Cruise control on a NJ highway--useless?
broigus said:
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.
That's mature.
I have often wondered whether CC is safer or less safe than fully manual driving. I use it and sometimes find myself getting close to cars or spending more time in the left lane (to avoid slowing down) than I probably should.
It is cool how much you can control your speed with your fingertips.
Don't get me started on automatic chokes. And cranking is such good exercize.
On a long highway drive in light traffic, it can be easy to lose awareness of your speed. I usually drive about 10 miles over the speed limit. That means 75 in a 65 zone. But on an open road, I've sometimes found myself edging over 80 (and once got a speeding ticket for just that). So, what I now do in those situations is set my CC to 75 in order to restrict my speed.
FilmCarp said:
tjohn said:You would love my truck. No ac or cupholders, either.
prerak77 said: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.
conandrob240 said:+100
I have never used cruise control. I think driving should be an entirely active process
6-speed, rarely use AC (if ever), no cup holders, no glovebox, tiny trunk, dodgy radio, no Bluetooth, lock the car manually as I don't have the time/energy to repair the fob. Wouldn't mind a better radio/Bluetooth, but the manual is purely non-negotiable.
ctrzaska said:
FilmCarp said:6-speed, rarely use AC (if ever), no cup holders, no glovebox, tiny trunk, dodgy radio, no Bluetooth, lock the car manually as I don't have the time/energy to repair the fob. Wouldn't mind a better radio/Bluetooth, but the manual is purely non-negotiable.
tjohn said:You would love my truck. No ac or cupholders, either.
prerak77 said: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.
conandrob240 said:+100
I have never used cruise control. I think driving should be an entirely active process
I'm allergic to bees so a/c is a must. There are 2 off the shelf options for the 90-93 integra when it comes to running turbo "plumbing" and keeping the factory a/c. Neither worked with my turbo setup (most people aren't running a "snail" more suited for an 18 wheeler at 30+ pounds of boost.) Many long nights and cursing and screaming and using things like dryer duct to mock up pipe routing. Once I locked it in a pretty major company was able to produce what I needed for a nominal fee.
No cup holders.
$99 Pioneer headunit (cd/usb/sirius via an ancient converter box in the glovebox)
"Gathers" (pioneer) 100w speakers in the front doors.
5 speed manual , cable actuated transmission ('97 integra type R internals in the cable trans housing with '00 Integra Type R shifter and linkage)
Manual locks.
Power windows. Lexan rear 1/4 windows. Carbon fiber rear hatch with FAL plastic rear window)
Cruise control and abs removed completely.
Cc works for me because I usually keep to the right lane not more than 10 above the limit. However as soon as I hit traffic I turn it off. I get my speed kicks by redlining on the on ramps and by maintaining high speeds on the off ramps. This is particularly rewarding with a tail gating suv forced to hit the brakes hard to avoid hitting the barriers or running of the road. Manual transmission is non negotiable.
unicorn33 said:
On a long highway drive in light traffic, it can be easy to lose awareness of your speed. I usually drive about 10 miles over the speed limit. That means 75 in a 65 zone. But on an open road, I've sometimes found myself edging over 80 (and once got a speeding ticket for just that). So, what I now do in those situations is set my CC to 75 in order to restrict my speed.
This. Or to avoid going to slow. I don't bother with it in traffic. It's quite easy to just turn it off.
norman said:
Cc works for me because I usually keep to the right lane not more than 10 above the limit. However as soon as I hit traffic I turn it off. I get my speed kicks by redlining on the on ramps and by maintaining high speeds on the off ramps. This is particularly rewarding with a tail gating suv forced to hit the brakes hard to avoid hitting the barriers or running of the road. Manual transmission is non negotiable.
The on ramps and off ramps thing is great, but only when you got a clear path. Most drivers don't know that an on ramp is designed for reaching highways speeds so you can merge safely. Most drivers just reach the end, and slam their brakes, LOL.
I am not suicidal. I only pull these when it is safe to do so: clear on ramp, very little or no traffic on the right lane, and never in cases where I cannot see what's around a curve.
Fair enough. I only do it for a few seconds. If the person on the left appears to be clueless, I give the person (who wishes to pass) space to pass.
tjohn said:
prerak77 said: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.
conandrob240 said:+100
I have never used cruise control. I think driving should be an entirely active process
I'm happy for power windows and locks, but I mourn the loss of manual transmissions. Driving stick is fun AND gives you better control in some cases. Not that I'm telling anybody else that they ought to drive it (as some people seem to be implying that I should NOT use my cruise control), but I like it. These days it seems that the only cars with stick shifts are very high-end sports cars and very low-end economy cars (in the lowest model lines only.) I would LOVE to find something in the middle with some "bells and whistles" AND a stick shift, but I haven't seen any recently.
I have driven manual transmissions my whole life and I am not young. But today's automatics are nothing like yesterday's. You can have a reasonable facsimile of shift driving with them if you want.
I may get a manual car again, but I may not, and if I don't I won't feel bad about it.
Just drove a rental camry from Hertz when I was on the west coast. It came with a 7 speed "manual" shift option on the automatic trans. It wouldn't let me down shift at too high of an rpm and its wasn't a standard shift pattern but that cheesy push away to shift up, pull toward you to shift down. It wasn't awful but it wasn't a true manual.
In the 90s some honda automatic transmissions were more along the lines of an automatically actuated manual transmission than a "true" automatic. The 1990-1993 acura integra had an optional 4 speed automatic with straight cut 4.11 gears and 2 modes (s3 and s4 sport modes that would allow the trans to shift more aggressively). No kickdown cables or other buffer. 0-30mph was quicker than most manual trans equipped cars in the class and it could hang with sportier cars until around 60mph.
Companies like Lexus have some real beasts for sale now that run 7 and 8 speed automatics with several hundred horsepower going through them.
It's the great debate on Porsche discussion boards... there was a slow but steady move away from manuals to their (ridiculously advanced) autos that has angered purists to no end, though lap times on the autos were often fractionally better than in manuals in many cases. Thankfully they've heard the concerns and have come out in favor of some level of preservation, though not across the board.
I guess that's like the debate over real corks in wine bottles versus plastic screw tops.
We just got our first car with automatic. I like it a lot more than I expected to. It's a 2004 (I think) Honda Element.
There's no question that the debate usually hinges on aesthetics and tradition, but Ferrari has turned out some of the most amazing cars it ever has of late (though I'm not comparing them apples vs oranges by any means to the classics, more later models), and hasn't made one with a manual in a long time. The technology is just too good to pass up the performance gain, but they still have the cache, the exclusivity, and the art of gorgeous Italian eye candy to otherwise lure the doubtful. Same for Lamborghini, who has also eschewed any further manuals. Most often the pro-manual side bemoans the missing visceral feel one gets driving a 6 or 7 speed manual vs an automatic (or more correctly a PDK in Porsche's case). There's simply nothing like it-- it's less calculated, less forgiving, less precise, less... cold.
I used to use cruise control when we lived in Monmouth County. Traffic on the GSP quite often was smooth enough that we could go for miles on cruise control.
sac said:
tjohn said:I'm happy for power windows and locks, but I mourn the loss of manual transmissions. Driving stick is fun AND gives you better control in some cases. Not that I'm telling anybody else that they ought to drive it (as some people seem to be implying that I should NOT use my cruise control), but I like it. These days it seems that the only cars with stick shifts are very high-end sports cars and very low-end economy cars (in the lowest model lines only.) I would LOVE to find something in the middle with some "bells and whistles" AND a stick shift, but I haven't seen any recently.
prerak77 said: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.
conandrob240 said:+100
I have never used cruise control. I think driving should be an entirely active process
I probably wouldn't trade an automatic car for my day- to- day driving but, man, there's nothing like the sound and feel of a car shifting gears at accelerating speed. One of life's great pleasures.
sac said:
tjohn said:I'm happy for power windows and locks, but I mourn the loss of manual transmissions. Driving stick is fun AND gives you better control in some cases. Not that I'm telling anybody else that they ought to drive it (as some people seem to be implying that I should NOT use my cruise control), but I like it. These days it seems that the only cars with stick shifts are very high-end sports cars and very low-end economy cars (in the lowest model lines only.) I would LOVE to find something in the middle with some "bells and whistles" AND a stick shift, but I haven't seen any recently.
prerak77 said: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.
conandrob240 said:+100
I have never used cruise control. I think driving should be an entirely active process
https://www.hyundaiusa.com/genesis-coupe/index.aspx
It caught my eye at the auto show this Spring.
TomR
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You would love my truck. No ac or cupholders, either.