09-28-2006, 06:10 PM
Just got this email from a friend of mine:
NEVER KNEW THIS BEFORE.
> I wonder how many people know about this?
>
> A 36 year old female had an accident several weeks
> ago and totaled her car.
>
> A resident of Kilgore, Texas, she was traveling
> between Gladewater & Kilgore. It was raining, though
> not excessively, when her car suddenly began to
> hydroplane 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 had thought she
> was being cautious by setting the cruise control and
> maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain .
>
> But the highway patrolman told her that if the
> cruise control is on and your car begins to hydroplane --
> when your tires lose contact with the pavement, your
> car will accelerate to a higher rate of speed and you
> take off like an airplane. She told the patrolman that
> was exactly what had occurred.
>
> The highway patrol estimated her car was actually
> traveling through the air at 10 to 15 miles per hour
> faster than the speed set on the cruise control.
>
> The patrolman said this warning should be listed,
> on the driver's seat sunvisor - NEVER USE THE
> CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE PAVEMENT
> IS WET OR ICY - along with the airbag warning. We tell
> our teenagers to set the cruise control and drive a safe
> speed, but we don't tell them to use the cruise control
> 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.
I've never really thought about that before, is it true? Traditionally I've rarely used cruise control, but lately since I commute a lot on 81 I set it pretty much every day. Haven't used it in the rain yet though... if this is the case I'll have to remember it before I do!
NEVER KNEW THIS BEFORE.
> I wonder how many people know about this?
>
> A 36 year old female had an accident several weeks
> ago and totaled her car.
>
> A resident of Kilgore, Texas, she was traveling
> between Gladewater & Kilgore. It was raining, though
> not excessively, when her car suddenly began to
> hydroplane 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 had thought she
> was being cautious by setting the cruise control and
> maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain .
>
> But the highway patrolman told her that if the
> cruise control is on and your car begins to hydroplane --
> when your tires lose contact with the pavement, your
> car will accelerate to a higher rate of speed and you
> take off like an airplane. She told the patrolman that
> was exactly what had occurred.
>
> The highway patrol estimated her car was actually
> traveling through the air at 10 to 15 miles per hour
> faster than the speed set on the cruise control.
>
> The patrolman said this warning should be listed,
> on the driver's seat sunvisor - NEVER USE THE
> CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE PAVEMENT
> IS WET OR ICY - along with the airbag warning. We tell
> our teenagers to set the cruise control and drive a safe
> speed, but we don't tell them to use the cruise control
> 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.
I've never really thought about that before, is it true? Traditionally I've rarely used cruise control, but lately since I commute a lot on 81 I set it pretty much every day. Haven't used it in the rain yet though... if this is the case I'll have to remember it before I do!
Posting in the banalist of threads since 2004
2017 Mazda CX-5 GT AWD Premium
Past: 2016 GMC Canyon All Terrain Crew Cab / 2010 Jaguar XFR / 2012 Acura RDX AWD Tech / 2008 Cadillac CTS / 2007 Acura TL-S / 1966 5.0 HO Mustang Coupe
2001 Lexus IS300 / 2004 2.8L big turbo WRX STI / 2004 Subaru WRX / A couple of old trucks
2017 Mazda CX-5 GT AWD Premium
Past: 2016 GMC Canyon All Terrain Crew Cab / 2010 Jaguar XFR / 2012 Acura RDX AWD Tech / 2008 Cadillac CTS / 2007 Acura TL-S / 1966 5.0 HO Mustang Coupe
2001 Lexus IS300 / 2004 2.8L big turbo WRX STI / 2004 Subaru WRX / A couple of old trucks