Warning on use of Cruise Control in wet or icy weather

GeePee
GeePee Forum Participant Posts: 19
edited August 2013 in Your stories #1

I hope this is an appropriate place to post this warning. If you don't believe that it is true, then ask an expert or just Google it.

I was recently told about an accident to a young lady and it reminded me of our terrible journey from Innsbruck to Dresden in May this year, in pouring rain, on the start of our 8 week summer holiday. A couple of times, I felt the usual feeling of losing steering and slight acceleration which is the start of hydroplaning. I’m very experienced at driving in icy conditions having driven for many years in winter weather to ski resorts with my ski team, when I managed the British Paralympic Ski team, so I know the feeling well. We saw two motorhomes on their side on this drive. I don’t know what caused, it but it certainly made me reduce the pressure on the accelerator.  

The young lady’s story was that it was raining, though not excessively when her car suddenly began to hydroplane and literally flew through the air and ended up when she crashed into a tree. 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 – that is..

NEVER DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE CONTROL ON..

 She thought she was being cautious by setting the cruise control and maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain, but the Police Officer told her that if the cruise control is on, your car will begin to hydroplane when the tyres lose contact with the road, and your car will accelerate.     

So, you should NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE ROAD IS WET OR ICY. Not a lot of people know this.

I hope this will help someone out there to avoid an accident in the future.

 

 

Comments

  • anne1954
    anne1954 Forum Participant Posts: 7
    edited August 2013 #2

    Thanks very much for this tip. Do any caravan nears use cruise control whilst towing? Is it safe?

  • GeePee
    GeePee Forum Participant Posts: 19
    edited August 2013 #3

    Thanks very much for this tip. Do any caravan nears use cruise control whilst towing? Is it safe?

    Sorry Anne, didn't quite understand this bit, "Do any caravan nears ....." until my wife said that there is a space in "caravanners". My answer is that I don't know, as when I towed a 'van, it was before the years of cruise control being available generally.
    Motorhome users certainly use it. I don't know why caravanners should not do so. Safe? Why not? Perhaps other caravanners who do use it would care to comment.

  • woodlanewanderers
    woodlanewanderers Forum Participant Posts: 28
    First Comment
    edited August 2013 #4

    I use cruise control quite a lot whilst towing my caravan. I find it great on motorways or good A roads during quiet times. I have never had any trouble using it but can't be sure if I have used it in the wet, I would think I have.

    Thank's for the tip, I will be cautious in future.

  • Johnc 26
    Johnc 26 Forum Participant Posts: 49
    edited September 2013 #5

    This years holiday tour covered over 4000 miles in europe, and I used the cruise control on all main roads. There wasn't an awful lot of rain so can't really say if there was any aquaplaning. But thanks for the tip, forewarned is forearmed.

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