Hypothetical Question on Aquaplaning

[Jchuacl]

Main thing is not to do anything that will cause a weight transfer of the car.

I ever had my tail sliding out when I was doing a quick turn in the wet and what I did was to feather the throttle and gently accelerate once I felt that I'm able to catch the tail. It was a close call as I was very near a concrete wall. This was a for a FWD.

 

 

hai....already said....hypothetical question liao lor....duh...meaning it already happened...duh

 

anyway, tyre interaction with the tarmac is mostly molecular level, not macro or mechanical as most would think, maybe during aquaplaning.

 

different blend of asphalt, tyres will behave diff, means the car behave diff.

 

but within or there about speed limits, effect is totally insignificant....at higher speed (eg racing at track) then this comes more into the picture.

 

hai...already said its hypothetical lor...

 

 

[Coltplussport]

See here. The recommendation is to keep your foot lightly on the accelerator while holding your steering in a direction clear of traffic.

 

 

I don't understand what disengaging the clutch will achieve?

 

I also believe that depending on their design, brand new tyres will hydroplane to different extents. So it is not only old tyres that will hydroplane.

 

But with or without traction control, you cannot help the car gain traction if your foot is not on the accelerator, albeit lightly. So I don't think that lifting your foot off the accelerator is the best way to recover from hydroplaning.

 

For me, pressing the accelerator so as to regain traction. Brake might be the last thing on my mine.

[Ken4555]

ermmm...your post gave me a bit of a shock...suppose you are writing to good carbuyer. right?

 

yes phluvcat...

 

its not to you...

 

sorry to have shocked you... have a good day...

[Thedream]

The initial part of the video showed a few braking on wet roads with the tyres turned sideways...I suppose that is negative demonstration.

 

Tyres slowly lose their ability to grip the more they are turned away from the centre line of travel.

 

Thats why the fastest and shortest way of braking is in a straight line. If run out of distance to brake in a straight line, have to see-saw the steering wheel to wring the car into the direction you wanted without totally losing the front grip, i.e. understeering.

 

I believe braking technique is very very important because of the way most people are driving nowadays, and also with the increased frequency of flooding and road debris, the asphalt is "blended" with impurities and braking is not so straighforward anymore.

 

And dun let ABS or whatever electronic aids lull you into a false security.

 

Learned something new today man...thanks.

 

I don't think the video meant to show the difference in braking when front wheels are turned.

 

Our brakes are always biased to the front because the weight of the car moves to the front when braking. That is why brakes on cars are always bigger/stronger on the front than at the rear.

 

This allows cars to stop in a controlled manner, i.e. appropriate brake force according to how much force is at the front & rear. If the front brakes are too strong, then the rear will "fishtail" and possibly spin to the front. If the rear brakes are too strong, then the front will swing left and right.

 

When hydroplaning, your brakes will not be able to apply any braking force to the tyres which are hydroplaning. Therefore, it is equivalent to no braking force on those tyres. Therefore the above scenarios of unequal brake bias will occur and you will lose control of the car if you brake too hard when hydroplaning.

 

It's probably what happened in this video. You see the rear swing to the right then violently to the left. This wouldn't happen if the driver was not hard on his brakes.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmtkPSlkOX4...feature=related

 

ABS is probably not very useful when hydroplaning. In any case, I don't think you should be slamming hard on your brakes. But traction control can help make sure your wheels that have traction can help pull you out of your skid. But once again, this requires you to be lightly on the accelerator in order for it to do so.

[5936]

It's safer to slow down and keep a longer distance, at least that buy us extra time.

 

but seriously, how slow you normally drive in light rain, only intermittent wiper speed is enough to see.

 

At 90kmh road, reduce to 80, 70, 60.

 

Quite a hypotheical question too, subjective also.

 

 

[Phluvcat]

my worst experience was on yokohama db aspec.

 

I skidded almost the whole of the exclusive filter lane to KK Hospital along Bukit Timah Road....dam that was the longest 80m or so for me. there was not even a thick film of water but it was a slight downward gradient. I was just a helpless passenger behind the wheel...until the last ten metre or so.

 

 

but then more drama came into the picture, a lady crossing the zebra crossing at the giveway towards KKH direction...so if I could not stop in time I had to choose to mount the giveway kerb instead of hitting the lady, who was oblivious to my car skidding all the way and crossing in slow motion...she looked at me and I looked at her....very drama

 

I was doing all kinds of adjustment, with my front wheels gripping one moment and sliding the other, but never getting the grip back fully. fortunately i managed to trim down enough speed where I made the last minute decision to turn left (dun wan to mount kerb ler), skidded another couple of metre and stopped about 2 metres from the lady, who had literally stopped in the middle of the crossing with eyes wide open.

 

I was like...wow very pretty lady with floral umbrella but at the same time wanted to get down the car and blast at her...typical pedestrian who do not look after themselves while crossing the road, oblivious of road situation

 

I was not travelling fast but yokohama db aspec is one weird tyre in the wet (but its good in the dry)...this experience made me swear off any tyres with yokohama print on them. told my dad then and he told me he spun at least 540 degree on the PIE some time back. my sis bf also mounted the kerb while attempting a u-turn.

 

this happened few years back. now using SS535, no such nonsense so far ler

 

 

 

 

[5936]

I use Yoko ES501 DNA, even almost worn down, I did not experience aquaplaning.

 

Is it those right time, right condition things that aquaplan will occur.

[Phluvcat]

I use Yoko ES501 DNA, even almost worn down, I did not experience aquaplaning.

 

Is it those right time, right condition things that aquaplan will occur.

 

then there is too many right times for this tyre...I believe and hope they stop production for this particular model.

 

ES is diff from DB Aspec.....DB Aspec is hopeless in the wet.

 

I had also braked abruptly on a dry road with a localised wet strip, and fishtailed. And ran over the manhole cover along Holland Road and nearly lost the back end. Something is wrong with the chemical composition of the tyre.

 

No problem so far with my current tyres, not for the lack of trying

 

DB Aspec still scares the hell out of me man, even if its not on my car.....

[Kilatz]

In light rain there is a very reduced chance of aquaplaning...because puddles don't usually form. But even then, i'm VERY wary of the road surface during light rain because it tends to be very slippery... so I will always reduce speed to something manageable and where i can stop in time.

In light rain cars need a much longer distance to stop... and the mixture of oil, grease, dirt and water on the road surface will easily make you lose traction and skid. I think it all boils down to the driver's judgement. I, for one, is for being safe rather than sorry. So i guess there is no specific gauge on how much to slow down...but just don't be a road hog :)

[Kangadrool]

Aspec is used for the car to sit on it at the showroom and allows you to drive slowly in the dry to the nearest tyre shop to get it changed. Avoid manhole covers even in the dry. Worst stock tyres!

Edited August 22, 2010 by Kangadrool

[C-K]

then there is too many right times for this tyre...I believe and hope they stop production for this particular model.

 

ES is diff from DB Aspec.....DB Aspec is hopeless in the wet.

 

I had also braked abruptly on a dry road with a localised wet strip, and fishtailed. And ran over the manhole cover along Holland Road and nearly lost the back end. Something is wrong with the chemical composition of the tyre.

 

No problem so far with my current tyres, not for the lack of trying

 

DB Aspec still scares the hell out of me man, even if its not on my car.....

Yeah, it all depends on the model of tyres. My ride is on AD07. Excellent dry grip but really C-M-I in wet.

[Good-Carbuyer]

Just to see if can learn something useful and apply it elsewhere, such as losing grip over road markings and metal manhole covers on the roads.

 

Have a nice weekend bro.

 

LTA is aware of accidents caused manhole one the road (no more new ones allowed for new roads). LTA still have not managed to overcome the slippery road markings issue. Anyone with some ideas to share? (LTA will appreciate it)

[5936]

That's the way to go.

 

Considerate driver.

 

cheers

[5936]

Now I am using Goodyear RVS.

 

I wanted somthing with a little more controlled.