Cruise Control - Turn it off in the rain!!!

[Mr E]

Incidents like this are one of the reasons I don't want driver "aids" on my car. ESP didn't help much here, did it? It seems that distronic/cruise created the situation, and ESP failed to redeem it. So why is it such a must-have?

Bit unfair - distronic didn't create the incident, the driver did by setting it at an inappropriate speed. ESP couldn't help much if the car had aquaplaned off into the barrier as braking/cutting the throttle wouldn't do anything in this circumstance.

It's as useful as blaming the car - usually it's down to the driver doing daft things.

 

[Dieselman]

Incidents like this are one of the reasons I don't want driver "aids" on my car. ESP didn't help much here, did it? It seems that distronic/cruise created the situation, and ESP failed to redeem it. So why is it such a must-have?

No.! Excess speed created this situation. The car was floating when the distronic increased the speed back to the original speed.
If the wheels aren't in contact with a solid surface nothing can stop a slide once in progress.

 

[Dave Lewis]

Bit unfair - distronic didn't create the incident, the driver did by setting it at an inappropriate speed. ESP couldn't help much if the car had aquaplaned off into the barrier as braking/cutting the throttle wouldn't do anything in this circumstance.

It's as useful as blaming the car - usually it's down to the driver doing daft things.

Precisely my point in the other threads - comprehensive driver training would be a more effective way of reducing accidents. The driver in this case delegated speed control to an electronic device, instead of taking responsibility himself. Bad move.

 

[television]

No.! Excess speed created this situation. The car was floating when the distronic increased the speed back to the original speed.
If the wheels aren't in contact with a solid surface nothing can stop a slide once in progress.

Interesting to note that the driver who was in front of him at the start, pulled over as he did not fancy going any faster.

As said I had mine switched on for most of my trip on the open A roads, set to 74 MPH, If I had got a Gatso flashing twice, that would be my own fault, because I do know its turned on, you cant mistake it either

 

[DansSlk]

You can't win - an electronic system gets it into a pickle that another electronic system is supposed to get it out of -
Not a bug in ESP that deactivates ESP when cruise is resuming is there?

Would the car have crashed without these systems?

ESP has a cruise mode but it does not shut it off.

Like Dieselman said the car just aquaplaned off, ESP wont help if the cars not getting traction.

Simple case of too high a speed set for the conditions

 

[Dave Lewis]

No.! Excess speed created this situation. The car was floating when the distronic increased the speed back to the original speed.

Exactly. The situation would appear to have been created as a result of inappropriate speed, and over reliance on electronic aids, in this case, cruise and distronic, both of which should be off in these conditions. Sounds like a case for better driver training.

If the wheels aren't in contact with a solid surface nothing can stop a slide once in progress.

Yes indeed. This should be blindingly obvious, but I do fear that some drivers may think that ESP or whatever will keep them on the road regardless of conditions, and drive accordingly.

 

[MBManInKen]

One thing about cruise that surprises me is that (unlike US cars) there's no indicator ro say it's on.

On my s-class, the speedometer illumination lights up correspondingly if speedtronic or CC is active - very easy to see.

 

[television]

This is the indication you get from one dial, the other one also displays it, there is a third indication showing two cars, and this one is very bright, smack in the center of the dial

I guarantee I know what happened, that is he had the distance set to the minimum, and the car in front took a long time time complete his changing lane maneuver, once this car was out of his radar beam, he could still have a large chunk of that car in his lane, the car accelerated, and rather than touch the brake pedal to kill it, he swung out to go around him.

 

[oldcro]

Tell your friend to read his manual. Any cruise control should not be used in inclement weather like heavy rain or snow.

 

[Dryce]

One thing about cruise that surprises me is that (unlike US cars) there's no indicator ro say it's on.

W211 is actually quite good in this respect. The standard CC display is an additional ring of segments that illuminte inside the speedo dial and show what speed it is set to when active. The limiter mode uses a similar mechanism.

I would assume that other newer models post W211 intro use a similar system.

 

[mb240]

I guarantee I know what happened, that is he had the distance set to the minimum, and the car in front took a long time time complete his changing lane maneuver, once this car was out of his radar beam, he could still have a large chunk of that car in his lane, the car accelerated, and rather than touch the brake pedal to kill it, he swung out to go around him.

That sounds quite plausible.

I was thinking that the car in front moved to the left because they saw a large spread of water ahead on the lane, and if you are following too closely then you might not see it in time.

 

[verytalldave]

NEVER use it anyway. Road conditions in the UK really dont warrant its use 99% of the time. For the other 1% I am quite happy to keep the right foot in business. However, if I lived in Australia or the USA, that would be a different matter.

 

[Benzowner]

I don't understand you guys who appear to be anti electronic aids. The fact this car had a prang was down to driver error, that seems to be agreed by everyone. Now, how that error is arrived at does not really matter. If his car did not have the electronic aids, I am sure he would have probably put his right foot to the floor and ended up in the same situation. Electronics are controlled by the human driver not visa versa and as such cannot be blamed for accidents. Just my 2p

 

[Dryce]

NEVER use it anyway. Road conditions in the UK really dont warrant its use 99% of the time.

Depends where you are, where you drive, and when you drive.

I use CC a lot.

 

[Metman]

Rain, Fog or Snow.
Cruise Control No.

A little couplet taught to me many years ago

 

[television]

Rain, Fog or Snow.
Cruise Control No.

A little couplet taught to me many years ago

I agree with that but in fog you could have distronic on and it would pick up a car before you could see it, under those conditions you have your foot hovering over the brake pedal as a matter of coarse

 

[Metman]

I agree with that but in fog you could have distronic on and it would pick up a car before you could see it

Distronic in rain or fog opens up a whole can of worms as I understand it is a RADAR based system, and depending upon its operational frequency, it could be affected by raindrops and/or hygroscopic nuclei in fog. I wonder Television if you have made observations in rain regarding the system hunting. I certainly wouldn’t ask you to do it in fog!!! (Must learn to use those grinning faces)

 

[television]

Distronic is unaffected by rain of fog, it has never faltered on mine or my friends Sclass when he had it.
OK I hardly ever drive the SL if the weather is bad as I dont have to unless I am caught out, I would not use it in a heavy down pour

 

[A210AMG]

I use cruise as much as possible, great for keeping your speed steady though road works and also good towing the van.

I don't use it in the wet or poor conditions purely as my dad told me this years ago about possible aquaplaning.

There is pleanty of occasion to use it and find it far more relaxing to drive with it. The Merc system having driven any different cars with different 'types' does seem one of the easiest to use.

Cheers

 

[Dieter]

Hi,

This seems to me to be more of specific distronic 'problem' (though it shouldn't be) rather than ac.control one as you have to actively use c.control. i.e. to go slower than set c.control speed you have to switch it off. To speed up you have to switch it back on so you are (should) always be in control.

I can see how distronic could catch you out (as per initial post) but unless your car accelerates like a rocket (and the E320CDi don't) surely there's time to 'dab' (not brake) the brakes and switch it off?

Cheers,