hoonunya

I've been amazed that the laser does as good as it does. So far, it does well on turns and picks up motorcycles. I haven't had any cases where it has picked up cars in other lanes in turns.
I will say that the closest setting is still pretty wide and invites people to cut in front of you. That is to be expected from the people that brought you blocking of the nav while moving. (The override works on mine.) I am, however, pleased to have found that if that guy is accelerating away from you then it doesn't brake. If the guy is going at the same speed just put a little pressure on the throttle and the braking doesn't occur. Conventional cruise control would have you braking much more.
It ain't purfect but it's the best thing out there that I know of.

KILLERGS4

Definitely not recommend for heavy traffic, I think that should be obvious. I love using it on 270 and any long trips. Don't dare to use it on 495. Only thing I don't like is that maybe the braking can be a bit smoother, because when I was going 80 and was reaching a car probably going 60, I would like the car to slow down slowly, but instead it makes all kinds of sounds, and brakes kinda hard, then my wife is looking at me and saying why r u using Laser Cruise Control again remark. I also don't like using LCC on turns or sharp curves since the LS can't handle worth crap. But overall, I wouldn't give up LCC for anything, must have in my next car... (maybe the new LS460 is better, so I hope)

sojah

iTrader: (1)

maybe i'm just an analog guy living in a digital world. i still like hitting the up and down on the conventional cruise and playing it like a video game, which i'm much better at than the lcc.


btw, you guys know you can disable the lcc, to just have it be conventional cc right??

AlexusAnja

Yeah, push the toggle forward and hold a second until manual mode kicks in. What I do "like" about the manual mode is that the up and down go in 1 mph increments, not the 5 mph that the auto cruise increments.

Hey, for all the complaints about the cruise, it's still a "computer" and not artificial intelligence that is predictive. If the cruise is monitoring for a vehicle say 30 feet in front of the vehicle, then anything beyond that, either stationery or moving a slower relative speed will not be detected. Therefore, if you're traveling at 80 mph and the other vehicle is travelling at 60 mph, then at that 30 feet threshold to the LS, it will seem like an object is approaching at 30 mph, which I'm sure is way beyond a "slow down" step for the system, so it jams on the brakes.

On my trip last year down to Orlando, I used the cruise for almost the whole trip and if you see a very slow car ahead, just change lanes before it comes into range. When I was doing 75 at some points and could not change lanes and approached cars doing 60 mph, it came to a gentle slow down. I had times where I slowed down to 50 mph and didn't even realize it because I "spaced out" following people. :P

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

So when you switch it to 'manual' mode (I've never looked up how to do this) it operates just like a normal cruise control w/o sensors?

By trial and error I have found a way to get it to set my speed using the radar cruise to exactly the speed I am going instead of the 5mph increments which I also find annoying at times. Handy for when I like to go 11 or 12mph over the limit on the highway sometunes.

PHCMA

Actually one of the best uses I found was to use it to avoid deer hits on the I system. In my state deer hits are a big problem I used to be out early in the AM and see at least one blood spill on my way. So I lock on to a semi truck in front and let him take there, and the hit..

sojah

iTrader: (1)

yessir, just turn on cruise (push button in for on, like normal) then press and hold the little toggle joystick thing towards the front of the car and hold it for about 2 seconds and it will display 'radar off' or something like that and it operates like a 'normal' cc system and does the mph increase or decrease in 1mph increments. to turn on radar cruise back on just push in the button to turn cruise off (like you normally would), then push the button back in to turn the cruise back on like you normally would and it is back to the radar cruise like you guys enjoy so much

this normal cruise is just as sweet as my old gs's cruise was but maybe even better somehow (more accurate, and more luxurious feeling).

KILLERGS4

I AGREE with what your saying and I know that is the logic behind it... i just wish it was smarter... I'm sure the next gen LCC will address this issue. I guarantee it!

Griff48

Probably a stupid question, but here goes........when the radar cruise applies the brakes (I assume it is braking and not just downshifting the trans) does it turn on the brake lights?

hoonunya

Yes, and it beeps at you enthusiastically.

Griff48

Thanks. My '04 UL is new to me, and the few times I have used the radar cruise, and had it brake, I wondered if following drivers had any warning. It seems like they pull up really close sometimes. I guess that isn't too unusual in any event.
Gene

mafpolo

Sometimes it is a pain. Wish it could be easily deactivated reactivated etc. Not supposed to use cruise in the rain at all due to potential hydroplaning

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Yes as member above previously mentioned... I actually had my wife test that feature with me when she was following me in another car.

Not only does it flash the brake lights as it brakes, you can see the brake lights light up on the little car icon on the dash when it does it.

Mine does seem to downshift first (seems to slows more than just taking off the gas) before applying the brakes.

jayclapp

I have laser control and love it. I have learned to use it even on the Phoenix bypass where the speed limits are 55 and 65 mph. We recently started a mobil photo radar system which captures your photo and speed and sends you a violation ticket. They move these things around and you never know when one will appear in front of you. By setting the speed at or near the speed limit it takes care of everything. When the taffic slows down so do you. If it speeds up so do you. I have gotten so used to it that I use it constantly, only avoiding it during extreme rush hour traffic. I couldn't do without it. I have never had a problem with it sensing an adjacent lane during curves. I kind of marvel how it does that.

hoonunya

Yep, me too. I drive 24 miles each way for work, 35% interstate and 60% country road. won't get another work car without it.