Cruise Control in The Wet? Aquaplaning?

Euphemistic on 21/02/2018 - 15:24
Last edited 21/02/2018 - 20:36 by 1 other user

Chatting to a work colleague who stated they hoped it wouldn’t rain today because it meant they wouldn’t be able to use cruise control on the freeway it would cause the car to speed up if they got a patch of water and likely crash.

I think that might be an urban myth based on my knowledge of how cruise control works.

Edit: I use cruise almost all the time. Wet or dry.
Thoughts?

Edit 2: option 2 in the poll is meant to imply that using cruise in the wet is ok, but not if conditions are really bad. Ie drive to the conditions, if wet slow down and take extra caution.

Poll Options

  • 10
    No cruise. You will die!
  • 58
    Use cruise, but drive to conditions.
  • 8
    I never use cruise.
Automotive

Comments

  • dcep on 21/02/2018 - 15:27
    +2

    cruise control = my right leg

    • Euphemistic on 21/02/2018 - 15:59
      +10

      You’ll get better control if you use your foot!

  • bdl on 21/02/2018 - 15:28
    +12

    Urban myth. Poll is confusing.

  • singlemalt72 on 21/02/2018 - 15:32
    +4

    It's no myth, but becoming less of a problem.

    Prior to traction control it was problematic. For Instance I was driving a BA Falcon ute along the Hume Hwy near Jugiong years ago in pouring rain. No load in the back so there was little load over the rear axle.

    Cruise control on and I top a right hand corner on a rise (so the vehicle was accelerating), the rear tyres lost traction and immediately the vehicle slows. The computer sees this as "Oh, I'm slowing, I need more power" and keeps feeding it in.

    So' I'm in the wet on a highway, almost sideways at about 90km/h!

    More modern cars have traction control and other driver stability aids that look at the speed of each wheel and the car behavioue through various accelerometers and gyros to work out if traction is lost and can apply power or braking to individual wheels to get you out of trouble.

    • Euphemistic on 21/02/2018 - 15:41
      +7

      But afaik the ba uses the gearbox to determine road speed. This means that if you lose traction the car thinks you are going faster and backs off.

      In the situation you describe it was probably just acceleration of the rise and the dynamics of an unladen ute.

      • steven6 on 21/02/2018 - 16:14
        +1

        I've always found cars to use the gearbox/driven wheels to determine the speed. Motorcycles tend to use the front wheel.

        • bdl on 21/02/2018 - 16:22

          Seems more likely a car would use the ABS sensors

  • k-rokfm on 21/02/2018 - 15:33
    +2

    Nah it’s not an urban myth. If it hits water and aqua planes, the wheels slow down causing the car to attempt to accelerate to speed up, causing wheels to spin more.

    • Euphemistic on 21/02/2018 - 15:45

      Which then let’s the car think you are going faster and slows you back down. In any case, most of the time the car wouldn’t react quickly enough unless there is soooo much water in the road that you should be driving to the conditions and not using cruise control.

  • whooah1979 on 21/02/2018 - 15:36

    Hello 4wd.

    • Euphemistic on 21/02/2018 - 15:43

      AWD?

      • whooah1979 on 21/02/2018 - 16:09

        Awd, sure if one can't find a 4wd.

    • mskeggs on 21/02/2018 - 15:43
      +2

      I've got four wheel braking!

      • Oz8argain on 21/02/2018 - 16:19
        +2

        So 4 Wheel no Drive?

  • spackbace on 21/02/2018 - 15:46
    +2

    Commonsense - drive to the conditions, no cruise control.
    (which is not a poll option unfortunately)

    • Euphemistic on 21/02/2018 - 15:53

      Sorry, that’s what I meant by option two. Cruise is ok in wet unless it is extremely wet or other conditions indicate cruise isn’t a good idea.

  • Fergy1987 on 21/02/2018 - 15:49
    +1

    what the hell water are they driving through to cause aquaplaning…….surely a modern day tyre can get them through a bit of rain on a straight freeway unless its flooded - then you shouldn't be driving through it in the first place……..or are they using racing slicks :|

    • Euphemistic on 21/02/2018 - 15:56
      +3

      I have had on a wet night on a freeway a very short section where there was water across the road. Enough that as I happened to brake at the wrong moment the Speedo/tacho dropped to near zero and back up again in a split second. Aquaplaning can occur, but I have only experienced it in light rain the once.

      • Euphemistic on 21/02/2018 - 16:18

        Not sure why down voted. It happened.

        • enzioFirenze on 21/02/2018 - 16:30
          +1

          balanced it for you :)

  • [Deactivated] on 21/02/2018 - 16:01
    +4

    What’s wrong with aquaplaning?

    • chumlee on 21/02/2018 - 16:06
      +1

      Start a hashtag following for discrimination of aquaplaning

      • Oz8argain on 21/02/2018 - 16:20
        +3

        like how black ice is more dangerous than white ice, those racist pigs

        • MrBear on 22/02/2018 - 08:38
          +1

          Mention yellow snow and it brings out the worst in people.

  • Randxyz123 on 21/02/2018 - 16:06

    Cruise control doesn’t mean driverless. You still need to keep a safe distance.

    • John Kimble on 21/02/2018 - 16:14
      +1

      How does one keep a safe distance from water on the road?

      • Oz8argain on 21/02/2018 - 16:22
        +1

        I think he's saying keep a safe distance when you crash so you don't hurt other people

      • Randxyz123 on 21/02/2018 - 18:44
        -2

        You still need to keep a safe distance between cars when you drive you bell end.

        • John Kimble on 21/02/2018 - 19:19

          Irrelevant to the question posed by the OP.

        • Forenti on 21/02/2018 - 23:24
          +1

          Also remember to stop at red traffic lights

        • MrBear on 22/02/2018 - 08:39

          Adaptive Cruise Control does this.

        • SlickMick on 22/02/2018 - 16:45

          @MrBear:
          Needs someone in front of you at lights, otherwise also need side impact avoidance system - I don't think they have that yet

        • MrBear on 23/02/2018 - 09:56

          @SlickMick: I don't think you understand what Adaptive Cruise Control is.

        • SlickMick on 23/02/2018 - 11:49

          @MrBear:
          why?
          I was referring in relation to Forenti's comment to remember to stop at lights. Adaptive cruise is fine for keeping a safe distance behind car, not so good for stopping at lights.

        • MrBear on 24/02/2018 - 22:21

          @SlickMick:

          You responded to me, which is why I mentioned adaptive cruise control, becuase I was responding to knick007.

  • altomic on 21/02/2018 - 16:22

    I like Tom Cruise.

    • try2bhelpful on 21/02/2018 - 16:39

      hmm, but he seems to not have much "Cruise" control.

      • Oz8argain on 22/02/2018 - 09:45
        +2

        the scientology church have Cruise controlled

  • Cheapo Moose on 21/02/2018 - 16:36
    +1

    If it's raining heavily enough for aquaplaning to be a hazard, only an idiot would be using cruise control.

    • JimmyF on 21/02/2018 - 18:26

      and not to slow down either, but that never happens either!

  • JimmyF on 21/02/2018 - 18:17

    Your poll sucks… two no answers and one maybe no answer. But zero yes answers?

    aquaplaning will happen regardless if cruise is used or not. Many tests have been done on this myth.

    • Euphemistic on 21/02/2018 - 20:09

      Tried to edit the poll but not didn’t work.
      1. Do not use in wet because I will die
      2. Use in wet, except in conditions where it is dangerous (driver discretion)
      3. Never use it anyway.

  • EightImmortals on 21/02/2018 - 18:41

    I've had it happen a couple of times, most notably in my old SWB Pajero (good tyres). Luckily was able to pull it up without incident but now I never use cruise control if it's raining. Might not be a problem with new cars and traction control systems?

    • JimmyF on 21/02/2018 - 20:15

      aquaplaning would have happened regardless if cruise was on or off. You do understand that right?

      • EightImmortals on 21/02/2018 - 21:31

        Maybe, but it's much easier to control with your foot on the pedals.

        • Euphemistic on 21/02/2018 - 23:16

          Because your feet respond a lot quicker than the cruise control ever will.

        • EightImmortals on 22/02/2018 - 07:16

          @Euphemistic: Yep.

        • SlickMick on 22/02/2018 - 16:57

          @Euphemistic:
          I challenged an armed forces driving instructor trying to push that theory.
          I cruise with my foot x inches closer to the brake peddle than you do. You might stop accelerating while you're moving your foot to the brake peddle while I'm still cruising, but I hit the anchors faster than you.
          I haven't seen any evidence as to whether cruising then braking earlier stops you faster than decelerating while going for the brake, but that's my theory and I'm sticking to it until somebody proves otherwise.

          But I add my special coordination skills and break the cruise with my finger while going for the brake, and conclude I'd be stopped while your still getting your thong untangled from the accelerator.

        • Euphemistic on 22/02/2018 - 17:02
          +1

          @SlickMick: the comment was directed at adjusting the accelerator, because a cruise control will never apply brakes. You use your eyes to anticipate where the accelerator needs to be based on the road coming up. A cruise control only gets feedback from there speed of the car changing and cannot anticipate road conditions. Your foot will adjust the accelerator a lot quicker than the cruise control.

        • SlickMick on 22/02/2018 - 17:14

          @Euphemistic:
          ah sorry, I thought you had a "don't cruise - you can't slow down as fast" argument. my bad :)

      • smux on 22/02/2018 - 09:36

        Yes, aquaplaning happens whether you're using cruise control or not. However, the standard advice to both prevent aquaplaning and to regain traction while aquaplaning is to slow down. I would think that it is much quicker to remove your foot from the accelerator to start slowing down than it is to take a resting foot and put it on the brake to deactivate cruise control. In fact, along the east link when it's raining, some of the signs say, "don't use cruise control"

        • JimmyF on 22/02/2018 - 11:09

          However, the standard advice to both prevent aquaplaning and to regain traction while aquaplaning is to slow down

          You can always change your cruise control speed to be slower so it matches the conditions, and regardless of using cruise control or not, you should be watching the road and looking ahead for dangers. So you should have adjusted your speed way before you hit the water.

  • airzone on 21/02/2018 - 20:25

    It happened to me when on my P's in a VW beetle.. Except with no cruise control. And on the front wheels. While coming into a corner. With a car going the other way. At 80 kph.

  • Jalif on 22/02/2018 - 09:58

    Aquaplaning is unfortunate, but rare.

    It doesn't occur just when the road is wet, it only occurs when the water on the road is just slightly deeper that the tyre tread.

    If the water on the road is lower, the tyre tread funnels the water away.

    If the water on the road is higher, it provides drag against the tyre, preventing aquaplaning.

  • Sensiekatie on 22/02/2018 - 10:42

    I read this quite a few years ago, so checked the car manual.

    It was clearly cautioned in a former vehicle. I have not checked our current vehicle.

    I did a return 8 hr each way car trip once a month at that time and frequently had wet conditions with water over road in various flood ways. I always took care and did not use cruise control in those parts.

  • wheretobuychocettes on 23/02/2018 - 12:57
    +1

    Aquaplaning is definitely a thing, as other have said, can occur with or without the use of cruise control. Worth noting that AWD or 4WD doesn't necessarily help with it. Significant amounts of water on the road means you should definitely slow down to avoid the reduced traction and risk of aquaplaning.

    Most of us aren't driving F1 cars or other fancy supercars with insane amounts of attention to downforce, so you're not going to get better grip by going faster (at least not while also staying within the posted speed limit) so slow the hell down if your car isn't doing what you want it to. Cruise control takes the control away from you, so take it back when road conditions require human decision making. Pretty simple.

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