[Nuff]

Well, I got a speeding ticket while on cruise control rolling down a hill, 115 in 100 zone (I've set the speed to 105 on cruise). Does any one have a problem with cruise control overcompensating the speed when going on road with lots of big hills? As in at first the cars slows down a bit when going up a hill, then it gets to the right speed and then it just keeps acceleratingway past the speed I've set it too. It really shits me, even more so now since I got a ticket.

Any any one knows how many points I've lost? I think I've 12 points total on my license.

 

[mickyboy]

Sorry to hear about the ticket especially since it is double demerits if you are in NSW!
I believe you have lost 4 points as long as you were not exceeding by 15km/h.
I do not have any probs with the cruise control & I doubt that you are too. I say this because judging by your speed you were probably in 6th gear (correct me if I am wrong). In 6th gear there is hardly any engine braking so once the computer gets you to your speed (105 km/h) then it throttles off, but because you were going down hill it couldn't slow you down (it does not apply brakes) so gravity just helped you pick up speed and unfortunately the ticket resulted!
If I were you, I would write a letter stating the circumstances, ie going down hill with cruise set at 100km/h and didn't realise your speed. If you still have all your points as you state then make sure you let them know that you have a good driving record for the past X ampunt of years. Do not be aggressive in your wording at all!
ALSO, pay the fine with the letter.
I recently did this when I got pinched for not stopping at a stop sign & they wrote back to me (took 4-5 weeks) and they refunded my cash and let me off with a warning.
Sorry long post but may be worth it because we only have 12 points to play with and you only get back those demerit points back three years after the crime.

 

[Nuff]

Thanks for the tip, and yes, I was in 6th gear. And you are correct about the double demerit points. You are sort of correct about engine braking, but I've also noticed that if I switch off the cruise control (as in press the cancel button) while going downhill the car will slowdown, slowelly but it will, on the other hand with cruise control it never does.

I'll talk to a nissan deal, if they say that it's perfectly normal I'll get them to put it in writing and I'll attach it with the payment.

 

[mr rizk]

I find my cruise control will never hold it's speed correctly while on a decent. Speed will be around 10 kph over if i'm in the higher gears.

 

[harryw]

Yeah, sorry to hear about your fine. Nothing worse than getting caught speeding. At least you weren't doing any more than 15 over or it would have been goodnight nurse.

The only thing with writing a letter is that you have to have had a perfect driving record for the last 10 years.

I was unlucky enough to get caught by a camera in my wifes car. She has only been booked once in her life (about 15 years ago) so she got off. I didn't send payment with the letter though?

As always

H

 

[mickyboy]

Yeah send payment. I have done it twice now. Once for me as stated above long weekend in October this year (which was also double demerits) and once for my wife ten yrs ago. Worked both times!

 

[TOPLESSZ]

That sucks! In cali starting today 2nd time offender will have to pay $750 for a speeding ticket over 100mph...I hope they'll nvr catch meeh....LOL

 

[Nuff]

well, I wish I was going 100mph, this is in km/h so 115 is around 70mph and the speed limit was 62mph

 

[davidm]

Does any one have a problem with cruise control overcompensating the speed when going on road with lots of big hills?

You don't have the track model ...right? The reason I ask is that in the Track model (ie. my car) the cruise-control is awesome and will hold the speed within 1kph of what it's set no matter what gear I have it in. The VDC (or some part of it) is wired into the cruise control and it automaticaly applies the brakes to hold the selected speed. I've 'cruised' down some pretty steep hills and marvelled at how well it holds the speed and how seemlessly it applies the brakes ... you can barely feel them being used.

ps. Sorry to hear about the fine :-(

 

[Nuff]

The funny thing is that i've a Track and I've never expirienced that behaviour in my car. I think I need to have a talk with nissan dealer, since my car can never hold it's speed.

 

[mickyboy]

Don't mean to shoot you down David, but the cruise control does not apply brakes. As far as I know it is not in the specs.
Have you noticed the brake light going on at night when you are going down a hill in cruise? Try that out to see & let us know.

 

[apsilon]

I'm pretty sure it does use the brakes. I remember I was surprised the first time I used it I could feel the car activly brake, release, brake etc on long descents.

Sorry to hear about the fine Nuff. Did the date of offence fall within the double demerits period? If so they got it out to you pretty quick.

 

[harryw]

Sorry, I forgot to answer the part about the car slowing down.

From memory (haven't driven for a few weeks now) mine would slow when the cruise was set and you went over the speed. Not sure if it was the brakes or engine braking though?

As always

H

 

[ky350]

My Touring seems to hold the cruising speed fairly close the that selected (generally within 2km/h) up and down hills. It's probably the best cruise control system I have ever experienced, WRT maintaining the selected speed. I have never noticed any braking though - possibly because I have not used it down a steep decline.
Sorry to hear about the fine Nuff. As the others said, if your driving record is clean, then write in stating that and the circumstances surrounding the fine and you'll probably get off.

 

[Lemanz]

Sorry to hear about your fine Nuff, as many said, I think the cruise control system on our car is one of the best in the market. It holds the speed within 1-2km at up and down hills in mine too. when you set you cruise control to the speed, do you read and set the speed through the trip computer or the speedo? that may make the difference. I find that the trip computer reader is a bit higher than the actrual speedo, I would say maybe 3-5km higher.

 

[davidm]

Don't mean to shoot you down David, but the cruise control does not apply brakes. As far as I know it is not in the specs. Have you noticed the brake light going on at night when you are going down a hill in cruise? Try that out to see & let us know.

I am very sure that there are no brake lights when the computer applies the brakes. It does not apply the brake lights when the VDC kicks in so I don't see why it would do with the cruise-control.

I have not read about this 'feature' anywhere either, but I do feel it ... I can feel the car using the brakes to slow itself down when on cruise control ... especially going down relatively steep hills. I cought me by surprise first few times I felt it, but I'm very impressed with it.

The funny thing is that i've a Track and I've never expirienced that behaviour in my car.

OK, that has me very much baffled now .... I don't see why your car would be any different from mine.

btw, how steep is the hill in question?

I find that the trip computer reader is a bit higher than the actrual speedo, I would say maybe 3-5km higher.

Mine seems spot on ... I checked it a few times on the 'speed check' readout on the Hume Hwy going out of Melbourne. I checked it at 100 - 110kph and my digital speedo was always eithrr spot on, or within 1kph of the readout.

ps. I don't use the analogue speedo, but the digital one instead. Also it seems to agree with the speeds in gear (at least my one does). ie. bounce the 2nd gear of the rev-limiter (ie. 6,600rpminthe manual) and the speedo will read 98 - 99kph. Same thing in 3rd ... it'll read just over 140kph. Have you got non OME size tyres? That may be putting the reading off.

 

[mickyboy]

Call me sceptical, but I am sure that the brakes are not applied when in cruise. The reason is simple, if the brake light does not come on (when going down hills in cruise and the computer is applying brakes)
then it is highly dangerous & illegal. How do cars behind know you are braking if no brake lights come on.
It does not make sense!
How did Nissan pass ADR?
I think the brakes being applied is unfortunately a figment of imaginations!

 

[davidm]

reason is simple, if the brake light does not come on (when going down hills in cruise and the computer is applying brakes)

VDC uses the brakes and certainly does not use the brake lights. I don't think there is a rule/law that states that brake lights must come on when the brakes are being used. Afterall, VDC does not use the brakes to slow down a car, and in a way neither does the cruise-cotrol.

How do cars behind know you are braking if no brake lights come on.

Well you, or car is not braking. It's just retaining it's current speed ... there's no danger in that to anyone behind. Also I would pressume that the brake-lights are wired to the brake-pedal, and not the actualbrakes itself.

From what I gather the cruise-control keeps the speed of the car constant ie. stops it from accelerating. You never fell the car slam on the brakes and wash off speed. What it does is very subtle, but effective and keeping the speed constant.

I think the brakes being applied is unfortunately a figment of imaginations!

I did think so first couple times it happened, but I can feel the brakes being applied and you can feel it one you're in tune with the car. VDC is not that different in that respect ... it is subtle, but also definatelly noticable when it comes on.

 

[mickyboy]

Oky doky!
I can't keep going with this!

 

[Nuff]

David, by the way, when was your car made? My has a production date of January 2003, so I think if your is newer one I'm going to ask the nissan if there is a software upgrade for the ECU. Maybe all that is to it.