I think this is an old repost but for those who missed it, the season is upon us....

Using Cruise Control is like surrendering, isn't it :?:



I wonder how many people know about this?


A 36 year old female had an accident several weeks ago and Totaled her
car. A resident of Kilgore , Texas she was traveling between Gladewater
& Kilgore. 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 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 thought she was being cautious by setting the cruise control and
maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain. But the highway
patrolman told her that if the cruise control is on when your car begins
to hydro-plane and your tires lose contact with the pavement, your car
will accelerate to a higher rate of speed making you take off like an
airplane. She told the patrolman that was exactly what had occurred.


The patrolman said this warning should be listed, on the driver'* seat
sun-visor - NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR
ICY, along with the airbag warning.


We tell our teenagers to set the cruise control and drive a safe speed -
but we don't tell them to use the cruise control only when the pavement
is dry.


The only person the accident victim found, who knew this (besides the
patrolman), was a man who had had a similar accident, totaled his car
and sustained severe injuries.



NOTE: Some vehicles (like the Toyota Sienna Limited XLE) will not allow
you to set the cruise control when the windshield wipers are on.

Interesting. I always use cruise control when there'* light traffic, but never in the rain. I honestly didn't know about the effect cruise has on hydroplaning, but I'm always more aware and like to be ready to react to anything, so I don't use it when it'* raining. And definitely NEVER in the snow.

Good info to know

For anyone wanting more information - this is the link to Snopes regarding it.
http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/wetroad.asp

that there is why I love this place we call bonneville club. I never knew that although I don't think i have ever drove with the cruise control on while in inclement weather this was helpful information.

i've never had an issue with it at all. i have cooper lifeliner SLE tires, and they royally SUCK in the rain, so I drive cautiously as it is when its raining, but I set my cruise all the time when its COMING down. no biggie.

thats one of the first things i learned in drivers training, literally. it does happen to and it does make sense of how it happens...

John, it'* no wonder with the slugs you are driving.
Some of us can actually spin our tires in the wet.
j/k

i think that most of these hydro-plane problems stem from people not buying good wet traction tires.

Ever sense i bough good tires iv never had a problem int he heavy rain.

50,60,70mph doesn't matter. iv been in HEAVY down poors doing 65 and hit some deep water and had no problems

but, yes... DO not use CC in the snow.. Been there done that. Its fun if your planning on it happening but i can see how if someone does not realize it, it can cause a problem

Traction Control + ESP FTW...

I guess it depends on what takes precidence in a car'* computer, the Traction control/ESP bringing the drive wheels back down to the same speed as the dead wheels, or the Cruise trying to bring up the dead wheel'* speed by applying more throttle?

I don't use it on snow really, but on damp roads it'* no biggie. I don't see how she all of a sudden was "FLYING", especially since it was most likely a FWD car...