this might explain why do our cars hydroplane...
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Atlanta, GA
In order to drive according to the road contions the driver has to be able to percieve and react to them...sometimes this is all but impossible. I'll give an example. Here in GA we get nasty things like black ice and because of the way the road are paved they get very oily after a light rain. In any case, sometimes you can't see let alone react to these things. So, if I am happily driving along at 65 on a bright sunny day and just happen to drive through an area where it rained 15 minutes ago hit a patch of oily road and spin out...who's fault is it really? No ones IMHO. Sometimes $h!t happens, but for some reason we have to blame someone for everything. Not everyone who has an accident is a bad driver...even the illustrious Micheal Schumacher has had a few wrecks.
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Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Erock's my boat!
johnny,
yes, but, as you state, you are already AWARE of the possibility of oil, black ice etc. - so expect them and drive accordingly.
for example, when it rains, people naturally slow down - it's a fact. sometimes though, they just don't slow down enough.
anyways, enough about this - i am abviously in the minority here and can't seem to get anyone to see my FUNDAMENTAL point....
yes, but, as you state, you are already AWARE of the possibility of oil, black ice etc. - so expect them and drive accordingly.
for example, when it rains, people naturally slow down - it's a fact. sometimes though, they just don't slow down enough.
anyways, enough about this - i am abviously in the minority here and can't seem to get anyone to see my FUNDAMENTAL point....
Joined: May 2001
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From: Nowhere
I agree with what you're saying TKG. But there was an implication in the initial posts that hydroplaning was either a result of driver error (and only driver error) or a result of mismatched tires. Both of those statements are false. I was hoping to explain why a car would hydroplane, and why the S2000 (applies to almost all sports cars) seems to be particularly sensitive to it.
What I'm trying to convey is that a vehicle can hydroplane for many reasons, and how fast you're driving is only one of those reasons. It is a major factor - going 80 in a downpour is obviously pretty stupid, but I see people doing it anyway. And really, you can't always see a puddle - when driving at night or in a heavy downpour for example. So slowing down to 30 mph to avoid hydroplaning on a 55mph highway when you can't see anything but dry or slightly wet pavement? Come on. Using the logic of slowing down since there might be a road hazard such as water, black ice, loose gravel, oil slicks, etc means we'd all have to drive 15mph pretty much all the time. That'd be fun
There's a major difference between driver error and driver stupidity. The former doesn't cause accidents because of hydroplaning, the latter does.
What I'm trying to convey is that a vehicle can hydroplane for many reasons, and how fast you're driving is only one of those reasons. It is a major factor - going 80 in a downpour is obviously pretty stupid, but I see people doing it anyway. And really, you can't always see a puddle - when driving at night or in a heavy downpour for example. So slowing down to 30 mph to avoid hydroplaning on a 55mph highway when you can't see anything but dry or slightly wet pavement? Come on. Using the logic of slowing down since there might be a road hazard such as water, black ice, loose gravel, oil slicks, etc means we'd all have to drive 15mph pretty much all the time. That'd be fun
There's a major difference between driver error and driver stupidity. The former doesn't cause accidents because of hydroplaning, the latter does.
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Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Myrtle Beach
I am on the side of driver error that is coupled with a light short wheel based car that has some what wide rear tires.
Anytime that you loose traction with perfectly good tires you were in error, or in error for not having good tires. I have been unable to stop on ice in another vehicle and slid into a snow bank in Lake Tahoe. I did not blame the rental car or the weather, I was not driving the vehicle in such a manner as to not slide into the snow bank.
But after saying that, it is a function of the vehicles handling characteristics that gets you sliding on water, another characteristic of the driver that keeps you, your car and others on the roadways safe after getting the car in that position.
Anytime that you loose traction with perfectly good tires you were in error, or in error for not having good tires. I have been unable to stop on ice in another vehicle and slid into a snow bank in Lake Tahoe. I did not blame the rental car or the weather, I was not driving the vehicle in such a manner as to not slide into the snow bank.
But after saying that, it is a function of the vehicles handling characteristics that gets you sliding on water, another characteristic of the driver that keeps you, your car and others on the roadways safe after getting the car in that position.
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From: Dallas
Folks, please distinguish between "hydroplane" and "lose control of the vehicle". It is quite possible to do the former without doing the latter.
An S2k on S02's hydroplanes much more easily than other cars, period. With full tread, I could hydroplane at 40mph when all the cars around me (from yugos to semis) were doing 80+ without problems.
The problem is that (a) some drivers are not aware of this, and (b) most drivers cannot handle it when it happens.
An S2k on S02's hydroplanes much more easily than other cars, period. With full tread, I could hydroplane at 40mph when all the cars around me (from yugos to semis) were doing 80+ without problems.
The problem is that (a) some drivers are not aware of this, and (b) most drivers cannot handle it when it happens.
