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Honda Jazz Forums => Honda Jazz Mk2 2008-2015 => Topic started by: Bonobo on November 09, 2019, 01:10:53 AM

Title: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: Bonobo on November 09, 2019, 01:10:53 AM
Why it is not possible to use cruise control when it is needed most i.e. while driving in a 20 mph zone?
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: culzean on November 09, 2019, 07:45:40 AM
Why it is not possible to use cruise control when it is needed most i.e. while driving in a 20 mph zone?

How far can you go in a 20 zone without having to slow down for parked cars or speed bumps etc ? Some cars wil only let you engage cruise in the higher gears because cruise control is really designed for main road / motorway use,  not for use on urban / city roads. 
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: ColinS on November 09, 2019, 08:14:14 AM
I think it would be downright dangerous to use cruise control 99% of the time in built up areas.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: Jocko on November 09, 2019, 08:54:39 AM
With my automatic Volvo I used to use cruise control regularly, in built up areas. When traffic required me to switch it off it was just a flick of the switch. I certainly didn't use it in heavy traffic, but it can be used on many urban roads with a 30 mph limit, and most 40's. It would work down to 22 mph but not all the way down to 20.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: culzean on November 09, 2019, 09:50:27 AM
I remember cruise control on American cars when you could hit the 'resume' button from standstill and it would take you briskly back up to set speed,  but alas I think elf & safety got involved somewhere along the line ( and maybe rightly so in this case ).  I just think Urban areas with lots of obstacles and parked cars are no place for cruise control.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: peteo48 on November 09, 2019, 11:18:44 AM
Yes - round our way - a toxic mix of old codgers like me and kids going to the local primary school - cruise control at 20 mph would be downright dangerous as others have said.

Having said that, I do, occasionally, use it in 40 mph limits. We have a number of roads round our way with minimal traffic and 40 mph speed limits.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: Kenneve on November 09, 2019, 01:25:31 PM
Having read this post and purely as an experiment, you understand,  I have this morning checked my cruise control and find that it functions normally down to 18 mph, indicated.
It will maintain that speed up reasonable slopes and react normally to any increase in set speed. The control will not engage below 18 mph.
I guess the main difference is the fact that the car is a CVT, whereas manual gearbox cars (I think) won't engage in the lower gears.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: MartinJG on November 09, 2019, 01:47:37 PM
I routinely use cruise control in areas where there are restrictive speed limits right down to 30 MPH. It enable me to concentrate on what is going on around me without worrying about exceeding the/my speed limit. If I need to act quickly or take evasive action which more often than not requires braking, cruise control will automatically disengage and requires a simple tap on the button to reactivate when required. Would not be without it and is actually the chief reason I went for an EX. The obvious fringe benefits are fuel saving and comfort on long journeys.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: culzean on November 09, 2019, 02:28:17 PM
With the amount of traffic in UK normal cruise control is almost useless, ( if I had adaptive it may be more useful )- may use it on long motorway roadworks with 50 limits but other than that get fed up of keep tapping the buttons to try to match speed of traffic and end up turning it off altogether.  Cruise was made for wide open roads with little traffic,  mainly on motor homes and such,  to give the driver a chance to go into the back and make a cuppa - confident that the vehicle will not exceed the speed limit...

Not so sure about the fuel saving bit,  I have read many tests that showed using CC actually increased consumption.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/caradvice/honestjohn/9027863/Does-cruise-control-increase-fuel-consumption.html
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: peteo48 on November 09, 2019, 02:36:27 PM
I think that's right. For me the main benefit of CC is on the occasional long trip when my right thigh begins to get tense with holding the throttle in one position. I can give myself a rest by dropping to 60 and tucking into the nearside lane of the motorway. There's the odd 40 limit as in my post above but, on the whole, I use it rarely. Near Warrington the motorways are almost always busy, it's quite often wet and I am often on for a short period before having to come of the motorway.

It's not clear, from what I've read, that it saves fuel and fiddling with buttons surely is more of a faff than gently altering the pressure on the accelerator.

Now, the USA, different matter. Nothing better than bowling along at 65 mph on a sparsely populated freeway in cruise.

I wouldn't be without it for the leg resting thing but I think adaptive cruise is what we really want.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: guest4871 on November 09, 2019, 04:45:14 PM
I routinely use cruise control in areas where there are restrictive speed limits right down to 30 MPH. It enable me to concentrate on what is going on around me without worrying about exceeding the/my speed limit. If I need to act quickly or take evasive action which more often than not requires braking, cruise control will automatically disengage and requires a simple tap on the button to reactivate when required. Would not be without it and is actually the chief reason I went for an EX. The obvious fringe benefits are fuel saving and comfort on long journeys.

I do exactly the same. Pressing the buttons up and down (1mph a press) I find I can generally keep with the flow. Won't be without cruise control.

Interesting that the Mk3 goes down to 18mph which is what I would have expected. My Mk2 only works from about 28/ 30mph. I haven't tested the upper limits.  ;)

Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: Jocko on November 09, 2019, 05:05:22 PM
Urban traffic around here is probably considerably lighter than most of you guys experience. I certainly could not use CC in the likes of Edinburgh.
Regarding fuel consumption. I found I got appreciably better fuel consumption than the CC did, on country roads. On a hill the CC would instigate a change down whereas I would just ease back on the throttle, avoiding the auto box changing down.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: Kenneve on November 10, 2019, 10:40:28 AM
Rather surprised at the range of comments to this topic, some thinking it is downright dangerous, in other than open road/motorway cruising and others thinking, it's the best thing since sliced bread.
I'm in the sliced bread category and use it quite a lot.
As others have said, it's very useful in avoiding over-speeding, particularly in 30 mph areas.
Generally, i find  that the actual speed as shown by the satnav, is perhaps 1- 2 mph  down compared with the set/indicated speed, which of course is an additional safety margin.
We have near me a stretch of 30 mph road, monitored by average speed cameras and find it somewhat annoying to be behind a car doing perhaps 24-25 mph, which to my mind is bit overzealous. 
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: ColinS on November 10, 2019, 11:37:54 AM
Do people not realise that the car is fitted with a speed limiter.  Why use cruise control to limit your speed when it is so easy to use the limiter?  No faffing around with button pushing and resetting.

I use cruise control on motorways and open roads.  All other times I have the speed limiter on.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: peteo48 on November 10, 2019, 11:49:01 AM
Good point Colin. I've never used mine though.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: culzean on November 10, 2019, 12:08:27 PM
We have near me a stretch of 30 mph road, monitored by average speed cameras and find it somewhat annoying to be behind a car doing perhaps 24-25 mph, which to my mind is bit overzealous. 


May be annoying but I have been doing just under the speed limit in built up areas and have had BMW, Vauxhall Isignia or Audi ( the usual suspects ) trying to overtake, then a mobile speed van appears at the side of the road, following car slinks back behind me - saved from yet another ticket - but really I wish they had gone past and copped some points.  30 limits don't normally go on for long,  but I do get get annoyed by people doing 30 or 40 in 60 limits,  completely oblivious to the queue building up behind them.... grrrrr.

It is much easier to keep a set speed in the Civic with the nice big digital speedo just under windscreen than in the Jazz with its lower set analogue one - if only the Jazz could get the same sensible layout as the Civic ( and a temperature gauge ) -- Oh well....

Apparently the thing they underline continuously on speed awareness course is that the 'the posted speed limit is not a target'....
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: Jocko on November 10, 2019, 12:26:59 PM
Do people not realise that the car is fitted with a speed limiter.  Why use cruise control to limit your speed when it is so easy to use the limiter?  No faffing around with button pushing and resetting.

I use cruise control on motorways and open roads.  All other times I have the speed limiter on.
My works van had a speed limiter and I loved it. Used it all the time.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: Jocko on November 10, 2019, 12:53:11 PM
It is much easier to keep a set speed in the Civic with the nice big digital speedo just under windscreen than in the Jazz with its lower set analogue one
I have the digital GPS speedometer sitting in my line of sight, and it is a great advantage over the standard speedo. And it is more accurate. It always ties in with the speed displays you wind at various spots around our road system.

(https://i.imgur.com/rRHd2Lb.jpg)
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: Kenneve on November 10, 2019, 01:33:49 PM
  but I do get get annoyed by people doing 30 or 40 in 60 limits,  completely oblivious to the queue building up behind them.... grrrrr.
I'm with you on that one Culzean, they think they are out for a Sunday afternoon drive, unfortunately most of them seem to be my age ;D ;D
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: MartinJG on November 10, 2019, 08:54:51 PM
We have near me a stretch of 30 mph road, monitored by average speed cameras and find it somewhat annoying to be behind a car doing perhaps 24-25 mph, which to my mind is bit overzealous. 


May be annoying but I have been doing just under the speed limit in built up areas and have had BMW, Vauxhall Isignia or Audi ( the usual suspects ) trying to overtake, then a mobile speed van appears at the side of the road, following car slinks back behind me - saved from yet another ticket - but really I wish they had gone past and copped some points.  30 limits don't normally go on for long,  but I do get get annoyed by people doing 30 or 40 in 60 limits,  completely oblivious to the queue building up behind them.... grrrrr.

It is much easier to keep a set speed in the Civic with the nice big digital speedo just under windscreen than in the Jazz with its lower set analogue one - if only the Jazz could get the same sensible layout as the Civic ( and a temperature gauge ) -- Oh well....

Apparently the thing they underline continuously on speed awareness course is that the 'the posted speed limit is not a target'....

Curiously enough, I was on the dual carriageway last week, minding my own business with the CC set at 70MPH (75MPH if I want to push on a bit) and in so doing, passed a Civic on the inside lane. Must have woken him up because the next thing I know he shot past me at considerable speed as if to make a point and then pulled back into the inside lane and went back to sleep. I find this happens routinely though it is more often than not a BMW or similar styled jalopy. Never had this nonsense until I started driving a Jazz. Seems to provoke some sort of Jazz fever. Or should that be fervour. :)
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: peteo48 on November 10, 2019, 09:09:32 PM
Yes - assumption is you are an codger/granddad (both true in my case) and will drive at 27.5 mph and no more. I've seen some extraordinary attempts to get past me by motorists who then slow right down gaining nothing. The other thing is idiots accelerating when on the motorway and you try to overtake them in your Jazz.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: guest7494 on November 11, 2019, 09:38:52 AM
Whilst the original thread was the non activation of Cruise Control under 30 mph, it appears to have meandered a little as to why drivers young and more experienced OLDER ones seem to be of the opinion that that if the speed limit is 60 mph all and sundry should hurtle along at the max limit.
I suppose if the limit was 80 mph or even 100 mph some lemmings would be rushing over the cliff so to speak this seems just a little ludicrous, surely the aim is to drive safely and arrive at one’s destination alive and well and not in an Ambulance. Simply because a road sign says limit 60 MPH or whatever.
Just because some lunatic with a brain the size of a walnut wishes to show his prowess or even his larger faster more expensive vehicle can go faster than yours he will still be at his destination 60 seconds faster than you but perhaps dead in the process,Experience visual perception of road conditions need to be exercised in ALL road scenario’s and at ALL speeds recommended or otherwise. I am sure that there will  be observations from other forum members regarding this post but I am sure the majority of sensible and intelligent drivers must or should agree that safety and not jostling for position is the safest and most secure way to drive especially in this age of little men in big cars expending there testosterone to prove that they are superior.This is usually proven to not be the case.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: Jocko on November 11, 2019, 10:00:30 AM
I don't drive fast. I can if I need to, but usually I am in no particular rush, with tons of time to get where I am going. Nowadays I always drive at or below the speed limit. If I am on a country road, and there is traffic behind me, I will drive as near the limit as it is safe to do so. On the motorway/dual carriageway, I stick among the trucks. I very seldom need to be in the outside lane. After 54 years driving I have never had as much as a parking ticket.
In that time I have been a boy racer, a white van man, driven trucks, buses, rally cars and even had a shot in a single seater. Just cause I am old doesn't make an old codger!
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: peteo48 on November 11, 2019, 10:27:14 AM
I mingle with the trucks as well. Occasionally I'll have a burst of speed if there are a few slow ones but I am quite happy at 60 ish.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: Jocko on November 11, 2019, 12:21:02 PM
Me too. 60 on the speedo is about 55 on the GPS speedo. I am happy around there for fuel efficiency.
Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: springswood on November 11, 2019, 08:29:57 PM
The GPS on my phone shows my speedo is pretty accurate (to 1 mph at 50), though I suppose it depends on tyres a bit.

The other day after being stuck behind someone doing 25 in a 30 zone for a mile or so, and knowing there was at least another mile of it to go, I took a chance to overtake. Safely of course. I spent the next mile at 30 with the other car hanging on to my bumper. There's nowt as queer as folk, eh?

I notice some impatience from others since driving a Jazz. Though also I think quite a few Mk1's are now been driven by younger people wanting something cheap and reliable. And driven quite briskly too.

Title: Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
Post by: richardfrost on November 12, 2019, 08:57:35 AM
Though also I think quite a few Mk1's are now been driven by younger people wanting something cheap and reliable. And driven quite briskly too.
The Mk1 is an awesome first car. Cheap to insure given its perceived place in the market. Cheap and easy to drive. Reliable and cheap to fix.

At the end of 2013 I retired from my employer of 30 years and gave back my company CR/V. I had planned to buy my eldest a car for his 21st birthday so I got a 2005 Jazz 1.4 SE and drove it myself for a while whilst I chose my own car. I loved it so much I drove it in preference to my CR/V during the overlap period for trips into town and the like.

I ended up getting a Mk2 Jazz for myself and had that for a couple of years until I got a slightly larger HRV. As for that Mk1 Jazz, we still have it and it is still going strong. My younger son (yet to pass his test) will get it soon (his brother now lives in London and has no need for a car). In the meantime, his girlfriend has been using it for the last year as her Fiat had to be scrapped. It just passed the MOT needing just some new tyres on the front.

On topic though, it doesn't have cruise control!  ;D