[rpm]

Originally Posted by S2K

......... And most of all, what is the ideal behaviour in such situations?

I'm not as knowledgeable as other BHPians, so I'll be answering only this particular part to the best of my knowledge.

In case lightning strikes and you are driving your car, please DO NOT get out of your car to take shelter under a tree. You'll be putting your life in peril by doing so. If you have your sunroof open, close it. Roll up your windows and sit tight. Do not touch the metal bits of your car. As long as your car is not a convertible, you're in luck. The metal frame of the car acts as a Faraday cage and distributes the current across the metal frame, keeping you, the passenger safe.

Here is a relevant video demonstrating what happens when lightning strikes a car:

https://youtu.be/GZxgYNnkBd0

[coolmel]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I have cats. I like to know where they are before starting the car and moving off, but always sound the horn briefly. Whatever the weather!

Thank you for sharing. As responsible motorists, we all should do the same. Empathy and kindness go a long way. More so in the monsoons.

[itwasntme]

For those enjoying the KIAL road, be very careful of serious amounts of standing water at the foot of some of the flyovers.

Even with the best of tyres and control systems, hitting a large section of such water at speed will 100% lead to aquaplaning when the sipes get overloaded.

I was following a Omni which nearly lost control on such a stretch.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

For those enjoying the KIAL road, be very careful of serious amounts of standing water at the foot of some of the flyovers.

Even with the best of tyres and control systems, hitting a large section of such water at speed will 100% lead to aquaplaning when the sipes get overloaded.

I was following a Omni which nearly lost control on such a stretch.

A friend shared this from yesterday. And were discussing how due to rains this would have been a case due to stagnant water.



All said and done, it's not always KIAL or any flyover for that matter. I always ensure to remain away from the median even on a regular dual carriageway highway.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

All said and done, it's not always KIAL or any flyover for that matter. I always ensure to remain away from the median even on a regular dual carriageway highway.

+1.

I remember one instance in October 2015, somewhere near Annavaram. Unseasonal and torrential rains had flooded the whole 3 lanes of the highway just after a flyover.

I had slowed down to 50-60 due to the rains but the amount of water caught me off-guard. Must have been 2ft of water at the very least over a stretch of 25-30ft. Felt like hitting a wall and water over my windscreen. Even after being on the leftmost lane, I couldn't escape the swimming pool (maybe it was deeper towards the median!)

It was a dip in the road right after the flyover which no drainage can fix. Bad road design and nothing else.

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

A friend shared this from yesterday. And were discussing how due to rains this would have been a case due to stagnant water.

Attachment 2179200

All said and done, it's not always KIAL or any flyover for that matter. I always ensure to remain away from the median even on a regular dual carriageway highway.

The missing crash barrier on the median in the KIAL Rd has been the cause for several fatalities due to careening vehicles jumping the median and going to the opposite side. I wonder when the idiots will realise this and install crash barriers.

I stay away from the median of a high speed corridor (such as our NHs, KIAL road, expressways, etc) whenever crash barriers are missing in the median. It gives me a few extra milliseconds to take evasive action in case a vehicle from the opposite carriageway jumps the median and comes on my side.

If not the concrete kinds, we atleast need metallic armco crash barriers.

Originally Posted by ashis89

I had slowed down to 50-60 due to the rains but the amount of water caught me off-guard. Must have been 2ft of water at the very least over a stretch of 25-30ft. Felt like hitting a wall and water over my windscreen. Even after being on the leftmost lane, I couldn't escape the swimming pool (maybe it was deeper towards the median!)

It was a dip in the road right after the flyover which no drainage can fix. Bad road design and nothing else.

Precisely due to this reason, I make it a practice to avoid the rightmost lane in the rainy season wherever the road is banked to the right, as in a right-curving road, bcoz water is likely to be accumulated there against the median kerbside.

I anyway avoid it when there is no median crash barriers. But in the rains, even if there are median crash barriers, I avoid the rightmost lane.

And if it's banked left, I again avoid rightmost lane (bcoz opposite carriageway likely has water accumulated there and a vehicle coming will suddenly splash water on my windshield)

Some defensive driving techniques

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

For those enjoying the KIAL road, be very careful of serious amounts of standing water at the foot of some of the flyovers.

Even with the best of tyres and control systems, hitting a large section of such water at speed will 100% lead to aquaplaning when the sipes get overloaded.

I was following a Omni which nearly lost control on such a stretch.

Once I went to pick up my cousin in heavy rain which was an experience in itself. Stretch from Decathalon was near waterlogged. Got more scary around Chikkajala when you drive uphill past the ITC factory.

My cousin asked me if it had been worth it? Well, I preferred picking him up rather that he take a risk averse cabby!

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

For those enjoying the KIAL road, be very careful of serious amounts of standing water at the foot of some of the flyovers.

.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

A friend

Originally Posted by ashis89

...

I remember one instance in October 2015,

It was a dip in the road right after the flyover which no drainage can fix. Bad road design and nothing else.

Originally Posted by vharihar

The missing crash barrier

Originally Posted by ajmat

Once I went to pick up my cousin in heavy rain

What about waterlogging on the flyover? Our Hosur road BETL has two or three such locations. And we also have maniacs who drive through these ponds in the sky at extreme speeds. I remember clearly the night when a motorcycle rider was thrown off the flyover under such circumstances by a speeding taxi driver - I had reached home that night wondering how reckless speeding drivers were avoiding two wheelers I could barely see for all the rain, only to find out next day about the inevitable accident on the news.

We should be suing BETL and the authorities for wilful negligence, both for the faulty design / maintenance and for allowing rash driving on such roads.

https://m.timesofindia.com/city/beng...w/61086816.cms

Interesting that the story does not mention the rain (October 2017 had record levels of rainfall) or the flooding on the expressway!

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by mvadg

What about waterlogging on the flyover? Our Hosur road BETL has two or three such locations.

You asked for it so here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nolBBPCmNrc

As I said, I generally prefer to stick to the left or center lane as much as possible. Water logging is one of the many reasons that I have.

[adisan]

From personal experiences:

Do not park in areas where there has been recent major work on the drainage system or on the roads. If the drain entry point is blocked by debris, water levels can rise rapidly.

If following a heavy vehicle and it passes over a puddle of water, its tyres can spray a great amount of water, enough to temporarily blind our vision unless the wiper is running on high mode.

Sometimes rain water accumulates at the base of a flyover starts. Vehicles getting on to the flyover can splash this water on to those passing beside or below the flyover, and forcefully as well,

[amitjha086]

In my country, this is how it is when it rains along with hails. At times, it becomes difficult to find a place to pull over and find a shelter. What do you suggest for such situation?

https://youtu.be/SflMMPQjZDQ

https://youtu.be/ZS7sLoZteZE

[shiv11bhargava]

Navigating through water in Gurgaon!

Gurgaon has some serious waterlogging trouble!
Just last night I had a unique circumstance.

1. An 80 metre stretch of water on a broken-dusty patch!
2. The water level was around 10-13 inches minimum.
3. To my horror, I saw the water almost go into my exhaust! ( I own a 2019 Nov Aprilia SR 150 ABS)

As a reader and an enthusiast. I was worried! Driving through the water seemed very risky. I was in normal running shoes, a tee-shirt and jeans! It wasn't raining.

After carefully navigating for about 10 metres. I realised that driving through it could damage my engine if water surrounded it! Last evening, when I first discovered the stretch, I managed to drive through by sticking to the left hand side.

A few hours later, rain ensured it all became deeper. After 10 metres I knew! Time to wet the shoes and jeans. NO way am I going to drive through an 80 metre stretch. An engine replacement or any damage due to water is possibly the worst situation for anyone who loves their vehicle.

I walked onto the right hand side with 70 metres left. Calmly. I walk into 10-12 inches of water at 12:30 AM with my Aprilia firmly on my right hand side. Engine off. Yes indeed! A bit eerie as well.

After around 45 seconds, the water wasn't all that high and I had about 15 metres to go. My jeans were wet till my knees but I was glad to not risk wading through water. Adidas shoes are grippy on wet roads! Phew.

Earlier this morning. Bhargava Sr informed me that our 2018 Baleno RS wasn't shifting into gear. Father and son discussed the 80 metre stretch. Using the left foot on the clutch and right foot on the brake+accelarator method. We ensured the clutch unstuck itself from the flywheel!

Left the car in the garage today. Cleaned the Aprilia and parked it in the sun!
Cheers.

[pratstsi]

Yeah.. First rains in Mumbai.. and got rear ended by lorry.. �� here’s my dashcam footage.. sharing YouTube link as the not able to upload the video..

https://youtu.be/MySBSfNZ_PE

Mod Note : Please avoid typing with excessive dots.........like................this.

[redcruiser]

Originally Posted by GTO

Safety on the Road:

•

Thanks GTO for your long post.

Is it advisable to keep the TCS off during the rains?

[Sandman689]

After the rain subsides, I usually find the wet roads absorbing all light.
And as pointed out by bhpians here, high beam makes little to no difference.

Other than slowing right down, any other way to keep a steady pace?