Ideas for better driving in the rain

[kryptonitecb]

Water combined with oily residue lowers the coefficient of friction making the traction with the road decrease. Hence better tires with an aggressive pattern designed for driving in water would be one recommendation.

Also driving slower in turns allows the tires to maintain traction with the road when the friction has decreased due to water.

If I wasn't using my phone I could draw a picture.

In summary: better tires, change driving habits

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[cvar]

My truck's BFG/AT tires hydroplane like crazy, even at low speed. Terrible in rain. They spinout & skid on wet pavement so easily, cuz back-end is too light. So I switch on 4x4 mode in rain, which helps. BTW, my daily commute is all under 35 mph, w/ gentle driving, and these tires still scare me.

The car has Goodyear Tripletread tires which are awesome and do NOT hydroplane at any speed. Darn good tires in snow too. These tires are kick-ass! But not so sexy on a 4x4.

Aside: those yellow eye-glasses from A/C leak detector kits are great for enhanced visibility in rain, overcast, or at night. They improve contrast & make clearer vision. At night, they eliminate glare of oncoming headlights (no squinting).

 

[killj0y]

Water combined with oily residue lowers the coefficient of friction making the traction with the road decrease. Hence better tires with an aggressive pattern designed for driving in water would be one recommendation.

Also driving slower in turns allows the tires to maintain traction with the road when the friction has decreased due to water.

If I wasn't using my phone I could draw a picture.

In summary: better tires, change driving habits

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

This is spot on, except it tends to be worse just as it starts to rain because all the oily residue is still on the surface and mixing with water, after a downpour a decent amount of the residue gets washed off. so in short when it starts raining you have to deal with oily residue + water , while after its mostly just water you have to worry about.

My truck's BFG/AT tires hydroplane like crazy, even at low speed. Terrible in rain. They spinout & skid on wet pavement so easily, cuz back-end is too light. So I switch on 4x4 mode in rain, which helps. BTW, my daily commute is all under 35 mph, w/ gentle driving, and these tires still scare me.

The car has Goodyear Tripletread tires which are awesome and do NOT hydroplane at any speed. Darn good tires in snow too. These tires are kick-ass! But not so sexy on a 4x4.

Aside: those yellow eye-glasses from A/C leak detector kits are great for enhanced visibility in rain, overcast, or at night. They improve contrast & make clearer vision. At night, they eliminate glare of oncoming headlights (no squinting).

You mean HD sunglasses? ROFL

 

[jcmccorm]

My $0.02

A lot of good advice in this thread. I'll add mine (with no claims as to its quality)

I think the most important factor when driving in wet road conditions is driving skill. You have to have a good "feel" for when your tires are going to break loose. When you know about where that limit is, stay well away from it.

You eventually get a feel for what speed you can run through a turn. That speed is slower for a tighter turn and a little faster for a wider turn. You get a feel for how fast you can accelerate and how fast you can apply brakes, and then you learn that those things get much worse when you're trying to brake or accelerate while in a turn.

I've been driving mostly VW Beetles or light 2WD trucks throughout my life. To make matters worse, I used to put retreads on my VWs. $15/ea installed. I was never into spending too much on tires The point is that most of my life I've been driving vehicles with crappy traction. I've learned what it takes to get the tires to break loose from the road and acquired a healthy respect for that limit. You control the speed, braking and acceleration. The road has different surface qualities, turn rates, inclines and declines. You just have to learn to live and drive safely with it all.

Usually, if you're a safe and conscientious driver to begin with, you won't be driving beyond your truck's ability to maintain traction. However, until you learn about where those limits are, you'll be given some gentle indications. Maybe the back tire will skid a bit when you start from a stop sign. Go easier on the clutch. Maybe one, or all, of your tires skidded up to a stop sign. Slow down and/or start braking sooner. Maybe you're taking a corner and start to feel or hear the front start to slip a bit. You're driving too fast for that turn-rate and surface condition.

This is no means intended to promote careless driving. Don't go drive faster and faster in the rain until you end up in the ditch. I'm just trying to say that throughout our driving careers, we all learn the limitations of our vehicles. Most of the time it's just a learning experience; no metal gets bent and nobody gets hurt. Bottom line is to go slow and take it easy. Heck, pretend you're driving on ice.

Better tires increase traction, no doubt about it, but you can still, even with the best tires, easily drive beyond your tire's ability to hold the road, so driving skill is still necessary. Where it might matter more is when things happen that are beyond your control. Someone pulls out in front of you, etc. Better traction might save the day. It'll definitely let you get away with more drastic actions. Beyond that, it's a game of maneuvering to limit the damage

I used to put about 50lbs of sand in the front of my VW. Weight helps. As was pointed out earlier in this thread though, there's a limit where extra weight starts to become a liability.

Cary

 

[Mark_88]

I love everything you said except this. Ugh, gross. Canadian garbage talk.

Defense

Ah, I was thinking politics while typing...sitting on de fence...sorry, I'm usually not bad smelling but today I had to skip my shower...

He must have been thinking about this "gem" when he typed it.

LOL...That's definitely Canadian speeling...

 

[Snoranger]

If were talking about Canadian spelling, allow me to adjust the post accordingly.

He must have been thinking aboot this "gem" when he typed it.

 

[cvar]

You mean HD sunglasses? ROFL

No, those are too dark. I mean these light colored ones:
http://www.amazon.com/Pro-UV-Leak-Detection-Kit/dp/B003JOB594/?tag=959media-20

Try night driving for 500 miles stint on old-fashioned 2-way highways: no median, no divider, no trees. Then try those UV glasses & tell me what you think. They help cut fog, too. Just like a camera filter (if you recall 35mm). You may like 'em!

 

[killj0y]

No, those are too dark. I mean these light colored ones:
http://www.amazon.com/Pro-UV-Leak-Detection-Kit/dp/B003JOB594/?tag=959media-20

Try night driving for 500 miles stint on old-fashioned 2-way highways: no median, no divider, no trees. Then try those UV glasses & tell me what you think. They help cut fog, too. Just like a camera filter (if you recall 35mm). You may like 'em!

I was kidding about the HD its a joke to me, but yea generally the ones you speak of or hunting glasses and the like will enhance visibility, but seeing what your gonna hit from far off doesn't help except to make you $hit your pants sooner lol. In other words driving skills will get you farther, now that with those glasses would be better

 

[adsm08]

My truck's BFG/AT tires hydroplane like crazy, even at low speed. Terrible in rain. They spinout & skid on wet pavement so easily,

I didn't have that issue with the ones on my Ranger until they got to about 4/32 tread left. The new ones on my BII still have 9 or 10 left and are fine in the rain.

 

[shane96ranger]

I briefly read through this, and didn't see tire siping mentioned anywhere. You may want to consider having that done to your tires. Siping is a process that cuts little slits in your tire to improve your traction in slippery road conditions. I know Les Schwab and Discount Tire offer the service here.

I believe that throwing some sand bags in your bed (best right above the axle) is probably the best advice on here (that you aren't doing already).

Here's a photo of what siping is:

 

[PanamaExpat]

OK Kid... Since I am almost old enough to be your grandfather I'll give you some worldly advice on rain driving. Where I live this time of year we get 5 plus inches per day on the average and will continue to do so until near the end of December. Aside from knowing how your vehicle reacts the right tires will be your best answer to wet road conditions. I know I am about to step on some toes but don't waste your money on Hankook Korean junk Dynamic AT tires. Very soft rubber, wear out seemingly overnight, and have the weakest sidewalls known to man. Every time I have gone anywhere off the pavement I either had a rock or a stick rip out the sidewall and turn a $135.00 tire into instant junk. They perform OK in the rain and mud but not spectacular. After wearing through a set every 12 months on my Ssangyong I ponied up the extra cash and bought Toyo Open Country light truck tires. When I got my B4000 that was the first major improvement I made to it also. Go to a reputable tire dealer and talk with him about what tires will best suit your vehicle and driving style. Then don't be afraid to buy REAL tires instead of discount garbage. Toyo, Michelin, or Pirelli will have something that will keep you safe. Don't complain about the price as a couple hundred extra spent now is a whole lot cheaper than a stay in the hospital.

My next advice is simple drive ahead. Plan for your turns and breaking and most important be aware of the other drivers out there. Many of them are complete IDIOTS.

Oh and another note. Those Toyos... I plow into 10cm deep puddles all day long at 60 to 80 kph and haven't had a bit of problems hydroplaning. Can't say that about the old Hankooks.

 

[1237jjm]

I have no illusions that I'm in any way a seasoned driver, but I like to think that I'm figuring out the limits of my truck. I think the topic has somewhat gotten off the subject what my original post was intended for. There's one hill on a road I had in mind when talking about sliding and slipping. To get out on the road you really have to peel out quick or else you'll be waiting all day. On this same road theres a steep hill where people back up down it at a stop sign at the crest. On that hill it doesn't matter how well you fiddle with the clutch, you will spin tires and slip, no matter what you do. You have to do things fast. Thank you guys for your suggestions and giving me tips on driving better, rather than just saying "you're 16 you suck at driving, learn to drive!". Oh wait...

 

[FritzTKatt]

As a young guy myself, who drove a 94 2.3 5sp 2x for a year...

Goodyear wrangler. Regular old wranglers, it's a quality tire for a fair price, my set had 40k on them and still had 1/3 of the tread left.... slow down properly and ease the clutch out into 2nd when you round the turn. That helps control spinning A LOT. Don't gas it until you are at least 3/4 out of the turn, even then you can spin out. Go easy to start when its wet, you don't need to go anywhere that fast. When braking, I hit the clutch and brake at the same time, to be in neutral, then depending on how fast I needed to stop, would let it back into gear while braking. Sometimes coming to a stop in 4th gear and hitting the clutch at the last second. Other times, when its bad, downshifting all the way. Never had to hit 1st though, and the time I hit 2nd, I was being stupid anyway... Say you're doing 65 in 5th on the highway. You have to stop NOW... start braking and drop it into 4th, when you hit about 45-50, drop it into 3rd. When engine braking, you can hit the brakes a little harder, and you're also using the motor to help slow the wheels. So its far more effective than just braking, but this isn't always necessary. If it snows, put at least 200lbs in the bed.

When it snowed earlier this year, I had almost 600lbs of steel from work. Found an old drop of 5 1 1/4" plates about 2'x1.5' Just set it in with the crane and didn't spin a wheel...

I always hit the puddles for laughs when going a reasonably slow speed, but never ones where all 4 tires would go under at once. Spinning out on purpose (IN A SAFE PLACE) can be fun, but also educating. See what it takes to spin out around a corner at normal speeds... of course doing this with no parked cars or traffic, nothing to hit...

On the highway, doing 50+, I stayed in the tracks of the guy ahead of me (with safe following distance, 1+ length for every 10mph, more in bad conditions). They cleared some of the water from that spot on the road and made it less slippery. Also, as Kryptonite loosely mentioned, fresh rain pulls the oils in the road up, which makes it even more slippery then after an inch of rain.

 

[shane96ranger]

OK Kid... Since I am almost old enough to be your grandfather I'll give you some worldly advice on rain driving. Where I live this time of year we get 5 plus inches per day on the average and will continue to do so until near the end of December. Aside from knowing how your vehicle reacts the right tires will be your best answer to wet road conditions. I know I am about to step on some toes but don't waste your money on Hankook Korean junk Dynamic AT tires. Very soft rubber, wear out seemingly overnight, and have the weakest sidewalls known to man. Every time I have gone anywhere off the pavement I either had a rock or a stick rip out the sidewall and turn a $135.00 tire into instant junk. They perform OK in the rain and mud but not spectacular. After wearing through a set every 12 months on my Ssangyong I ponied up the extra cash and bought Toyo Open Country light truck tires. When I got my B4000 that was the first major improvement I made to it also. Go to a reputable tire dealer and talk with him about what tires will best suit your vehicle and driving style. Then don't be afraid to buy REAL tires instead of discount garbage. Toyo, Michelin, or Pirelli will have something that will keep you safe. Don't complain about the price as a couple hundred extra spent now is a whole lot cheaper than a stay in the hospital.

My next advice is simple drive ahead. Plan for your turns and breaking and most important be aware of the other drivers out there. Many of them are complete IDIOTS.

Lots of truth to this. You need to know the boundaries of your vehicle. Every winter, we have accidents galore on the first snowfall. Every year, I take the vehicle I'm driving, and "feel it out". Slam on the brakes in an empty parking lot. Take some turns fast. Practice driving out of a slide, etc.

I drove my Mustang for a few years in some pretty wretched weather. As long as I couldn't get high centered, it was going through. It has a L/S differential too.

 

[FritzTKatt]

Hehe one time I was screwing around on a loose, pea gravel road in the 94 2.3 2x. Trees on both sides, only room for 1 car...

Was doing 45 and slammed on the brakes... I rock-planed to a stop. That was pretty scary, but to hell if it didn't make me a better driver. Just held the wheel steady and rode it out.

Used to go to a flea market parking lot in off hours and do power slides on the gravel. I had that truck going sideways at 30mph with my hungover buddy about to puke out the window, he wasn't happy but I was entertained. Steering out too fast and whipping the rear was fun too.

Now remember that that was for fun, if you did that on the road, especially in poor conditions, people would be going to the hospital if not the coroners office.