Hydroplaning....It's not just for kids anymore

Hi TJ, You said "I immediate proceeded to take the necessary actions to avoid the two vehicles that were overlapping into my lane." It sounds to me like they are responsible for the accident. There are lots of reasons why it can be hard to avoid cars that intrude into your lane. If they were not maintaining their proper position in traffic lanes they can be blamed as the cause of the accident. It is merely incidental that you then took up boating.

A few years back a bunch of us engineers were driving down I-25 from Denver to Colorado Springs. Traffic typically moves along at 75 to 85 MPH for much of that stretch. We ran into a heavy rain storm that had stalled around the crest of Monument Hill. One of the guys hydroplaned at a high rate of speed. Several friends in following cars watched him go. He flew right off the interstate, through part of a billboard and ended up in a tree. The guys pulled over and were stunned when he walked away. He was at work the next day with his leg in a cast. He became quite famous around the office.
 
Hey Jeff.

The two vehicles overlapping in my lane were actually at a full stop - somehow connected to the minivan that had already hydroplaned into the brick wall. I wasn't part of that accident.

But the way my claims adjuster explained it to me is that I am responsible for hitting the guy in the blue vehicle because I was no longer in control of my vehicle (when I started hydroplaning) when I hit the guy. I agree. Of course, we may never know why the guy in the blue vehicle left the scene prior to the arrival of the LEO.

The fact that he was in MY lane isn't relevant, I guess. I had more than sufficient time to avoid both vehicles and would have if it weren't for that big mess of water I stumbled into. I'm thinking the minivan hit the same bunch of water before I did.

I've driving on I-25 in Colorado many a time. I've got family in Highlands Ranch. My mom lived downtown Denver area for years. My first hydroplane was actually in Littleton. I was driving home to my brother's house, and the road was curving, lots of rain....went hydroplaning up and over the curb, through a bunch of weeds, and back down to the road. I pulled into the garage with a camoflauged vehicle that had big bunches of bushes sticking out all over. My sister-in-law still laughts about it. That was back in 1984 and it never occurred to me that I would have the pleasure of hydroplaning again.

Dang.
 
ABS??? I thought this aquaplaning was a thing of the past. With ABS You should theoretically be able to gently slow down in that situation or until you hit something hard. ABS also gives you greater breaking ability under adverse conditions so that the less advantaged driver behind can really get you good.

Judy, good to see that you are fine.
 
Tim-Gabz said:
ABS??? I thought this aquaplaning was a thing of the past. With ABS You should theoretically be able to gently slow down in that situation or until you hit something hard. ABS also gives you greater breaking ability under adverse conditions so that the less advantaged driver behind can really get you good.

Judy, good to see that you are fine.
Click to expand...

Well......I hit something hard. But that didn't even stop me! I continued to hydroplane across the freeway until I went over the embankment. I tried slowly down gently. I tried steering. Nada. Zip. Just a nice glide across water.

It would be like driving your vehicle on a hard iced over lake at 65 mph and then trying to stop. That would be sort of fun if you could go around in circles and stuff, with no danger of hitting anything or anyone or falling through the ice.

This wasn't fun.

But yes, I am fine, thank you. I still don't have a final verdict on my truck, but it's just a vehicle. Right now they are repairing it. If they end up finding a lot more undercarriage damage, it is possible they will total it. I don't care either way. It is a good truck and safely got me through what could have been a horrible injury accident.

TJ
 
ABS is a wonderful thing, but it doesn't help with hydroplaning. When you're hydroplaning your tires are not in contact with the road and it makes no difference whether you brake or not. All you can do is try to use your front wheels as rudders while you wait to slow down below hydroplaning speed.
 
I was really hoping you were talking about those small high spee boats like Cougar posted pics of.

So glad you and the pups are OK!
 
The pups and I are just fine. My truck is still in the shop - not quite sure what the outcome will be. We did finally make it to San Diego last Thursday in the rental Van my insurance company got me. The pups rode in doggie crates because the van is so much more open than the club cab of my truck. And then it was threatening to rain.

Yikes!

But we made it back home safe and sound.

Thanks for all of your good wishes.


TJ
 
Ejection seats? Then with Judy it would literally be raining cats and dogs.




Could be had up for littering, ha-ha-ha, sorry thought that was a good one.

I once had to break hard with an old 145Volvo stationwagon with two collies in the back. Immediate cramping accompanied by a hairy sensation. After that my long haired collie used to try and join me on my lap whilst driving. He had to settle for the front passenger seat and a safety belt.
 
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