The problem I have with cruise control is that it doesn’t really give you any relaxation. I don’t mind the mental effort of maintaining the speed of the car - what bothers me is that my leg cramps up after several hours of driving. But with the cruise control, you still have to hover your foot over the brake pedal, in case you need to stop suddenly. That’s no more comfortable (and often less so) than just resting it on the base of the gas pedal.
If my car had a hand-operated brake mounted on the steering wheel, so I could set the cruise control and do whatever I want my feet, then I’d probably use it more. Hell, if it had an accelerator as well, that would be great in stop-and-go traffic.
Why do you have to do that? Granted, I use cruise control infrequently, but when I do, I rest my right foot on the floor, not over the brake pedal. I’ve never had problems getting my foot from the floor to the brake. It’s just as fast as getting it from the accelerator to the brake, IMHO.
For me, after 23 years of training my right foot/leg where to go in an emergency, it just feels wrong to have my foot resting on the floor and I find myself hovering over the brake without really realizing it.
I used to use it alot for, as others have said, to keep my speed in check. Now, I have a “get out of jail free”* sticker, so I don’t worry so much. I don’t ever go much over the speed limit, anyway.
Those who feel obliged to keep a foot near the brake pedal apparently are unacquainted with the “coast” switch on the steering wheel. It does the same thing as tapping on the brake pedal. Very handy, once you get used to it.
I’m inclined to use cruise control when the speed limit is 40 or more and traffic allows (if I have to disconnect more than once in a few minutes I revert to manual control).
I use cruise control on restricted access highways that don’t turn much, in good weather, when traffic is light enough that I can easily keep a suitable following distance behind the vehicle in front of me.
I don’t like to use it in heavy traffic, because I find that if I keep my foot on the gas, I kind of adjust my speed to maintain my following distance without thinking about it, but if I have the cruise control on, I get closer and closer to the car in front, panic brake (slightly) and start over. Bad weather, I just like the feeling of control that having my foot on the gas gives me. I also don’t like using cruise control if I’m travelling in a caravan, because of the following distance thing again.
And how necessary is it to have the foot hovering over the brake pedal for this task, as opposed to right next to the brake pedal, on the floor? Or even on the accelerator?
If it’s safer to have the foot hovering over the brake, ready to slam it on, then that argues for the use of cruise control, so one may keep one’s foot nearer the brake.
I personally don’t think having the foot hovering over the brake is superior than having it on the floor, or the accelerator, in terms of urgent/emergent braking situations. But that’s just me.
Maybe it’s just me, but there’s a tendency for my right foot to drift into any comfortable position, such as tucked under the seat, just as my left foot does when driving an automatic.
So, you’re saying you brake with your RIGHT foot?!? :dubious:
I was taught that was unsafe. It makes it easy to mistake the gas for the brake. If one uses only his left foot to brake, hitting the gas by mistake, is much less likely.
You’re definitely out of step with the rest of the nation, piccy. From day one in driver’s ed (back in the early 70’s) we were taught that left-foot braking was bad bad bad. Leads to applying the brake at the same time as the gas.
It looks like everyone is going to end up thinking everyone else is really really strange here. Here’s an article on cc to muddy things more.
I use mine mostly for fuel economy, (a constant speed is more efficient) and to let me fit in on the road 'cause everyone else is using their cc also. I’d say I use it perhaps 10% of the time in town (15 minutes of my commute), and about 80% of the time on the highway up near the airport (10 minutes). I use it in dry weather, wet weather, snowy weather, etc. etc. The only reason I don’t use it when it’s glare ice is 'cause it doesn’t work at 30kph.
wrt. the brake, if you’re worried about not being able to reach it in time, I have to think something else is wrong.
And sorry picunurse, 95%+ of the world is using their right foot, and we’re annoyed at you 'cause your brake lights keep flashing while you’re driving down the road.
Just a couple of weeks ago I was following a car with brake lights flashing and I kept slowing down and couldn’t understand why the car in front wasn’t slowing even though apparently braking. Then I finally worked it out - I had never come across the idea of braking with the left foot until then. So I am with the majority here in thinking that you are in a tiny minority, picunurse.
It is a trip thing. Useless in the city.I drive from Detroit to Key Wesy every year. And don’t believe it if my son says I drove it all with the left turn signal on.
It’s only been in the last several years that left foot braking hasn’t been an automatic fail in an Australian driving test. It’s still not encouraged, and it would make the transition to a manual gearbox an even harder learning curve.
The one time I tried to brake with my left foot (just for the heck of it), I realised the importance of muscle memory. My left foot - which can use a clutch just fine - had no fine motor control for the brake, and I nearly faceplanted into the steering wheel.
OTOH, every mechanic in the world loves you picnurse. Your left foot braking means you wear out brakes sooner, thus have made our house payments, and put our kids through college for years now.
On behalf of all of us thank you.
