Sunday, 26 August 2007

Don't use cruise control in the rain

SOMETHING I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

I wonder how many people know about this? A 36 year old female had anaccident several weeks ago and Totaled her car. A resident of Kilgore ,Texas she was traveling between Gladewater & Kilgore. It was raining, thoughnot excessively, when her car suddenly began to hydro-plane and literally flew through the air. She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden occurrence! When she explained to the highway patrolman what had happened he told her something that every driver should know -
NEVER DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE CONTROL ON.
She thought she was being cautious by setting the cruisecontrol and maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain. But the highway patrolman told her that if the cruise control is on when your car begins to hydroplane and your tires lose contact with the pavement, your car will accelerate to a higher rate of speed making you take off like an airplane. She told the patrolman that was exactly what hadoccurred. The patrolman said this warning should be listed, on the driver's seatsun-visor - NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR ICY, along with the airbag warning. We tell our teenagers to set the cruisecontrol and drive a safe speed - but we don't tell them to use the cruisecontrol only when the pavement is dry. The only person the accident victim found, who knew this (besides the patrolman), was a man who had had a similar accident, totaled his car and sustained severe injuries. If you send this to 15 people and only one of them doesn't know about this,then it was all worth it. You might have saved a life. NOTE: Some vehicles (like the Toyota Sienna Limited XLE) will not allow youto set the cruise control when the windshield wipers are on

5 comments:

  1. I had no ideal! TY for passing that along.
    Sug

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  2. Wow this is something I never thought of, although we get alot of rain around here.  I really don't think I've ever used the control in the rain, but will be sure I don't now.  Thank you, Joni

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  3. Had never, ever thought about it.  I have set mine in the rain when water was not standing on the pavement.  I always take over manually when it starts to puddle.  I just prefer the way you can sort of feel through your foot what is going on with the tires and car better when it is on the peddle.  But, you can bet I won't be setting it any more at all in any sort of rain.  This makes perfect sense!!  After all, there are only two ways to turn the cruise off:  step on brake, which you often don't want to do in rain or ice or use manual switch on steering wheel or stick...but if you are in a bind who has the time or the free hand or finger?  -  Barbara

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  4. Thank you for sharing this information. I had no idea.--Sheria

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  5. WOW!!  Thanks, Guido.... this is really good info.!!

    Joann

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