# Cruise Control what do you do ?



## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

What do you set your cruise control on when on the motorway.

John Tht.


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## sata (Nov 4, 2011)

why do you ask ????? 

I would of thought you knew the answer !!!


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## streaky (Dec 2, 2006)

I set mine to constant.


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## tightlines (Jul 16, 2011)

55mph thats all the truck will do, don't bother in the car unless is quiet and set it to 65-70, if its busy i go with the flow of the traffic


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## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

You tell me then !

I set it at 56 on the inside lane most if not all even HGV passed, even in the fast lane at the legal limit of 70 every car wanted to go faster much faster. As the middle lane is only for overtaking the volume of traffic was light.

John Tht.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

When I had it, permanently off. Find me a motorway in the uk where you can keep a constant speed during the day without either being dangerous or cause jams.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Titanium Htail said:


> You tell me then !
> 
> I set it at 56 on the inside lane most if not all even HGV passed, even in the fast lane at the legal limit of 70 every car wanted to go faster much faster. As the middle lane is only for overtaking the volume of traffic was light.
> 
> John Tht.


Chances are the outside lane is for overtaking in, i.e. not keeping a constant speed and never moving.


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## DLGWRX02 (Apr 6, 2010)

I'm nearly always using it usually about 60-70 but then mine adjusts with the flow of traffic so it's rather lazy driving.lol


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## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

#6 ^^^ This some of those cars in lane 3 were doing 90+ in groups with others waiting to pass, they were not slowing down for anything.

Thanks RP, though it was me, like that idea of it pacing to the traffic.

John Tht.


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## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

Only times I can use cruise is when I finish a night shift and start a morning shift.

To many lane hopping/middle lane.hogging to be able to actual set it and travel some distance
+ I get mpg without it anyway


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

RisingPower said:


> When I had it, permanently off. Find me a motorway in the uk where you can keep a constant speed during the day without either being dangerous or cause jams.


Came down the A1 early one morning, Durham to Peterborough, on cruise control. Granted it was 2am!, set to just under 70mph.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

neilos said:


> Came down the A1 early one morning, Durham to Peterborough, on cruise control. Granted it was 2am!, set to just under 70mph.


I said during the day


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## Techgeek (Jun 7, 2007)

I either use mine late night 90 ish or whatever the average speed cameras are set to.


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

As earlier comment it's useless on most motorways unless it's the middle of the night. Only time I find it good is in roadworks with average speed cameras.


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## JB052 (Mar 22, 2008)

Darlofan said:


> As earlier comment it's useless on most motorways unless it's the middle of the night. Only time I find it good is in roadworks with average speed cameras.


Agreed, whatever the average speed cameras or variable speed limit is.


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

JB052 said:


> Agreed, whatever the average speed cameras or variable speed limit is.


Use mine only in these situations.


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

normally 85:driver:

Chris


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## Kai96 (Nov 13, 2015)

Summit Detailing said:


> normally 85:driver:
> 
> Chris


Better edit that before the speed vultures get you :lol:


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## TRN Ent (Nov 16, 2008)

As soon as I get on a dual carriageway/motorway in the truck I set it to the highest I can go which is 56mph.
Luckily most of the time I can quite happily sit there doing that speed, there's just the odd time when another truck is doing a few mph less, or a car randomly slows down, matches my speed then speeds up only to repeat.

In the car when I did have cruise control I could never use it without constantly pulling in/out of lanes, slowing people down or having to speed up, even when matching the speed of car in front.

Tom.


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## LSherratt (Dec 27, 2011)

I set mine to 75mph and find it very useful. Mine is only the basic cruise control- none of this automatic breaking etc. When using it you do have to plan ahead though. As soon as I see myself approaching another car in front, I'll pull out to overtake earlier than usual then pull back in again ASSP.

When I travelled back from Cornwall to Gloucester at 11pm, I literally didn't have to touch my pedals for about an hour as it was that quiet on the roads.


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## CoOkIeMoNsTeR (Mar 6, 2011)

I live in a quieter part of the country clearly as I have no issues using the cruise control on nearly every journey in the car. The only trunk road out of north wales is the A55 which is pretty much set up like a motorway and has a constant 70 mph speed limit over 98% of it. I used to commute 60 miles on it each way every week day for 6 years and rarely touched any of the pedals over most of it with standard cruise control set to 60 MPH on my way to work at peak time and 56 MPH on my home from work starting around 4pm so arriving home about 5:15pm before the rush really started. I now drive at odd times all over the country (Wales that is) and it's hard to use cruise control on the windy roads here so on my journeys to Cardiff I use the A470 as it is a more engaging road rather than hopping over the boarder to use motorways. It helps if I get given a car that's decent to drive, last time I had a Focus 1.0 Ecoboost which was much better fun than the usual Astra or Cee'd.


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## Harry_p (Mar 18, 2015)

Used it a couple of times to see what it was like, decided our roads are too busy to make it work and having to keep adjusting it or knocking it on and off was harder work than just regulating speed with my right foot.

Can understand the appeal if you're happy to plod along slowly and let everyone else drive around you, or use roads which have decent sections where you're not either constantly catching or moving out of the way of other people.


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## dezzy (Apr 13, 2007)

Cruise control demonstrates how erratic everyone else's driving is! No way you can use it in rush hour where I live. Do tend to use it on long motorway journeys from Scotland down the M74 and M6 but it's hilarious seeing a car you just passed then come up and overtake you, just to then overtake it again a few minutes later - erratic!

It also highlights the idiot middle lane drivers who don't seem to realise they are supposed to return to lane 1 after overtaking. Sitting there doing 60mph in the middle lane with not another car in sight in front of them or on their left for miles ahead!


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## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

We have had fines for middle lane idiots it is one thing to keep up with the traffic, as most of the time CC has benefits at night as mentioned or less busy times.

John Tht.


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## Caledoniandream (Oct 9, 2009)

Use it wherever and whenever I can, and that is quite a lot.
I set it to the flow of the traffic, it can be 68, 72, 61, 78 whatever keep me in the flow.
I don't need to be in front and overtake everybody.
I actually works very well on forward thinking and looking, your constantly aware of the traffic around you.
If you see a truck coming up, you start looking in your mirrors, to make decision when to pull out to overtake it, so you don't have to brake and don't hinder the rest of the traffic.

I use to commute from Scotland central belt to Birmingham city centre on a weekly base.
There have been many times, that I joined the M9 put it on cruise control, and didn't come of until spaghetti junction, and this was leaving the house Sunday around 16:00/ 17:00hrs.

I feel I make much better progress when running on cruise control, it saves fuel, and it's more relaxing to drive.
You don't have to watch the speedo, as you exactly know what speed your are doing. 
It's all about setting the correct speed, and sometimes your progress is much better on 65mph, than trying constantly to hit 78mph.
It's all about steady flow.
I know it's more difficult to use on very congested roads, but if you run on cruise control, it's more important to keep distance, so you have space totake up the slack and you don't have to slow down, and speed up again, a couple more yards between you and the car in front it's all it needs.


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## tmitch45 (Jul 29, 2006)

I use it a lot but not in the conventional way. I don't go on many motorways so don't use it there much but I mainly use it as a limiter in 30 and 40 mph zones to ensure it don't creep over the limit. With modern quite cars I find it is really easy to drift over the limit.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

I use mine a lot, around town too.


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## Delboy_Trotter (Jun 7, 2007)

variable limits and average speeders mainly, or if I'm on the motorway for a long stretch, ill set it for 70/75 and just cruise


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## rob28 (Nov 7, 2008)

I was back in England last week and didn't use it once - but the M25, M20 and M1 are not the greatest for being able to keep a constant speed.
Back over here, I use it about 90-95% of the time. Set it 5 to 10km/h over the limit and I'm good to go for hours on end.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

I wouldn't buy a car without cruise as I use it a lot. 

I've just driven 140 miles and used it most of the way. The A90 has lots of speed cameras so I just set it to 78mph and not worry about the cameras. 

Everyone looks at me as if I'm mental sailing through at 78mph. Everyone reduces their speed well under 70mph to be safe.


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

I use cruise every day and wouldn't be without it. I agree with some of the comments above though, in that it really makes you realise how much other driver's speed can vary. 

As Kerr said above, I'd never buy a car without it. I'd love to have a car with the adaptive cruise, but I have trust issues lol. I did read one story about a guy who owned a golf gtd with adaptive cruise. He was in fog and the car started braking and reached a standstill. The traffic in front of him had stopped and the car was able to detect it, even though the driver said he wasn't able to see any tail/brake lights. 

Pretty clever. 

I still wouldn't trust it though, in the same way that my Gran never trusted the microwave. Witchcraft....

Cooks

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


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## Bristle Hound (May 31, 2009)

When I can I set my cruise control to the following -
Set a 75 in a 70
Set 61 in a 60
Set 51 in a 50
Set 41 in a 40
Set 31 in a 30
Set 21 in a 20

Brave eh! :lol:


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

In the BMW I use it in road works or average cameras

In the Lexus I use it all the time as it have adaptor cruise control soon as I get on the dual carriage way or motorway it's switched on at 75mph and that's it the car then slows down when needed and speeds up when the traffic speeds up again it's fantastic


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## Mike_Wizz (Aug 5, 2013)

I use it most days. I leave for work between 5.45 and 6.30 and drive about 50 miles also on the way home I leave about 7pm. Holiday season is another matter 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

I've never had cruise control on all the cars I owned but my M2 will have adaptive cruise control so looking to see how that fares, can someone please explain to me what is the difference between cruise control and adaptive cruise control


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Soul boy 68 said:


> I've never had cruise control on all the cars I owned but my M2 will have adaptive cruise control so looking to see how that fares, can someone please explain to me what is the difference between cruise control and adaptive cruise control


It means you can now tailgate without ever having to change the speed selected.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Cookies said:


> I use cruise every day and wouldn't be without it. I agree with some of the comments above though, in that it really makes you realise how much other driver's speed can vary.
> 
> As Kerr said above, I'd never buy a car without it. I'd love to have a car with the adaptive cruise, but I have trust issues lol. I did read one story about a guy who owned a golf gtd with adaptive cruise. He was in fog and the car started braking and reached a standstill. The traffic in front of him had stopped and the car was able to detect it, even though the driver said he wasn't able to see any tail/brake lights.
> 
> ...


Kinda worrying that he was unable to see the car in front and it had to brake for him no?


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## Eric the Red (Sep 14, 2010)

The worst thing about cruise control on a motorway is that fact you set it maybe 70-75 and some ******** sits in the outside overtaking lane and you either drop your speed or you undertake them, personally i undertake and let them know what a knob they are, maybe right maybe wrong personally i dont care, drive 70k a year and see it all


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## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

Bristle Hound you cad, that is risk taking I thought in an Audi 91mph was mandatory.

My step-mother must have an internal cruise control as she drove everywhere at 24mph, she never took a driving test in 1946, my dear departed sister said,she would never go with her again. She got caught speeding in my dad's car, wrote a nice letter to the police and got off !

John Tht. Just buy a Volvo.....


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

RisingPower said:


> Kinda worrying that he was unable to see the car in front and it had to brake for him no?


Definitely.

However not that surprising as human error can be blamed for a very high percentage of Road Traffic Collisions (not accidents).

In this case the tech prevented a collision, and that's not really a bad thing.

Cooks


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

use where ever and when ever i can, have adaptive and it makes long commutes so much easier but you still have to pay attention. agree with whats peeps have said and others driving, i'll set it to 75 and sit cruising being over taken then they pull in 3-4 cars down and some how i'll end up going past them, pull in they then go past me and so in gets frustrating as it looks as though your trying to pee them off. Adaptive is good but also a pain it leaves a nice safe gap which everyone thinks is enough room squeeze into causing the car to break.


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## BigJimmyBovine (Jan 23, 2012)

Never use mine at all. I use the speed limiter though. Set it to the appropriate speed and push the accelerator as normal, if I need to slow down I can just lift off and unless I click the button at the bottom of the pedals travel I never exceed the set speed. Find it far more comfortable on my foot than using cruise control and I'm in a position to jump on the brakes if needed


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## insanejim69 (Nov 13, 2011)

Use mines on motorways/dual carriageways all the time. Set it at around 65mph. I hate wasting fuel on such boring roads, I would rather have fun on a nice twisty A or B road with the fuel I saved  Plus I don't have to ever worry about slowing down for fixed or mobile cash machines.

James


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## fozzy (Oct 22, 2009)

Use mine all the time on longer runs, comes into it's own with the M1's 50mph limits around us lately


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## TYPH3OUS (Oct 9, 2014)

I used to use mine coming come from training between 9pm and 10. Or if I'm on a long family journey out. Otherwise people on the roads I use are so erratic normally I wouldn't trust cruse 


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## sata (Nov 4, 2011)

Titanium Htail said:


> Bristle Hound you cad, that is risk taking I thought in an Audi 91mph was mandatory.
> 
> My step-mother must have an internal cruise control as she drove everywhere at 24mph, she never took a driving test in 1946, my dear departed sister said,she would never go with her again. She got caught speeding in my dad's car, wrote a nice letter to the police and got off !
> 
> John Tht. Just buy a Volvo.....


Surely after 5 pages you now know how to use your cruise control :tumbleweed:


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## Bristle Hound (May 31, 2009)

Soul boy 68 said:


> I've never had cruise control on all the cars I owned but my M2 will have adaptive cruise control so looking to see how that fares, can someone please explain to me what is the difference between cruise control and adaptive cruise control


Here you go SB :thumb:

'Normal' cruise control -

Cruise control (sometimes known as speed control or autocruise, or tempomat in some countries) is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system is a servomechanism that takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_control

Adaptive cruise control -

Autonomous cruise control (ACC; also called adaptive cruise control, radar cruise control, or traffic-aware cruise control) is an optional cruise control system for road vehicles that automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles ahead.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_cruise_control_system


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

or gaydar as my mates call it, it can look a tad out of place on the front grill and i can imagine it aint cheap to fix if it takes a hit with being in prime area is likely and i do worry. If i had the choice i would have it every time though


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

I use cruise control in my E class, it's older so just standard sticks to the speed rather than adaptive or any of that clever stuff. 

It's definitely nice for a long run though. I pick my daughter up from Bristol every other weekend so I'm on the M25 before 6am so set it to 70 and sit back with an audio book. 

Unfortunately though, any time after about 7am on the M25 means the cruise control is useless as no matter how hard you try, it's so busy with morons in the middle lanes or pulling out on you, it's hard to maintain a consistent speed!


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## Hufty (Apr 27, 2015)

Oooppps 90


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