Riding in The Rain, Puddles and Aquaplaning

Featured Image Caption: Raining Tips for Driving

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Rain on the road brings with its various difficulties, from minor to severe.

Decreases visibility. Visibility is impaired due to drops on the windows and mirrors outside the car and fogging from the inside.

In the initial phase of rain, the coefficient of adhesion of the wheels to the road decreases sharply. When the rain just starts, it does not wash away. Still, it only rolls the road dust into balls together with the tiniest pebbles, rubber particles from tires, etc., turning this mixture into an excellent lubricant – the risk of skidding and drifting vehicle axles and the braking distance increases.

There is a danger of aquaplaning, i.e. the disappearance of the contact patch of the tires with the road due to the layer of water. As a result, the tyres lose adhesion to the road.

Aquaplaning manifests itself when driving on water-flooded asphalt at a speed of over 60 km / h or when braking with a skid even on a shallow film of water and often leads to an almost complete loss of control.

The main factors that determine the speed at which this effect occurs are:

The depth of the puddle.
The weight of the vehicle.
The type of rubber.
The width of the tires (the more, the better).
The degree of tire wear.

Rain impairs grip and reduces visibility and, therefore, the ability of drivers to adequately assess distance. If you have to drive regardless of the weather, remember that the technique of driving in the rain is fundamentally different from the usual.

Here are some tips:

Take extra care in the first couple of hours after it starts to rain. In dry weather, the road becomes covered with a film of dust and oil leaked from cars passing along it. They dry out, and when it starts raining, they get wet again, making the coating extremely slippery. If the rain is heavy, then after a few hours, it washes away all the dirt accumulated on the road, and driving becomes less dangerous.
If you need to be in time somewhere in time and pour like buckets on the street, it is better to leave in advance. Please note that the average speed of traffic in the rain is 40-50 km / h.
If you need to stop in rainy weather, you need to start braking much earlier and apply the brake smoothly. Braking early will allow the driver behind you to see that you are about to stop and slow down as well.
Try to avoid large puddles. They may have open sewers, boulders, or sticky dirt that can be very difficult to get out of if stuck in.
Do not drive through a puddle at high speed – by doing this, you can fill the ignition, and then your journey will take much longer.
In the rain, you must move with the headlights on. But remember that the high beam will not work for these purposes – it will reflect off the raindrops and blind you. Fog lights are ideal when it rains.
In the rain, it is best to stay away from buses and trucks. From under their large wheels in rainy weather, a lot of dirt usually flies, which, once on your windshield, can completely obscure your view.
When approaching passing and oncoming cars, turn on the control lever of the wiper blades in advance so as not to be blinded for a couple of seconds by the stream of muddy water on the windshield.
Predict the possibility of aquaplaning. If you have doubts about wet handling – slow down. Think about how worn out the front wheels are.
Tyres play a significant role when it comes to driving. Make sure your car is equipped with the proper corresponding tyres that match your vehicles requirements. Suppose you own a truck or a van; a good option would be Falken LINAM VAN01.
If it is possible to bypass a puddle, it is better to use it.