Uh, was in the Oregon Outback -- in my Subaru Outback -- when I hit a long, long stretch of flat open two-lane highway. Tried to set my cruise control at a comfortable 57 MPH and nothing doing. It does not work. Hmm. Well, I ignored it and listened to Trampled by Turtles on the box for 20 minutes or so -- and came around a slight curve and saw a county sheriff's car half-hidden, apparently checking for speed compliance. No problem there, I am not one to go much more than three or five mph over. Drives people behind me crazy. But I have been in one major accident, don't want another. ANYWAY == decided to see if I could get cruise control set. Not working. THEN I noticed my seatbelt was not on. Snapped it on, amazingly, cruise control worked. Seems odd they are tied together. Glad the deputy did not notice. I disabled my seatbelt chime long ago, It drives myself and passengers crazy when we plow down dirt tracks at 5-10 mph and continually have to stop and move brush or rocks out of the way. Even my driveway, which is about 500 yards, can be a pain -- esp after a wind or snow storm. I am good about getting the belt back on. Once I hit a real road, I shift out of Subaru X-Mode, snap on the belt and start real driving --= I can only recall one other time I have forgotten the belt and I noticed that within a half-mile. But, again. Am just puzzled they tied belts and cruise control together somehow. And for some reason, this just came to me; maybe because I have been in Eastern Oregon Cowboy Country, If I had forgotten the belt and had a fatal accident, they could have said "well, she died with her boots on and her belt off -- but she was fully vaccinated ." kris
