Accident in Heavy Rain - BMW

[ernieh]

In torrential rain and appaling road conditions earlier we were passed by a 1 Series travelling at upwards of 80MPH....1.5 m later it is on the hard shoulder with front bumper and o/s suspension hanging off having hit a flood.

Seem to see a few Beamers around here that don't do standing water well, often around Cumbernauld, although this one was on the M9 near Stirling.

Ernie

 

[LostKiwi]

BMW's seem more susceptible to aquaplaning than other marques due to their propensity to for very wide tyres. These struggle to remove the water more than narrow tyres.
There are of course often other reasons....

 

[bembo449]

and they are driven by t*****s

 

[Rory]

I had a "moment" in wife's 4Motion Tiguan on winter tyres when I hit water streaming across the motorway at 70 recently - I don't think it aquaplaned, it was the sudden increase in drag that was so dramatic I couldn't instantly figure out what was going on.

 

[A.J.]

I had a "moment" in wife's 4Motion Tiguan on winter tyres when I hit water streaming across the motorway at 70 recently - I don't think it aquaplaned, it was the sudden increase in drag that was so dramatic I couldn't instantly figure out what was going on.

I had an similar experience a few years back. I was on a quiet road between Beccles and Bungay and didn't see the flood water. Tore the mudflaps right off

 

[oigle]

BMW's seem more susceptible to aquaplaning than other marques due to their propensity to for very wide tyres. These struggle to remove the water more than narrow tyres.
There are of course often other reasons....

Apart from appearance, I struggle to find any value in wide rubber for normal road driving. More negatives than positives.

 

[LostKiwi]

Apart from appearance, I struggle to find any value in wide rubber for normal road driving. More negatives than positives.

Agreed. More noise, less economy, more prone to aquaplaning, rubbish in snow.
Only benefits are appearance and a slight increase in tread stability when cornering hard.

 

[mercmancdi]

Had similar problem few yrs ago in
Vw Touareg, once it went no stopping it. Some times you forget big 4 wheel drives are heavy and once they go the weight push’s you on for what seems like forever.






Volkswagen Touareg

 

[Chrishazle]

Not water but ice, wife taking son to school in RR Vogue auto, driving carefully and slowly (20mph, no more) as she knew the lane was icy, left bend, RR did not answer the helm, went across the lane into a Renault 16. Actually broke one of the spotlights on the bull bar, sheared one of the bull bar mounting bolts and put a 20p size dent in the bonnet of the RR - but the Renault 16 was a write-off, front OS wrecked! About 30 years ago now, and the last RTA (touch wood) for which our insurers held us responsible!!

 

[Dean Fletcher]

and they are driven by t*****s

 

[ernieh]

it was the sudden increase in drag that was so dramatic I couldn't instantly figure out what was going on.

That sudden increase in drag is what can send you into a spin assuming it doesn't wrench the steering out of your hands first. What surprised me most yesterday was the number of drivers who thought they had a right to ignore the weather conditions and plough on at their normal ridiculous speeds ignoring the possibility that there might be flooding during what was clearly a period of prolonged heavy rain.

As a matter of interest, it seems that the Police closed the M9 later yesterday due to flooding.

Some friends who travelled North yesterday noted that, although the A66 was closed to high-sided vehicles, many drivers ignored the signs and a number of them came off the road. Further north on the M6, a W205 had spun on standing water and crossed the central reservation.....when will they learn?

Ernie

 

[ernieh]

Not water but ice, wife taking son to school in RR Vogue auto, driving carefully and slowly (20mph, no more) as she knew the lane was icy, left bend, RR did not answer the helm, went across the lane into a Renault 16. Actually broke one of the spotlights on the bull bar, sheared one of the bull bar mounting bolts and put a 20p size dent in the bonnet of the RR - but the Renault 16 was a write-off, front OS wrecked! About 30 years ago now, and the last RTA (touch wood) for which our insurers held us responsible!!

Once looked at a Renault 16...lovely car but something far wrong with front end; it felt like it had a bent drive shaft. Needless to say, I walked.

Ernie

 

[umblecumbuz]

Hidden dangers:
This morning, driving cautiously along our flooded lane, the car gave a big jolt. Turns out that one flooded patch, caused by water pouring off the bank, had also brought with it a sizeable rock - now hidden under the water. The wheel looks undamaged, but I'll examine it more closely when the car dries off.

In Malta, where roads regularly flood during the rainy season (dire absence of drains on many roads), the biggest danger is the sharp-edged potholes hidden in the flooded bits.

 

[LostKiwi]

Had a conversation this morning with a work colleague.
He was genuinely of the opinion his ESP system would sort it all out if the car starting spinning when aquaplaning.
Once I'd pointed out that by the time ESP realises there is an issue traction has already been lost he realised it wouldn't help. Systems like ESP are reactive to a situation that has developed. They can't be proactive to prevent the situation in the first place.

 

[mercmancdi]

Once looked at a Renault 16...lovely car but something far wrong with front end; it felt like it had a bent drive shaft. Needless to say, I walked.

Ernie

loved the Renault 16 we had 2 , one big seat in the front and gear lever at steering column. But they were hard on drive shafts in our case it was usually the passengers front for some reason .

 

[alexanderfoti]

Had a conversation this morning with a work colleague.
He was genuinely of the opinion his ESP system would sort it all out if the car starting spinning when aquaplaning.
Once I'd pointed out that by the time ESP realises there is an issue traction has already been lost he realised it wouldn't help. Systems like ESP are reactive to a situation that has developed. They can't be proactive to prevent the situation in the first place.

This is a big issue with todays drivers, especially ones that started driving on cars with lots of driving assists.

The idiot that ran into the back of me, after tailgating for 3 miles, said "My collsion prevention didnt even go off". Took me a lot to stay calm. Of course, it didnt go off. how can it defy the laws of physics when you are travelling 2 feet from my back bumper at 25mph.

 

[alexanderfoti]

I see it weekly on the A21 to work and back. Cars driving 80mph plus in the torrential rain. Last week as an Audi in the grass that hit standing water and ended up 15 ft up on the grass.

Seems to be worse now than 10 years ago.

 

[rorywquin]

Had a conversation this morning with a work colleague.
He was genuinely of the opinion his ESP system would sort it all out if the car starting spinning when aquaplaning.
Once I'd pointed out that by the time ESP realises there is an issue traction has already been lost he realised it wouldn't help. Systems like ESP are reactive to a situation that has developed. They can't be proactive to prevent the situation in the first place.

I hit standing water in my SL ~50mph - came around a bend and the road was flooded (never seen it flooded before or since) and (I think) the ESP kept me out of the farm fields....it immediately cut power and the car stayed straight & on the road - it all happened so quickly, I'm not sure what my actions were (WRT keeping the car on the road ).....

 

[LostKiwi]

I hit standing water in my SL ~50mph - came around a bend and the road was flooded (never seen it flooded before or since) and (I think) the ESP kept me out of the farm fields....it immediately cut power and the car stayed straight & on the road - it all happened so quickly, I'm not sure what my actions were (WRT keeping the car on the road ).....

ESP can help but only when the car can find traction on the road. If all 4 wheels (or even just 3) are riding the little wedge of water even the best of ESP systems is powerless to help.

 

[A.J.]

I hit standing water in my SL ~50mph - came around a bend and the road was flooded (never seen it flooded before or since) and (I think) the ESP kept me out of the farm fields....it immediately cut power and the car stayed straight & on the road - it all happened so quickly, I'm not sure what my actions were (WRT keeping the car on the road ).....

ESP can help but only when the car can find traction on the road. If all 4 wheels (or even just 3) are riding the little wedge of water even the best of ESP systems is powerless to help.

You under-estimate your driving skills then Rory !!