ARTICLE: Safe Driving in the Rains

[gowda79]

If you cannot avoid the puddle, Your best bet is to threshold brake before you hit the puddle.
your car should be perfectly neutral[/b].

By getting the vehicle into neutral the vehicle gets a free flow and could lead to nowhere, its better to control the car by shifting to the lower gear (eg - shifting from 4th to 3rd and leaving the clutch slowly) which slowers the vehicle.

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by gowda79

By getting the vehicle into neutral the vehicle gets a free flow and could lead to nowhere, its better to control the car by shifting to the lower gear (eg - shifting from 4th to 3rd and leaving the clutch slowly) which slowers the vehicle.

I think he did not mean the gear to be in neutral, he meant no braking or steering while hitting the puddle.

[Pseudosage]

Originally Posted by Atlblkz06

When you enter the puddle, your car should be perfectly neutral. Hang on to the steering wheel firmly and do not turn at all.

Last time I hit a puddle, although I released the gas & brakes and kept the car straight, it fishtailed (rear wheels probably lost traction, I don't know). I had to correct the steering both ways (like Spetnaz's zig zag). In the process, the car both straightened and slowed down significantly. I thank God I had room to get away with it! I agree, under these circumstances the 1st priority is to keep the car as slow and direction-neutral (if I can call it that) as possible. Not only do we have to worry about hydroplaning, but mudplaning as well, considering the almost perpetual state of work-in-progress on our roads.

[binoyjude]

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[johnda]

Down South the monsoons have arrived and thus its slowly water everywhere!
No complains about it- just that our cars are going to be in the NEXT season for at least 3 months.
I have an OHC that is parked out in the open (no covered parking at home or at work)
Its impossible to keep the car dry. but there are thing that can be done to keep the car SAFE. with care related to:
rust, (places that water is always logged in)
slush scratches,
wiper and windscreen efficiency,
Paint and body,
driving in the rain,
flood care!
avoiding a wet interior and damp smell
and so much more...
I guess we'll all learn with input thrown in here.....

Mods: this falls in the car care section please move or merge if necessary

Joe

[hillram]

Very important thread.Thanks Jon.
With Monsoons setting in,every car will be subjected to nature's fury.few tips from my side:
1.Check the wiper wear and tear and get replacement done if necessary.
2.Top up Wiper wash fluid.Normally all cars carry 2-4 litres.
3.Check the working of rear defogger as this is a necessity.
4.During a rainy day,switch on your fog lights/parking lights and drive on,so that the incoming car knows your presence on the road in misty and rainy condition.
5.Finally drive carefully in rain,avoiding pot holes,man holes and dont exceed great speeds.

[jesal]

i have an i10. 6 months old with sunroof. i want to make sure i have no leaking problems. should i seal off the sunroof for the monsoon with think tape ? or am i being overly protective ?

[Gagan.js]

Just go to the service station and ask them to inspect it.

[prince_pervez]

Good Thread! There is a thread which talks about car care during the rains, started by GTO. I think this topic should be appended there.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/owning...ing-rains.html (ARTICLE: Safe Driving in the Rains)
Anyway, my contribution:
For a car standing outside, one of the biggest threat is hailstones.
Dents on the roof and hood, crack windshields..you name it.
One more thing. Should the cover be on when its raining?
Will it affect the car paint when the rains stop and the hood is still wet and on the car?

[amtak]

I think for people living in coastal areas like Mumbai/Vizag etc, one should try not to park the car under the tree, as the chances are quite high that the tree might be uprooted due to strong winds. For that matter, I try to avoid it in all seasons!

Secondly, keep some emergency torch inside the car. It would be good if you can keep the ones that fit the cigarette lighters sockets as they are quite powerful and can prove to be helpful if struck somewhere on a rainy night.

[shabahmad]

While driving on highways and long trips, we used to increase tyre pressure by 1-2 psi than recommended.

Do we need to keep following the same in rainy season also? or can we reduce tyre pressure by 1-2 psi so that we can have more grip in rain?

Experts can you please shower some info!

[asr245]

Carry a couple of cigarettes or a pouch of tobacco in your glovebox. If visibility becomes a problem due to heavy rainfall, rubbing tobacco on the windscreen works wonders.

A bit confused.. do you mean from inside to prevent misting or on the outside?

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by asr245

A bit confused.. do you mean from inside to prevent misting or on the outside?

I think outside. I've seen truckers rub tobacco on their windshields from the outside. Improves clarity.

[ACM]

Originally Posted by jesal

i have an i10. 6 months old with sunroof. i want to make sure i have no leaking problems. should i seal off the sunroof for the monsoon with think tape ? or am i being overly protective ?

If sealing of the sunroof with tape were to be required then you might as well not have bought a car with a sun roof.

the sun roofs have a drainage system that is hidden below the actual roof and above the soft cladding that we see from inside. (At lease that's the way in my Laura).

There should be no leakage from above under any circumstances, but if the water drainage system is blocked with leaves then you could end up with water near you feet.

Dont bother about the roof till you see some water inside, and when you do take it to the service centre to rectify under warranty.

[rkbharat]

before it arrive here in Delhi(and I wish it arrive ASAP), I need to switch to Bosch wiper. Current pair have already crossed an year.