behind. Then they snuggle with me. What's up with that? I slow down, and then they slow down, so I guess they're not using cruise control. They're just inattentive. So I slow way down. Then they either pass me by maintaining speed, or they start noticing their need to speed up. Then I do something a little manipulative. Once they are a little ahead, I stay behind. Remember, I'm in the right lane. I match their speed. Then someone comes up on their behind. The new guy can't pass in either lane. If the first guy has any semblance of attention left, they realize they ought to move over. Wow, I've made a left lane bandit move over. Pretty neat trick!

To me, you've just illustrated a reason why driverless vehicles may never really become popular. We have too much need for control and for "interaction" with other drivers.

ParticleMan said:

conandrob240 said:
Well, in NJ at least.

Everywhere in the US. Driving down to DC recently, I saw cars with plates from up and down the coast who seem to have an aversion to letting people know they were turning or changing lanes.

Re: changing lanes: That's because they saw your NJ plates and assumed that you would speed up to close the gap. So better not to advertise

Going back OP I love cruise control. Seldom use it in NJ for safety reasons though

mjh said:

To me, you've just illustrated a reason why driverless vehicles may never really become popular. We have too much need for control and for "interaction" with other drivers.

How do you figure? I only attempt to control another person's behavior because it's dangerous. Snuggling with another vehicle is a highly boneheaded move.

Tom_Reingold said:

mjh said:To me, you've just illustrated a reason why driverless vehicles may never really become popular. We have too much need for control and for "interaction" with other drivers.

How do you figure? I only attempt to control another person's behavior because it's dangerous. Snuggling with another vehicle is a highly boneheaded move.

I'm going to say that pissing off the driver behind them by purposely restricting their desired movement is also dangerous. I've seen many occasions of this when the one in front is too clueless to move over, and then the one in back does some crazy maneuvers to either attempt to 'push' them to go faster by tightly tailgating, and/or squeezing in front of the car in the right lane when there really isn't enough room.

Tom_Reingold said:

mjh said:To me, you've just illustrated a reason why driverless vehicles may never really become popular. We have too much need for control and for "interaction" with other drivers.

How do you figure? I only attempt to control another person's behavior because it's dangerous. Snuggling with another vehicle is a highly boneheaded move.

Well, I don't think you can do that in a driverless car. You'll have to let it go.

The cruise control in my 25 year old car is essentially a metal cable, an actuator, and a "brain" slightly less powerful than a casio digital watch. It was clunky and never worked exactly right and would rely on data from other ancient systems like 1st generation honda alb (abs). Like many other intega owners I pulled mine out in favor of the 0.5 horsepower gain due cruise control's 11 pound weight. I can handle driving the car myself just fine.

sprout said:

Tom_Reingold said:

mjh said:To me, you've just illustrated a reason why driverless vehicles may never really become popular. We have too much need for control and for "interaction" with other drivers.

How do you figure? I only attempt to control another person's behavior because it's dangerous. Snuggling with another vehicle is a highly boneheaded move.

I'm going to say that pissing off the driver behind them by purposely restricting their desired movement is also dangerous. I've seen many occasions of this when the one in front is too clueless to move over, and then the one in back does some crazy maneuvers to either attempt to 'push' them to go faster by tightly tailgating, and/or squeezing in front of the car in the right lane when there really isn't enough room.

I've seen someone pushed to the shoulder at about 70-75mph as a result of their attempt to influence another driver. Let's just say he faded into the distance rather quickly after that. I'm not saying I've not been known to do it, but one had better be wellprepared to be on the receiving end, whatever that might bring.

Tom_Reingold said:

tjohn said:
I wish more people would use it on highways. It may be my imagination, but on my drive to/from Rochester this last weekend, it seemed to me that a lot of people in the passing lane would slow down a bit when alongside the vehicle they were passing. Cruise control prevents this from happening.

It really irritates when people do this. I don't know if they're using cruise control. They come up on my left from behind. Then they snuggle with me. What's up with that? I slow down, and then they slow down, so I guess they're not using cruise control. They're just inattentive. So I slow way down. Then they either pass me by maintaining speed, or they start noticing their need to speed up. Then I do something a little manipulative. Once they are a little ahead, I stay behind. Remember, I'm in the right lane. I match their speed. Then someone comes up on their behind. The new guy can't pass in either lane. If the first guy has any semblance of attention left, they realize they ought to move over. Wow, I've made a left lane bandit move over. Pretty neat trick!

39:4-56. Delaying traffic prohibited. No person shall drive or conduct a vehicle in such condition, so constructed or so loaded, as to be likely to cause delay in traffic or accident to man, beast or property.

conandrob240 said:
I have never used cruise control. I think driving should be an entirely active process

+100

prerak77 said:

conandrob240 said:
I have never used cruise control. I think driving should be an entirely active process

+100

Ain't that the truth. Annoys me no end that it is harder and harder to find cars with manual transmissions, manual windows and manual locks.