Author Topic: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?  (Read 4076 times)

Bonobo

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 18
  • Country: gb
  • My Honda: Jazz
Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« 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?

culzean

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8017
  • Country: england
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #1 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. 
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

ColinS

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 899
  • Country: england
  • My Honda: 2018 HR-V EX-Navi CVT
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #2 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.

Jocko

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9356
  • Country: scotland
  • Fuel economy:
  • My Honda: Died from rust.
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #3 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.

culzean

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8017
  • Country: england
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #4 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.
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

peteo48

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2689
  • Country: gb
  • I have entered the Jazz Age
  • Fuel economy:
  • My Honda: 2021 Honda Jazz Mk4 1.5 i-MMD EX
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #5 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.

Kenneve

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 993
  • Country: gb
  • My Honda: 2023 Jazz Advance e-HEV, Red
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #6 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.

MartinJG

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 515
  • Country: england
  • My Honda: Jazz Mk2 1.4 EX 2010
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #7 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.
« Last Edit: November 09, 2019, 01:49:18 PM by MartinJG »

culzean

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8017
  • Country: england
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #8 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
« Last Edit: November 09, 2019, 02:54:00 PM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

peteo48

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2689
  • Country: gb
  • I have entered the Jazz Age
  • Fuel economy:
  • My Honda: 2021 Honda Jazz Mk4 1.5 i-MMD EX
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #9 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.

guest4871

  • Guest
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #10 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.  ;)


Jocko

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9356
  • Country: scotland
  • Fuel economy:
  • My Honda: Died from rust.
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #11 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.

Kenneve

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 993
  • Country: gb
  • My Honda: 2023 Jazz Advance e-HEV, Red
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #12 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. 

ColinS

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 899
  • Country: england
  • My Honda: 2018 HR-V EX-Navi CVT
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #13 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.

peteo48

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2689
  • Country: gb
  • I have entered the Jazz Age
  • Fuel economy:
  • My Honda: 2021 Honda Jazz Mk4 1.5 i-MMD EX
Re: Why cruise control does not activate on speed less than 30 mph?
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2019, 11:49:01 AM »
Good point Colin. I've never used mine though.

Tags:
 

anything
Back to top