driving in a downpour

[ronki]

pansin ko sa highway (NLEX, SLEX) pag biglang bumuhos ang malakas na ulan, pag may nag umpisa nang magbukas ng hazard, ang dami nang gagaya at sunod sunod na sila magbubukas ng hazard lights...

Monkey see, monkey do.

[sag0]

Monkey see, monkey do.

exactly sir hehe...

[Type 100]

Respect the water ... Ease up on your speed

I had a close call 20 years ago when I was driving a pickup on a heavy downpour and I hydroplaned at 85 KPH and I went on the opposite lane. Good thing there was no oncoming traffic on the opposite lane until I regained control...

After that incident I can't go over 70 KPH when there's a downpour.

If this is a pickup truck or rear-drive SUV, I suggest that you carry something heavy to weight up the rear axle when the heavens pour down. This will make it easier for you to drive in the rain as you're increasing traction on the driven wheels. HTH

[lowslowbenz]

Speed is subjective to all of us. One should slow down to safe velocities once they encounter heavy rain. Even on the german autobahns, speed is automatically regulated once heavy rain or fog is detected.

Its not an issue of whether you have Eagle Aquatread tyres or what not. Water on the tarmac greatly reduces tyre grip, so its best to be safe, than sorry ... or worse .. dead.

[Type 100]

In inclement conditions, situational awareness and smoothness with the controls becomes much more important. You can actually carry a good amount of speed and maintain good traction as long as you limit sudden movements and applications of brake and throttle. Every time you touch the brake or gas pedal, you are shifting your vehicle's weight forward (under braking or when letting go of the gas) or backward (when accelerating). You'll want to squeeze the pedals gently and increase/decrease pressure at a steady rate, so that you're effectively keeping the vehicle as balanced as you can.

Avoid tailgating situations at higher speeds in the wet. Increasing the distance between you and the vehicle/s in front will allow you to maximize the potential of cold, wet brakes and tires. Both components work best with some residual heat (this is the reason why different kinds of brake pads have an optimal temperature range). When asphalt gets wet, ultimate braking capability is one of the very first things that goes away - the "limit" becomes much smaller - so you have to drive accordingly.

To take advantage of a smoother driving style, situational awareness comes in. Basically you will have to "read" both the road and the moves of your fellow road users, and try to predict how they will behave, so you can proactively position your vehicle in your intended direction. This is one skill a driver gains with experience and practice, but this also requires the space to react. How will you do that if you hang inches off a vehicle's rear bumper, or keep position alongside another vehicle at the same speed? On a multi-lane highway, you want to avoid having someone directly to your left or right so that you have the room to move/react when necessary. Typically you also want to keep an idea of where your exit, or other destination, so you can decrease the severity of your lane changes and maintain as straight a line of travel as possible - again in the name of smoothness.

Smoothness also benefits other road users. The more predictable and easier to read your actions are as you pilot a vehicle, the easier it is for others to make their way without undue roughness on the cars they're driving - and risk of potential accident due to loss of grip. Basically you're doing your fellow road users a favor by making their mental workload easier as well.

HTH

[vinj]

In inclement conditions, situational awareness and smoothness with the controls becomes much more important. You can actually carry a good amount of speed and maintain good traction as long as you limit sudden movements and applications of brake and throttle. Every time you touch the brake or gas pedal, you are shifting your vehicle's weight forward (under braking or when letting go of the gas) or backward (when accelerating). You'll want to squeeze the pedals gently and increase/decrease pressure at a steady rate, so that you're effectively keeping the vehicle as balanced as you can.

Avoid tailgating situations at higher speeds in the wet. Increasing the distance between you and the vehicle/s in front will allow you to maximize the potential of cold, wet brakes and tires. Both components work best with some residual heat (this is the reason why different kinds of brake pads have an optimal temperature range). When asphalt gets wet, ultimate braking capability is one of the very first things that goes away - the "limit" becomes much smaller - so you have to drive accordingly.

To take advantage of a smoother driving style, situational awareness comes in. Basically you will have to "read" both the road and the moves of your fellow road users, and try to predict how they will behave, so you can proactively position your vehicle in your intended direction. This is one skill a driver gains with experience and practice, but this also requires the space to react. How will you do that if you hang inches off a vehicle's rear bumper, or keep position alongside another vehicle at the same speed? On a multi-lane highway, you want to avoid having someone directly to your left or right so that you have the room to move/react when necessary. Typically you also want to keep an idea of where your exit, or other destination, so you can decrease the severity of your lane changes and maintain as straight a line of travel as possible - again in the name of smoothness.

Smoothness also benefits other road users. The more predictable and easier to read your actions are as you pilot a vehicle, the easier it is for others to make their way without undue roughness on the cars they're driving - and risk of potential accident due to loss of grip. Basically you're doing your fellow road users a favor by making their mental workload easier as well.

HTH

Very deliberate smoothness indeed is crucial during a heavy downpour! In fact you are very, very aware and deliberate on things at a certain point that it can be tiring.

I've gone through very heavy rains on NLEX at night and I still don't see the need for hazard lights; It is still safer to keep them off. If you cannot see the car in front of you on time then you may be driving too fast for conditions or your wipers and headlights are not up to par. You will also need your signal lights to switch lanes from time to time to avoid the crawling cars (as speeds drop to anywhere between 40-60kph). If you can't see anything then something is wrong and you should get off at the next rest stop and wait it out.

* hydroplaning, it can happen at low speeds as well (i.e. 60kph) depending on the depth of the water puddle you pass through, the tires you have and if you're accelerating hard.

[lowslowbenz]

* hydroplaning, it can happen at low speeds as well (i.e. 60kph) depending on the depth of the water puddle you pass through, the tires you have and if you're accelerating hard.

Yeah, it really can happen. Much more so on wide tyres (water displacement taking too long). I had one such occurence along Daang Hari on the approach of the bridge after Mcdo. That certain point retains a sizable puddle of water when it rains. Mga south boys ingat kayo sa area na yan.

Ayun, gen 1 Ford Exped + 50% worn Goodyears + a bit of speed (like 80 kph ata?) = WEEEEEEEEEEEE ... felt like I'm driving an elephant on ice skates.

Good thing I felt the front wheels regain traction after like an eternity ... and avoided collision on the bridge guardrails ..

[vinj]

Eto: https://www.facebook.com/notes/robby...52968941815204

Top Gear Philippines
November 2009
Wheels of Justice -- Hazard a guess?
By: Robby Consunji

Question:

A truck bumped my car while I was driving in the blinding rain. I had my hazard lights turned while crossing the highway when a truck rammed my rear. The truck driver says it’s my fault because my hazard lights were on. Is this correct?

Answer:

You are presumed to be negligent because at the time of the mishap you were in a violation of the traffic regulation governing the use of hazard lights. In the absence of evidence in your defence, you will be held at fault and liable for the damage caused.

It is also true that the truck driver is required to slow down upon seeing your Hazard Lights. The issue will be whether you adequately announced your change in direction.

The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic provides: -- “Hazard warning signal may be used only to warn other road-users of a particular danger: - a) When a vehicle which has broken down or has been involved in an accident cannot be moved immediately, so that it constitutes an obstacle to other road-users; (b) When indicating to other road-users the risk of an imminent danger.”

The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic forms part of Philippine law, as the Philippines is a contracting party to this convention and ratified it by Presidential Decree No. 207 [1973].

The Land Transportation and Traffic Code, Republic Act No. 4136 (1964), is silent regarding hazard lights. Neither is there a Philippine law or regulation allowing the use of hazard lights for a moving vehicle. The Code merely requires parking lights or flares visible 100 meters away to be displayed at a corner of the vehicle when parked on highways, or in places that are not well-lighted, or is placed in such manner as to endanger passing traffic.

Thus, the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic defines the use of hazard lights in the Philippines. If there are local customs or practices, these unwritten rules of the road have no meaning in a court of law, and cannot set the standard of diligence or safety required of a driver.

The purpose of Hazard Lights can be gleaned from its technical features.

Hazard Warning Signal Lights, also called “hazard lights”, “flashers”, “4-way flashers”, “blinkers”, cause all the signal or directional lights found generally in the corners of the vehicle to “flash in phase” or blink simultaneously. It is operated by one switch separate from the signal light switch on the steering column, and is operable even if ignition switch is off.

In simple terms, a driver is obliged to announce his intention to turn or change direction by using his signal lights. However, the operation of the Hazard Lights does not allow the signal lights to simultaneously operate. The driver must not operate Hazard Lights while the vehicle is moving because Hazard Lights do not announce a change in direction. In other countries, the rules expressly state that Hazard Lights may be used only when the vehicle is stationary.

If Hazard Lights were intended to be used in a moving vehicle, then it would not be operable with the engine not running. Noteworthy is that the vehicle manufacturers commonly name these lights as “Hazard Lights”; it wasn’t named “Emergency Lights”, nor “Park Lights”, nor “Illegal Parking Lights”.

Hazard Lights are meant to announce “to other road-users the risk of an imminent danger.” As soon as the danger is gone, the driver has the obligation to immediately shut off the Hazard Lights.

The local use of Hazard Lights for blinding rain can lead to distraction and confusion. Safety experts recommend the use of the park lights and headlights for blinding rain, or the installation of a rear red fog light.

The improper use of Hazard Lights reminds me of the boy who cried “Wolf!”

The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic defines the use of hazard lights in the Philippines. If there are local customs or practices, these unwritten rules of the road have no meaning in a court of law, and cannot set the standard of diligence or safety required of a driver.

[K.I.L.L.]

Eto: https://www.facebook.com/notes/robby...52968941815204

There you go. Thank you very much for posting this and therefore, enforcing what we know to be the correct use of hazard lights in the pouring rain.