Cruise Control And French Roads

[oakridge]

We visit France quite often and have been there again during during the last fortnight. While on excellent Route Nationale and other dual carriageways we have noticed that if the cruise control is set there is a distinct beep when the car crosses the central white lines. This is only occasionally noticeable on British dual carriageways.

Malcolm

[Opifex]

We visit France quite often and have been there again during during the last fortnight. While on excellent Route Nationale and other dual carriageways we have noticed that if the cruise control is set there is a distinct beep when the car crosses the central white lines. This is only occasionally noticeable on British dual carriageways.

Malcolm

Odd. We are in France for half the year and I've never noticed anything like this.

I assume the car isn't fitted with any clever lane control system.

Could it be tyre noise as the tyre rubs on the paint surface. This could explain the France/UK difference as they will use different paints.

On your comments on using RNs - yes they can be good such as two weeks ago when we abandoned a totally clogged autoroute and took to the clear RN which ran parallel to it. On the other hand they are more unpredictable as you can get stuck behind lorries and tractors. The other advantage of RNs, of course, is that they are free whereas most of the autoroutes are toll roads - Calais to the Mediterranean costs about 80€.

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[Grumpy Cabbie]

The other advantage of RNs, of course, is that they are free whereas most of the autoroutes are toll roads - Calais to the Mediterranean costs about 80€.

We always take our satnav and find that if you prioritise motorways BUT exclude tolls, you will often use the autoroutes and then be directed off onto the RN about 2 km from the péage and then pop you back on again the nearest opportunity. Without that option you really wouldn't have a clue when to turn off, though you might notice that unnamed slip road where all the French suddenly pull onto :)

I guess it depends on your priority but being a tight tw*t I didn't want to pay loads of €'s just to travel along the motorways.

One thing I will say though is how fabulous the French roads and motorways are. What a culture shock coming back to the UK where the roads are soo congested, everyone stuck in the fast lane, no lane disipline, dreadfully overcrowded and overpriced services. I tell you, the French make us look like poor relations compared. I think we have a little to learn from them - I hate to say :)

[Opifex]

We always take our satnav and find that if you prioritise motorways BUT exclude tolls, you will often use the autoroutes and then be directed off onto the RN about 2 km from the péage and then pop you back on again the nearest opportunity. Without that option you really wouldn't have a clue when to turn off, though you might notice that unnamed slip road where all the French suddenly pull onto :) I guess it depends on your priority but being a tight tw*t I didn't want to pay loads of €'s just to travel along the motorways. One thing I will say though is how fabulous the French roads and motorways are. What a culture shock coming back to the UK where the roads are soo congested, everyone stuck in the fast lane, no lane disipline, dreadfully overcrowded and overpriced services. I tell you, the French make us look like poor relations compared. I think we have a little to learn from them - I hate to say :)

That's a cunning idea to switch off the toll road option. It should work as a lot of the free sections are effectively city by-passes so you use the motorways where they are needed and miss the intercity parts where there is a good alternative. Incidentally, last year in heavy traffic and appalling weather we missed the motorway heading south from Calais and found ourselves on the free section heading for Dunkirk. The car had been in for repairs and I assume that the Battery had been disconnected and the satnav had gone back to default settings when it was reconnected.

I agree that French roads generally have much less traffic than UK. I turned on to the motorway linking Reims and Calais one Sunday morning and didn't see another car for 11 miles. The congestion two weeks ago (see above) was an exception. It was a French holiday and we had hit one of the red days shown on this traffic forecast chart http://www.bison-fut...t_cle01f1ea.pdf.

Now, remind me, what was this thread meant to be about?

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Makes you wonder if there is a lane control system built in and maybe the UK use cheaper paint or none reflective (or maybe reflective) white lines that baffle it. Perhaps the system is set up for LHD and everybody assumed it would work the same on RHD models, but doesn't?

I do remember the French rubble strips sound different to ours and were more higher pitched, but describing them as a beep sounds more like the car making the noise.

[oakridge]

We are in the fortunate position of travelling in the north-western side of France where there are no tolls. We have friends/clients north of Angers and other friends on the Charante, near Limoges.

It sounds very much like a little beep from the horn so I don't think it is tyre noise. We have only recently been using the cruise control because Christine was convinced that it used more fuel, but a lorry-driver friend told her that was rubbish. Why do wives always believe what they are told by other people, but not their husbands?

The roads are fantastic in France and much quieter, the fact that there is the same number of people as Britain in twice the area must have a bearing on this.

Malcolm

[cuius]

Sounds similar to the Spanish lane markings; they have a corrugated top surface which give off a distinct tone.

I regularly travel from North-West Spain to the South-East, and there is only one tolled section (€9 for 50km!!) - noticeable that more and more cars and HGVs pull off and take the alternative N-road - extra 10 mins at most, plus I do my mid-journey fill-up there and the petrol prices are cheaper than on the autovia

[timberwolf]

Perhaps the white lines in France set off one of the driver aids, e.g. traction control or VSC?