Easter weekend marks the start of the rainy season in many parts of SA. We’ve had severe droughts and countless fires, and we should be grateful for every drop of rain filling our rivers and dams. However, if you don’t know what you’re doing, the wet weather can land you in a spot of serious trouble.
Motorcyclists who love miserable weather: Read this!
Stay safe and don’t become an organ donor just yet - by adjusting your style of driving to the drizzly weather conditions, you’ll reach your destination in one piece.
1. Be dressed to not get killed
That sleek black helmet should stay where it belongs today - on the shelf, not on your head. Wearing a brightly coloured helmet will ensure you can be seen, however poor the visibility. If you only have a dark helmet, wearing other items of brightly coloured, reflective and waterproof clothing will also help. Don’t worry about looking like a clown. A living clown is better than a dead runway model.
2. Give yourself a brake
Be a smooth operator – apply lighter pressure to the front brake as you normally would in the dry. This is no time for abrupt braking, unless you want your wheels to lock up. Give yourself more time and distance to reduce speed before entering a corner. Applying the brakes gradually can be a life-saving exercise.
It’s also a good idea to apply the brakes periotoolally to clear the rotors of mud and debris.
As for acceleration – treat it the same way as you would braking. Easy does it!
3. Don’t be tyre-d out
Make sure your tyres are in good condition, and remember that wider tyres have a better chance of aquaplaning than narrower ones. In the unfortunate event that this happens, try not to brake, but ease off the throttle and just ride it out.
4. Always look for a dry line
This goes without saying. Why risk unnecessary slipping and falling in the wet, if a dry line will always offer better traction?
5. Avoid puddles like the plague
That innocent-looking puddle may be hiding a bottomless pothole of doom. If you can miss it, do so. Also exercise caution at intersections (which can be oily), and on painted arrows or stripes on the road. These can potentially be very slippery when covered in a layer of water.
In a truck? In a car? Can’t see very far?
It’s still safer than being on a motorcycle, but don’t think you can drive the way you do when it’s perfect weather. You need to have your wits about you, and then some.
1. Make sure your wipers/demister can do a proper job
If your car’s been baking in the hot sun all summer and a sudden downpour hits, don’t curse at your wipers if they struggle to clear your windscreen. Always be prepared and regularly check whether they’re in a decent enough condition to operate as required.
2. DO NOT SPEED
When it’s wet, chances are your car won’t seem as well-behaved as usual. For starters, a wet road equals a longer distance for a car to come to a stop. By driving a little more slowly and keeping a decent following distance, serious accidents can be avoided. Furthermore,
only advanced drivers will know what to do when a car oversteers or understeers – that is, if they can keep cool enough instead of just slamming the brakes. To correct under/oversteer requires some skidpan training which forms part of an advanced driver’s course. You will also learn other helpful skills such as cadence braking, if your car isn’t equipped with anti-locking brakes (ABS). I did my first one at the Killarney race track in Cape Town, click here to find out more.
3. Keep those lights on
In Europe, daytime running lamps have now become compulsory, but in SA we know how it goes: Many vehicles on our roads aren’t even roadworthy. So switch on your lights, not only to see, but to be seen. And don’t blind people with your fog lights if there isn’t any fog - your headlamps will be sufficient. Also, be considerate of other drivers and turn your ‘brights’ off as soon as you become aware of another car approaching. If visibility is particularly poor, switch on your hazards. Don’t forget to signal well in advance!
4. Install a worst-case-scenario app on your phone
CrashDetech (downloadable from the Apple Play store or Google Play) is a clever application that will alert the authorities should you get into a serious enough accident for you to be severely injured, and emergency services will be dispatched to your exact location. It offers different packages but the basic one is free. Don’t worry, the ambulance won’t arrive at your door if you drop your phone in your driveway. Go to www.crashdetech.com for more info.
5. Don’t cross fast-moving streams or rivers
Apart from a potentially life-threatening loss of control, you and your car can be swept away. if possible, find another route! If not, proceed with extreme caution. Here’s some helpful advice on how to navigate a flooded road, and how to escape a sinking car.
