Aquaplaning on motorways?

Marty McFly

I know this may be a silly question but arent all modern motorways meant to to be buil so that they dont get a build up of water on the road? As far as i knew they were meant to be built with a slight slant so that water runs off them.

Im asking as i was driiving on the naas road the other nite doing about 130kph when i hit a puddle on the road now luckily i did not crash but the back arse of the car did kick out one way and then the other i didnt half sh*t myself .

But hence why im wondering, are they not meant to be made to avoid this? Also would would you have any legal rights if you crashed because of it?

mickdw

They are generally designed not to hold water obviously but in very heavy rain, for whatever reason, the water does not clear fast enough. You are expected to drive to suit the conditions and by the sound of it, they were pretty bad & you were doing over the speed limit so maybe take a look at yourself first before trying to claim off anyone else.
Having siad that, the standard of some of the new roads here is a disgrace

keithclancy

mickdw wrote: »

They are generally designed not to hold water obviously but in very heavy rain, for whatever reason, the water does not clear fast enough. You are expected to drive to suit the conditions and by the sound of it, they were pretty bad & you were doing over the speed limit so maybe take a look at yourself first before trying to claim off anyone else.
Having siad that, the standard of some of the new roads here is a disgrace

Not limited to Ireland either .. I've aquaplaned a few times on German Autobahn even when it wasn't raining, generally though you don't turn the wheels until you get grip back otherwise the car will react violently when you do.

Marty McFly

mickdw wrote: »

They are generally designed not to hold water obviously but in very heavy rain, for whatever reason, the water does not clear fast enough. You are expected to drive to suit the conditions and by the sound of it, they were pretty bad & you were doing over the speed limit so maybe take a look at yourself first before trying to claim off anyone else.
Having siad that, the standard of some of the new roads here is a disgrace

Sure i didnt crash wasnt lookinng to claim of anyone, was just wondering what would be your legal rights had someone crashed.

Plus the road wasnt that bad its was 2a.m so there was no traffic on the road think i passed four cars my whole journey plus the road wasnt that bad at all it was just that one spot were the road dipped and there was a puddle on that patch and that patch only the whole way home.

Ive also said i didnt loose control, the back arse kicked out a lil bit.

axel rose

Yea, they should be built to minimise flooding etc but hey, this is Ireland and so we just have to suck it up.

i was driiving on the naas road the other nite doing about 130kph when i hit a puddle on the road .........would would you have any legal rights if you crashed because of it?

I doubt it, the speed limit is a maximum limit not a target (although you already admit that you exceeded this) and secondly you are obliged to drive at a speed that is safe given the conditions of both the road and the weather.

BTW I hope I don't meet you on the road anytime soon. I'm not perfect when it comes to speeding but speeding when the conditions are that bad is madness.

mickdw

In fairness from the OPs reply, it seems like the conditions were pretty good apart from one random flooded area. THat is poor form from the road maintenance people. It should at least have a warning sign.

Yawns

130 kph in heavy rain?

Who would you think you could sue for breaking the speed limit and worse, in bad conditions?

The roads in Ireland may well be a disgrace compared to other developed countries but even if you were on the best built road in the world you would need to keep at or below the speed limit and have common driving sense when driving in bad conditions.

Saw your reply there sayign conditions weren't too bad. While still not advisable to go over the limit, who hasn't gone slightly over in good conditions. But as you said the road dipped so the water will take longer to clear as there would be more water concentrated on that area than other areas of the road no?

Your legal rights would be with your insurance company. If you have comp, damage your car see if they'll pay for it.

R.O.R

There's a patch on the N2/M2 northbound - think it's just before it becomes a motorway so in the 100km stretch. Just before a rise in the road so it musn't have enough sideways camber and the standing water covers both lanes.

Bit scary hitting that at 90 - 100 km/h, just make sure the wheels are pointing straight and cross your fingers.

axel rose

Mickdw, I disagree, the conditions were bad enough for him to skid at 130kph. If there was one puddle then the road HAD to be wet.
The OP appears to feel that the road and his driving were fine despite the obvious fact that he skidded because he was driving too fast on a wet road.

Maybe, just maybe, the OP is wrong.

Marty McFly

Yawns wrote: »

130 kph in heavy rain?

Who would you think you could sue for breaking the speed limit and worse, in bad conditions?

The roads in Ireland may well be a disgrace compared to other developed countries but even if you were on the best built road in the world you would need to keep at or below the speed limit and have common driving sense when driving in bad conditions.

I love how people have selective eye sight when reading posts as ive already stated it wasnt heavy rain it was one patch on the roads, i wouldnt be doing 130kph if it was heavy rain. Get off your high horse i couldve easily have lied saying i wa doing 120kph which 10kph slower not great amount of speeding sure a lot of gards wouldnt even do you for doing that much over the speed limit.

biko

If you're driving according to the conditions you will not have aquaplaning, so no there is no compo. Same with snow and ice or animals running across the road.
My advice - drive as if anything can happen and be sure to be able to stop within the distance you can see.

axel rose

I used to have a high horse but some eejit killed it when they skidded on a wet patch.........was speeding too.

PCPhoto

I partially agree with you OP

I was recently driving (last week) on the M7 driving in heavy sleet, I believe I had no reason to slow down I was well able to control my vehicle driving under the speed limit but still driving at speed....I hit several patches of water which appeared to drag my car.

its more than likely that the motorways were planned to have properly drainage - but in reality, our road network is a disgrace and badly maintained.

I dont think you would have any recourse(well...very little chance) if you crashed and were blaming the lack of drainage - it would turn out to be an expensive ordeal as you would have to get different surveys and reports and structural engineers/quantity surveyors to inspect the site in the same conditions.

Matt Simis

biko wrote: »

If you're driving according to the conditions you will not have aquaplaning, so no there is no compo. Same with snow and ice or animals running across the road.
My advice - drive as if anything can happen and be sure to be able to stop within the distance you can see.

So you drive in a manner that animals dont run across the road..
Be alert yeah, but dont expect that to save you when you hit a freak oil patch or a squirrel jumps off the flyover onto you.

BlackWizard

axel rose wrote: »

I used to have a high horse but some eejit killed it when they skidded on a wet patch.........was speeding too.

The national yesterday must of let a few loose on the motors forum again

130kph on most cars is close to 120kph anyway. I've hit a few freak puddles before at speed and every time I do the same thing which is nothing at all. I'm mostly in shock while waiting for the tyres to get some grip.

cadaliac

axel rose wrote: »

Mickdw, I disagree, the conditions were bad enough for him to skid at 130kph. If there was one puddle then the road HAD to be wet.
The OP appears to feel that the road and his driving were fine despite the obvious fact that he skidded because he was driving too fast on a wet road.

Maybe, just maybe, the OP is wrong.

Jesus h.
The OP was traveling on our country's finest road, and believe it or believe it not, he exceeded the limit by 10kph. They only asked if these roads were supposed to be designed in such way that water does not lodge in one confined area.
It's Ireland, it rains .....all the time.
Perfectly understandable question when you take into account the realistic and very common driving conditions that the OP encountered.
I break the speed limit all the bloody time. (not by much but it's still breaking the law)
I do not condone breaking the law or speed limits for one second but sometimes it happens.

thebiglad

Naas road outbound before Citywest is terrible in rainy conditions, always a large puddle under the bridge beside Brown's Barn.

Speed limit there is 100kph but even so, hit the puddle at that speed and its hairy!

It is a very poor stretch of road for such a wet country.

axel rose

He exceed the speed limit by 10kph in perfect conditions. As I already said, 120kph is the max not the target. I exceed the the max too-but only when the conditions are better than what the OP experienced and described.


cadaliac, did you read my 1st post?

Marty McFly

axel rose wrote: »

He exceed the speed limit by 10kph in perfect conditions. As I already said, 120kph is the max not the target. I exceed the the max too-but only when the conditions are better than what the OP experienced and described.


cadaliac, did you read my 1st post?

Youve just contradicted yourself the 120 is the max not the target, then you admit to speeding. you shouldnt be making that quote if you yourself have at somepoint broke the speed limit.

And the conditions i described were not heavy rain, nor was it raining at the time, the road was a lil bit damp apart from that one patch which is hard to forsee, yes if it had been heavy rain, or the roads had of had a heavy amount of rain water on them i wouldnt have been travelling at that speed.

I was just wondering if i had of crashed or soemone else what would be there legal rights which some people have answered which i thank them for.

axel rose

Yes, I am that complicated. I speed .

To a similiar degree to what you are describing, the difference is that the road has a distinct lack of puddles when I do it. The fact that you skidded proves that you made a bad call. Did you see the puddle as you approached it.

Marty McFly

axel rose wrote: »

Yes, I am that complicated. I speed .

To a similiar degree to what you are describing, the difference is that the road has a distinct lack of puddles when I do it. The fact that you skidded proves that you made a bad call. Did you see the puddle as you approached it.

No i saw the puddle at the last second, so braking hard wouldve been the worst thing i couldve done at that point gladly the back end just kicked out a lil bit for a sec or two and then was grand.

Yes maybe i shouldve drove with a lil bit more due care but really the roads werent that bad thats why it caught me off guard.

cadaliac

axel rose wrote: »

He exceed the speed limit by 10kph in perfect conditions. As I already said, 120kph is the max not the target. I exceed the the max too-but only when the conditions are better than what the OP experienced and described.


cadaliac, did you read my 1st post?

Yes. I don't agree with it it.
That is all.

RichieO

Of course there's not supposed to be puddles or floods on the road, but then lots of things happen that are not supposed to... Many of these things cause accidents, like people driving beyond the speed limit, driving beyond their capabilities, driving beyond the vehicles limitations, driving beyond common sense for the road/weather conditions, driving without total awareness, the list is endless... It's a survival game, keep breaking the rules and sooner or later, "it's game over".
And, no it's not a silly question to ask, aquaplaning is terrifying the first time it happens, try to make sure there isn't a second time...

axel rose

Well for future reference, all Irish roads are crap so take care out there .

merchant08

axel rose wrote: »

Well for future reference, all Irish roads are crap so take care out there .

you came out of that conversation looking like a complete tool with your rubish talk and going around in circles, next time wind your neck in and stop diggin a hole for yourself:rolleyes:

Your type are one of the reasons I dont ask for advice on here

axel rose

merchant08 wrote: »

you came out of that conversation looking like a complete tool with your rubish talk and going around in circles, next time wind your neck in and stop diggin a hole for yourself:rolleyes:

Your type are one of the reasons I dont ask for advice on here

Whatever dude. Charmed to have met you :rolleyes:.

Tip......lighten up.

Henry Ford III

Aquaplaning could easily happen to any of us. Worn tyres are a big factor.

If you do start to aquaplane ever, keep the steering wheel straight, and take your feet off the pedals.

Hopefully you'll recover the car without incident.

NoQuarter

Yawns wrote: »

130 kph in heavy rain?

Yeah and look at his username! He must have had 6 pints first too!!! :rolleyes:

Zubeneschamali

I passed this accident this morning at 08:05.

Fiesta off the Motorway on the left, Porsche turned around in the overtaking lane, without a front bumper. It looked as if the Porsche driver spun it on the wet Motorway, shunting the Fiesta off and smashing his own front bumper off the concrete barrier.

There was a good bit of water on the surface, but traffic (yes, yes, including me) speeded back up to 120-150 soon after passing the scene.

smash

Have you never seen the signs on the N7 that warn 'this road is liable to flooding'?

Anan1

merchant08 wrote: »

you came out of that conversation looking like a complete tool with your rubish talk and going around in circles, next time wind your neck in and stop diggin a hole for yourself:rolleyes:

Your type are one of the reasons I dont ask for advice on here

You'll do well to rethink your attitude if you intend staying around here.

Yawns

luvbulmers01 wrote: »

I love how people have selective eye sight when reading posts as ive already stated it wasnt heavy rain it was one patch on the roads, i wouldnt be doing 130kph if it was heavy rain. Get off your high horse i couldve easily have lied saying i wa doing 120kph which 10kph slower not great amount of speeding sure a lot of gards wouldnt even do you for doing that much over the speed limit.

I had seen too late that you had replied sayign conditions weren't bad. I had the tab open about 20 mins or so before replying so selective eyesight didn't come into it. I simply had the tab open before you replied. I also edited it to show that I myself have gone slightly over the speed limit and have said I believe most people have crossed the limit at some point in their life.

I shot my high-horse a good while back cos I was hungry.

Marty McFly

Yawns wrote: »

I had seen too late that you had replied sayign conditions weren't bad. I had the tab open about 20 mins or so before replying so selective eyesight didn't come into it. I simply had the tab open before you replied. I also edited it to show that I myself have gone slightly over the speed limit and have said I believe most people have crossed the limit at some point in their life.

I shot my high-horse a good while back cos I was hungry.

Ok thanks for the reply i can understand how that could happen, ive done it myslef a few times..

I hope it tasted good.

Yawns

Aye

I should really stop opening about 10 tabs at once and going thru them backwards lol

corktina

the romans built superb roads all across Britainn (and Europe) all with a camber to allow rain to run off. They didn't get round to telling Cork County Council North yet.

LookBehindYou

It would help if people looked at the road conditions ahead of them and a little further also.
Just back off the pedal a bit when there is surface water, and keep a good hold of the steering.

Paparazzo

I know the section on the N2, must be common when yoy approach a hill. There's a bit on the M50 when you're heading northbound up the hill to where blanchardstown/N3 merges. It's like a river going across the road in bad rain.

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Aquaplaning could easily happen to any of us. Worn tyres are a big factor.

If you do start to aquaplane ever, keep the steering wheel straight, and take your feet off the pedals, and soil pants

Hopefully you'll recover the car without incident.

FYP, a vital part of the process

-Corkie-

luvbulmers01 wrote: »

Ok thanks for the reply i can understand how that could happen, ive done it myslef a few times..

I hope it tasted good.

You should have said you were doing 110 kph and everyone would have a different reaction. I see this lately when you start a thread some people come on attacking you as opposed to givin you the advice you require. Good job you wernt with me i came the whole way from cork to dublin saturday morning doing 170 kph except for cullahill to portlaoise bit:D

TheBazman

steve06 wrote: »

Have you never seen the signs on the N7 that warn 'this road is liable to flooding'?

If you're heading north bound from the ball one of the worst parts of the road that retains surface water is actually before that sign (around Kill). Also the bloody thing is on 24/7 whether it's raining or not - it's a little like the boy who cried wolf, eventually people become immune to it. Better to have these signs dynamic and can be changed to suit the conditions eg fog, surface water, accident ahead etc

dirtydiesel

SARASON wrote: »

You should have said you were doing 110 kph and everyone would have a different reaction. I see this lately when you start a thread some people come on attacking you as opposed to givin you the advice you require. Good job you wernt with me i came the whole way from cork to dublin saturday morning doing 170 kph except for cullahill to portlaoise bit:D

Oh my god you are a bad one!!!!!!!!:D