Here in the UK, 52% of our days are overcast. Rain is a given and it is frequently very heavy. Consequently, we should be used to it and there is no excuse for ignoring it. It is also a fact that even car tyres in prime condition inflated to the recommended pressures can struggle to cope, especially in particularly heavy rain and floods.
In heavy rain, you need two things, grip and visibility. Good wiper blades and a full screenwash bottle are essential. Doubling the distance to the vehicle in front is equally necessary. When the rainfall approaches biblical proportions, you could encounter standing water. Car tyres are designed to offer a grip by clearing water from the area that contacts the road surface. In extreme conditions, they can no longer sweep water away quickly enough. This can lead to a phenomenon called aquaplaning, in which the tyres skim along the surface of the water. Should this happen, you may find out the hard way.
How? Try to brake and very little will happen because the tyres have no grip; the same goes for steering control. A sudden, suspiciously light feel to the steering is an excellent clue to aquaplaning and the ‘cure’ is to gently lift off the accelerator; you will feel the tyres regaining their grip. Nobody who’s experienced it would deny that aquaplaning is frightening. Should it happen, it will quickly educate you into matching your road speed to the prevailing conditions.
Sometimes, rainfall becomes so heavy that the roads’ and their drainage systems can’t cope with it. Here, flooding is not only a risk, it is practically a certainty. The secret of coping with significant flooding is to employ forethought. ‘Look before you leap’ is a long established proverb and in many respects, it applies to flood driving. You shouldn’t attempt to drive into floodwater without knowing how deep it is. Tall 4×4s apart, modern cars have an engine air intake positioned quite low down. The snag is that water, unlike air, is incompressible. Should water enter the engine, the pistons will be stopped dead in their tracks. This will completely wreck the engine.
So, what do you do when you see floods ahead? A simple rule of thumb is that being able to see the road surface means you can see how deep the floodwater is. Assuming you can see the depth of the water, flood driving goes like this.
Drive straddling the white line. Being on the crown of the road puts you where the water is shallowest.
Drive in a low gear, at a slow pace. Creating an impressive bow wave is a very good way to drown your engine but keeping the engine revving will prevent water’s entering the exhaust and causing a stall.
Should the engine come to a dead halt, it’s likely the worst has happened. Depress the clutch immediately and do not attempt to restart the engine. Damage may already have occurred; turning the engine will make it worse.
Should another vehicle be approaching from the opposite direction, make every effort to let it negotiate the floodwater first. This is for two reasons. One, if you both have to move across to let one another pass, you’ll both be in deeper water. Two, if the oncoming vehicle ingests water and dies mid-flood, you’ll be prompted to not try negotiating the flood yourself.
Finally, remember that brake pads can ‘aquaplane’ on wet discs, leaving you without brakes. On leaving the flooded area, apply the brake pedal for a short while, to dry the discs.
Merityre are a leading UK independent supplier of car tyres. Why not visit their website at www.merityre.co.uk and see where you can buy your next set of tyres.
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