Does the national IQ fall in heavy rain?

mike65

What is it with driving in this country that some wet stuff falling from the sky turns them into even bigger morons than usual?

So many people today going so slow!

Mike.

embraer170

In France, wet roads = lower speed limits.
Motorways 110 instead of 130 and if I recall correctly 80 instead of 90 on national routes.

Manic Moran

Only has relevance if people follow the speed limit. If they don't follow them in the sunshine, why should they start in the rain?!

I always thought that Irish drivers were usually OK with rain, but when you have half-a-centimeter of snow, then the entire country goes to pot. Rain here in California has about the same effect.

What I particularly like are the people in SUVs and other 4x4s who believe that because they have twice the traction of a normal car, they also have twice the grip. Sorry, lads, hate to break it to you but.. oh.. never mind, the tree just gave you an education.

NTM

Car Mad

well mike like urself i live in waterford and the roads are just dire from kilmac into stradbally this evening if you hit 40mph u would be in a ditch.then on the main waterford road coming from the dungarven side passing turn off for kilmac some dick decides to over take 4 cars bunched together and traffic coming the other way one had to swerve to avoid been hit.and you give out to people going slow?oh ya turn off the fuppin fog lights people jebus are you trying to cause accidents honestly theres no fog just rain

mike65

I was on the road between Carrick and Portlaw at about 5 pm and it was as drowned as I've ever seen it, one poor sod must have flooded his electrics as he was parked harzrds flashing with a small line of cars behind him. I was able to keep up a decent pace as I am observant and have the wit to drive in the middle of the road when possible (the water is always worse at the sides cos of the camber).

As for fogs yep I had one of those ahead of me (for only a couple of mins thankfully) outside Clonmel.

Mike.

11.3 SECONDS

I tend to avoid the N11 when it is dark and raining as there seems to be an unwritten rule that this combination demands higher speed and shorter stopping distances between cars !

dudara

What really annoyed me recently when driving in the rain, was when some eejit overtook me and pulled into the space I was keeping between me and the car in front, causing me to brake a good bit.

People seem to have little concept of the idea of a stopping or safe distance, especially when raining.

UrbanFox

dudara wrote:

What really annoyed me recently when driving in the rain, was when some eejit overtook me and pulled into the space I was keeping between me and the car in front, causing me to brake a good bit.

People seem to have little concept of the idea of a stopping or safe distance, especially when raining.

Dead right. This is one of my all time hates on the road and it is usually down to boorishness, aggression or ignorance or all three.:mad:

Fey!

I had to drive Galway-Dublin-Galway last week and, despite being glued to 75mph (on satnav, not speedo) on the motorway, my average speed for the trip was 29mph. Absolutely outrageous (and it wasn't even raining).

Had to go to Shannon on Thursday, and on the way back I was the 9th car in a traffic queue with another 15 cars behind me (we were bored so my passenger counted them). Our speed was 55kph (35mph) in a 100kph (62.5mph) area, all held up by one person. Again, no rain.

My brother in law is German, and was over here for Christmas. He was amazed to be stuck doing 45kph for about 6 miles in a 100kph area because of one driver. He said that in Germany the police would have pulled the guy over and fined him.

Captain Trips

Manic Moran wrote:

Only has relevance if people follow the speed limit. If they don't follow them in the sunshine, why should they start in the rain?!

Not at all I think - 120 on a motorway like M7/M8 is too slow, and people break it because they can still drive very safely at a higher speed, AND - the slower driving in the rain = evidence of common sense as it's more dangerous.

Idleater

dudara wrote:

What really annoyed me recently when driving in the rain, was when some eejit overtook me and pulled into the space I was keeping between me and the car in front, causing me to brake a good bit.

People seem to have little concept of the idea of a stopping or safe distance, especially when raining.

Yeah, and some others don't seem to realise that there are other road users than themselves.

In the instance you cite above, what you did was correct - ie leave a correct gap between you and the car in front. If someone wants to overtake then they can do just that, all you have to do is slow a fraction and leave a tiny bit more room. Sure, the person is probably leapfrogging up the queue and you will be back to square 1 in a couple of seconds.

What exactly is your problem with this guy? the fact that he is taking up the space in front of you? the fact that he was willing to overtake where you weren't bothered?

If you are complaining about the latter, then you should drive right up the bumper of the car in front and form a nice queue of tailgaitors. That should learn em :rolleyes:

Oh wait, no, someone was already giving out about them in another post above - because some eejit went and overtook the entire queue causing road users travelling towards them to take avoiding action.

There is no pleasing you people. You drive too fast, you drive too slow, you tail gait, you dont tail gait...

blah blah blah. make up your minds.

Idleater

Captain Trips wrote:

AND - the slower driving in the rain = evidence of common sense as it's more dangerous.

I 100% agree with this.

It is evidence that people were taking account of the conditions in which they were comfortable driving in and actually doing something about it.

Just because one person can drive at 200kmph in the rain, doesnt mean someone else can or even wants to.

L.