Collision avoidance system

[ChrisPro]

Has anyone had any problems with this system?

 

Perhaps it's because I'm new to the car and more importantly this particular tech and still getting used to the way it works, but:

 

I live in a rural setting, lots of winding A + B roads and lots and lots of cyclists.

 

I'm a cyclist myself and I know to give them plenty of space (as much as I can safely give them anyway). The problem I have is when coming up to a cyclist close to a bend where it's perhaps a little unsafe to pull out prematurely in case another vehicle comes around the bend. What I generally do is drive up behind the cyclist whilst slowing down, pull out and maneuver around them a little later than usual to be sure nothing coming opposite will be compromised by my actions. The issue I'm finding is that the damned collision mitigation initiates and begins braking just when I'm preparing to accelerate around the cyclist.

 

I can see the uses of the system but this has happened two or three times over the last couple of weeks. It's becoming really annoying and caused the car's brakes to lock-up briefly the other day which is bad for the tyres and freaked out the poor cyclist I was passing at the time.

 

Other than pulling out early or waiting until after the bend, both of which don't appeal as (a - I know I've got space to safely maneuver + I know what I'm doing and, b - pulling out early seems a bit dangerous), has anyone had any similar experiences? Don't really want to switch it off as I'm sure it could be very useful.

[RickW]

Just briefly use the switch on the steering wheel for such circumstances,you'll soon get into the habit as it's easy to do and you won't get any more annoying false alarms.

 

[ChrisPro]

Interesting.

 

Thanks Rick, do I press the switch before the warning image beeps at me as I'm approaching the cyclist or just as the collision warning has sounded?

[RickW]

No Chris.

 

Drive very slowly round bends with the window wound down whilst shouting "move left if you are a hidden cyclist as I will be carefully passing in a second"

 

Use front assist as a back up system if that fails and as a last resort use the horn as a warning between the hours of 7am and 11 pm (hopefully all cyclists will be in bed asleep outside of these times).

 

I personally have used this system for many years and have never collided with a cyclist yet. 

[Warrior193]

Hi Chris, I have found the CA system in my MY16 Octavia to be a bit more "sensitive" and biased towards objects on the left side - IE  a car turning off to the left in front of me as I overtake it, but this usually only results in the pre-warning flashing up on the matrix display - it sounds as if your system may be a little too sensitive (ask your dealer to check ?) - or you are a little too close to the cyclist.  

[RickW]

Joking aside Chris,as above,get it checked out at the dealership just in case there is a problem with it.

[vc-10]

I pass lots of cyclists every day, living in a city. I don't think one's every set off the sensor! Idiot drivers pulling out when there's no space, on the other hand, set it off relatively regularly. 

[GeneralPurpose]

It might be that you need to slightly modify your driving style in those circumstances, perhaps hanging back just a little further from the cyclist before overtaking. Mine collision avoidance has never interviened in those circumstances but comes on at other times when cars cut in on me. The bonus is that if you hang back just a little more from the biker you can usually see much better past the cyclist.