Speed Limiter - Anyone use it?

[aljshep]

Having driven a Mazda with a speed limiter for almost four years now, I have just discovered what the speed limiter does and when it might be used.  Not sure that I like or need it but is anyone a big fan?

[YX1109]

Very  similar thoughts to you on the Speed limiter, if it was not there would not miss it.

[Jonno21]

Useful on the M1 roadworks speed limit of 50MPH with cameras.

[twabrigs]

Useful on the M1 roadworks speed limit of 50MPH with cameras.

Isn't that what cruise control is for?

[Jonno21]

Useful on the M1 roadworks speed limit of 50MPH with cameras.

Isn't that what cruise control is for?

Not necessarily. When you're doing nose to tail 50mph you know you can just press the accelerator and then finesse the speed yourself if people drop below 50mph. There is an element of control which I feel more comfortable with.

[Willpower]

Useful on the M1 roadworks speed limit of 50MPH with cameras.

Isn't that what cruise control is for?

Not necessarily. When you're doing nose to tail 50mph you know you can just press the accelerator and then finesse the speed yourself if people drop below 50mph. There is an element of control which I feel more comfortable with.

That's called normal, considerate and careful driving. Not something we should feel the need to hand over control of to technology.  Especially another piece of technology that is likely to fail.  There is no substitute for attentive driving.

Also consider this. You are "nose to tail" with  speed limiter on.  If in the event of having to adjust your speed and slow down, then "pressing the accelerator" to disengage, would be result in increased forward velocity.  Precisely what you are trying to avoid.   
 

[Jonno21]

Useful on the M1 roadworks speed limit of 50MPH with cameras.

Isn't that what cruise control is for?

Not necessarily. When you're doing nose to tail 50mph you know you can just press the accelerator and then finesse the speed yourself if people drop below 50mph. There is an element of control which I feel more comfortable with.

That's called normal, considerate and careful driving. Not something we should feel the need to hand over control of to technology.  Especially another piece of technology that is likely to fail.  There is no substitute for attentive driving.

Also consider this. You are "nose to tail" with  speed limiter on.  If in the event of having to adjust your speed and slow down, then "pressing the accelerator" to disengage, would be result in increased forward velocity.  Precisely what you are trying to avoid.

With the speed limiter set to 50mph there is no way you can exceed 50mph even if you have the accelerator pressed to the floor. I didn't mention anything about pressing the accelerator to disengage which wouldn't deactivate the speed limiter anyway. This can only be cancelled by the steering wheel button. I said "finesse the speed yourself if people drop below 50mph" i.e slow down. You still have the option to reduce speed/brake if needed and then increase to the limit set as required. The cars that overtake still doing 60 or 70 in an area marked as 50mph with speed cameras and roadworks obviously aren't equipped with speed limiter functionality. I'm sure my driving is more attentive than some people I see on the roads... Hands up those BMW/Audi drivers with non functioning indicators with "radar cruise control" set to 1 metre distance at 70mph plus. Indeed Mazda do say not to use cruise control in heavy traffic, even radar cruise control.

All this aggro just because I find a case for using the speed limiter. Speed limiters are proven technology evidenced by lorries limited to 56mph by law since the 1980's that try and overtake each other on a dual carriageway on an incline causing tailbacks.

[twabrigs]

wasn't trying to create aggro...I assumed (my error) your concern about the 50mph was more to do with not breaking it, rather than it being nose to tail. When I travel the A9 with the miles of average speed cameras the cruise control is great, no use for heavy queues of traffic though I agree

[Deepjoy22]

Useful on the M1 roadworks speed limit of 50MPH with cameras.

Isn't that what cruise control is for?

Not necessarily. When you're doing nose to tail 50mph you know you can just press the accelerator and then finesse the speed yourself if people drop below 50mph. There is an element of control which I feel more comfortable with.

That's called normal, considerate and careful driving. Not something we should feel the need to hand over control of to technology.  Especially another piece of technology that is likely to fail.  There is no substitute for attentive driving.

Also consider this. You are "nose to tail" with  speed limiter on.  If in the event of having to adjust your speed and slow down, then "pressing the accelerator" to disengage, would be result in increased forward velocity.  Precisely what you are trying to avoid.

With the speed limiter set to 50mph there is no way you can exceed 50mph even if you have the accelerator pressed to the floor. I didn't mention anything about pressing the accelerator to disengage which wouldn't deactivate the speed limiter anyway. This can only be cancelled by the steering wheel button. I said "finesse the speed yourself if people drop below 50mph" i.e slow down. You still have the option to reduce speed/brake if needed and then increase to the limit set as required. The cars that overtake still doing 60 or 70 in an area marked as 50mph with speed cameras and roadworks obviously aren't equipped with speed limiter functionality. I'm sure my driving is more attentive than some people I see on the roads... Hands up those BMW/Audi drivers with non functioning indicators with "radar cruise control" set to 1 metre distance at 70mph plus. Indeed Mazda do say not to use cruise control in heavy traffic, even radar cruise control.

All this aggro just because I find a case for using the speed limiter. Speed limiters are proven technology evidenced by lorries limited to 56mph by law since the 1980's that try and overtake each other on a dual carriageway on an incline causing tailbacks.

Ummm. I must be missing a trick somewhere.  When I set the speed limiter, all I get is a warning bong when I hit that speed, but the car will not be constrained to that speed.  I'm not sure I want to have it constrained anyway but unlike others that's all mine does.

[twabrigs]

Mine works the same, it bongs if I exceed XXmph but I wonder if newer models have a proper limiter. When my CX5 was off the road for 8 weeks due to some scumbag rear-ending it while parked overnight my courtesy car (comically) was a Toyota Aygo which refused to go over 30 mph until I discovered the speed limiter was set for 30...it literally prevented the car from going above that speed.

[aljshep]

The "bong" thingy is a speed WARNING.

[Bert321]

There's 2 speed things
1) a speed limiter, activated by pressing the lower edge of the cruise control button (marked LIM) then setting the limit using the plus and minus buttons.
2) a speed warning beep, not sure how it's activated but I think it's via the settings accessed via the left side steering wheel buttons (the same buttons you use to scroll through average speed, mpg etc).  I think the car needs to be stationary to set it.

[Deeps]

There's 2 speed things
1) a speed limiter, activated by pressing the lower edge of the cruise control button (marked LIM) then setting the limit using the plus and minus buttons.

Well I'm getting completely confused now, either that or my CX-5 is the exception to the rule because even though the control is marked LIM it is to all intents and purposes 'Cruise Control'. To set it is as you describe although it cannot possibly be described as a 'limiter' because contrary to what has been said earlier, if I push on the accelerator pedal the vehicle speeds up i.e. it is NOT limited to whatever speed the control was previously set to.

[Bert321]

The top half of the cruise control rocker switch has a logo of a speedo, and the bottom half has LIM.
Pressing the top half enables/disables cruise.
Pressing the bottom half enables/disables the limiter.
At least it does on mine, and on our 2015 Mazda 3.

[Deeps]

I think any possible confusion is being created as a result of the two different systems although both systems fall under the main heading of Cruise Control in the handbook whilst at the same time in the sub-headings these same switches are being referred to as Speed Limiter (see accompanying image).

My vehicle is of the 'Adjustable Type' in that the Limiter switch (simple ON/OFF) activates Cruise Control with the speed then being set using the plus/minus switches. To increase/decrease the set speed at any time the plus/minus switch is used. To temporarily cancel the set Cruise Control speed e.g. to overtake a slower moving vehicle the accelerator pedal can be used. Following the overtaking manoeuvre releasing the accelerator pedal will reactivate the Cruise Control and the vehicle will return to the earlier set speed.

It is the case with both types of switches that the action of pressing of the accelerator pedal temporarily cancels Cruise Control with the vehicle then increasing speed so I fail to understand why Mazda opted for calling the switch(es) Limiters with the marking LIM whilst falling under the section Cruise Control in the manual.

For the sake of clarity I am making reference to the 2015 version of the manual and my own late 2015 model vehicle.