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A driving safety message

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  • johny1
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Originally posted by 757278741B0 link=1284007797/1#1 date=1284008388
    http://www.hoax-slayer.com/cruise-control-warning.html

    Commentary:
    This email forward warns that drivers should not use cruise control in the rain. The message claims that using cruise control can actually cause the vehicle to accelerate through the air if it hits standing water and hydroplanes (aquaplanes).

    While the core claim (dont use cruise control in wet conditions) is valid, the message seriously mangles the facts and is therefore misleading and overly alarmist.

    ........................
    life is pricious so if have to take of ourslef and take healthy precautions!!!!

    Leave a comment:


  • Dimal
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Pretty sure the law requires that headlights on Low-Beam should not be higher than xx.x cms above the ground along with all the other provisos already mentioned.

    I cant remember what the exact figures are but we got pulled up a few years ago during a cross-country jaunt (QLD to WA) whereupon the local coppers (Ceduna) pulled out a tape measure and proceeded to measure how our lights were adjusted; High-Beam and Low-Beam..... We were OK as it happened....

    Mal.

    Leave a comment:


  • Koffee_Kosmo
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Originally posted by 5B7067706179787D74110 link=1284007797/17#17 date=1284086903
    Like so much else in life the answer to this is, "It depends!". The statement as-is is incomplete. For it to be accurate and have any meaning it would have to say: When parked behind a car & on a level road your light beam should not be over the bumper bar of the car parked X meters in front of you.

    In order to adjust your lights using the bumper of a car in front of you you would have to be a certain distance away from that bumper/car. Simply saying your lights shouldnt be above the bumper of a car in front of you is inaccurate. Being that most lights are mounted above the bumper and that the height of the front and rear bumpers on cars are the same. Clearly if you were very close to the car in front of you your lights will be above its bumper even when they are properly adjusted. If they werent then theyd be useless to you as theyd only illuminate the road a meter or so ahead of you.

    I mentioned this as a rough guide to use as a quick visual check while driving

    I generally see in most cases just one light that is misaligned (this could also happen after a car to car tingle ;D)

    So if one sees a head light misalignment they should have them adjusted properly on the next scheduled service with the light check/adjustment board

    When I worked for a Ford dealership I adjusted headlights on all pre delivered cars & it was also standard to check again on the first service (a free one) excluding parts

    KK


    Leave a comment:


  • Javaphile
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Originally posted by 06222B2B28281206223E20224D0 link=1284007797/14#14 date=1284080975
    To check your lights -
    When parked behind a car & on a level road your light beam should not be over the bumper bar of the car in front of you
    Like so much else in life the answer to this is, "It depends!". The statement as-is is incomplete. For it to be accurate and have any meaning it would have to say: When parked behind a car & on a level road your light beam should not be over the bumper bar of the car parked X meters in front of you.

    In order to adjust your lights using the bumper of a car in front of you you would have to be a certain distance away from that bumper/car. Simply saying your lights shouldnt be above the bumper of a car in front of you is inaccurate. Being that most lights are mounted above the bumper and that the height of the front and rear bumpers on cars are the same. Clearly if you were very close to the car in front of you your lights will be above its bumper even when they are properly adjusted. If they werent then theyd be useless to you as theyd only illuminate the road a meter or so ahead of you.


    Java "Details matter!" phile

    Leave a comment:


  • Koffee_Kosmo
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Originally posted by 4543545F45425A58310 link=1284007797/15#15 date=1284081354
    They had several experts look over the car and couldnt find anything wrong with it
    Insurance fraud :-?

    KK

    Leave a comment:


  • trentski
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Originally posted by 143838273225616E04570 link=1284007797/13#13 date=1284080239
    I remember hearing about this and found it a bit sus...  apparently he claimed that he was unable to take the car out of gear or turn it off... so multiple separate mechanical systems all failed at the same time???  unlikely.  
    They had several experts look over the car and couldnt find anything wrong with it :-?

    Leave a comment:


  • Koffee_Kosmo
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Originally posted by 6D41415E4B5C18177D2E0 link=1284007797/13#13 date=1284080239
    The only problem is it highlights other peoples failure to maintain a constant speed - one of my coupla thousand pet driving hates...
    As part of my job most of my driving is at night
    My pet hate is headlights not adjusted correctly
    To check your lights -
    When parked behind a car & on a level road your light beam should not be over the bumper bar of the car in front of you

    KK

    Leave a comment:


  • Cooper69S
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Originally posted by 1E3A333330300A1E3A26383A550 link=1284007797/0#0 date=1284007797
    when your tyres lose contact with the pavement, your car will accelerate to a higher rate of speed and you take off like an airplane.... The policeman estimated her car was actually travelling through the air at 10 to 15 kms per hour faster than the speed set on the cruise control.
    Ive had this emailed to me before and was kind of amused by the statement that your car accelerates and flies through the air like an airplane after losing traction.  mustve activated the afterburner or something... always wondered what that button was...
    I love cruise control - use it everywhere, all the time (my drive to work is 90km each way).  The only problem is it highlights other peoples failure to maintain a constant speed - one of my coupla thousand pet driving hates...

    Originally posted by 3F3D34386363550 link=1284007797/8#8 date=1284026144
    then there is the story on the guy (P plater) driving near the Gold Coast (Sth of Brisbane), whose cruise control stuffed up leaving him cruising at 80km/hr with no way of turning it off. He even rang Ford service and they suggested bringing it in.... he explained the problem with that! I think he ended up crashing, but was fine.  
    I remember hearing about this and found it a bit sus...  apparently he claimed that he was unable to take the car out of gear or turn it off... so multiple separate mechanical systems all failed at the same time???  unlikely.  
    Ive had a stuck throttle before -its a bit disconcerting but as soon as youre on a relatively straight bit of road just turn off the car and jump on the brakes - sure theyre much less effective without power assistance but it beats being stuck in cruise control waiting to crash...

    Leave a comment:


  • Thundergod
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Turning the car off can cause problems and should only be done, IMO, in certain circumstances like the recent spate of jammed throttles on Toyotas in the U.S.A.
    If you turn off the motor you lose power assistance to the brakes.
    If you turn the key too far you lock the steering wheel.

    Taking it out of gear means you lose one form of control over the car.

    Leave a comment:


  • 3fun
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Originally posted by 66646D613A3A0C0 link=1284007797/8#8 date=1284026144
    and then there is the story on the guy (P plater) driving near the Gold Coast (Sth of Brisbane), whose cruise control stuffed up leaving him cruising at 80km/hr with no way of turning it off. He even rang Ford service and they suggested bringing it in.... he explained the problem with that! I think he ended up crashing, but was fine.

    I heard this story, cruise control does not stop you turning the car off (instead of just cruise control), or taking it out of gear. I just sat there shaking my head listening to that story on the radio.

    Leave a comment:


  • Thundergod
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    My son and I had a discussion about this to discuss the technical aspects and came to the same conclusions as the articles pointed too.

    We both understand the mechanics of cruise control and the physics of aquaplaning.

    However, it has got me thinking.

    2mcm mentions modern cars and ABS. Good point.

    However, my 2000 model manual Astra has cruise control but no ABS.
    I have made a mental note not to use cruise control in the wet for reasons I understand but hadnt thought about before now.

    Leave a comment:


  • Yelta
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Originally posted by 4B49404C1717210 link=1284007797/8#8 date=1284026144
    and then there is the story on the guy (P plater) driving near the Gold Coast (Sth of Brisbane), whose cruise control stuffed up leaving him cruising at 80km/hr with no way of turning it off. He even rang Ford service and they suggested bringing it in.... he explained the problem with that! I think he ended up crashing, but was fine.
    Melbourne 2009 http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/freeway-driver-stuck-in-80kmh-cruise-control/story-e6frfku0-1225810719113

    Leave a comment:


  • jham66
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    and then there is the story on the guy (P plater) driving near the Gold Coast (Sth of Brisbane), whose cruise control stuffed up leaving him cruising at 80km/hr with no way of turning it off. He even rang Ford service and they suggested bringing it in.... he explained the problem with that! I think he ended up crashing, but was fine.

    Leave a comment:


  • Elliebee
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    True or false I think this is really interesting... I mean, leaving unpredictable conditions up to the speed limiting of a mechanical device just adds one more variable to go wrong :s

    Leave a comment:


  • TC
    replied
    Re: A driving safety message

    Originally posted by 515B4E5959564244370 link=1284007797/4#4 date=1284008990
    Big sister or little sister?  
    I have heard this story before. Modern cars have ABS/stability controls.

    I think you will find that cruise control or no cruise control, a slip is detected and managed by the software and hardware of the car.

    Leave a comment:

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