fozzyb

I've got to say this does feel rather surreal.

For a Brit, sitting in an office in Santa Clara watching my US colleagues getting excited about rain.

Michael

Last year we didn't get more than a few sprinkles until February. Last year, the total rainfall from July 1 to February 1 for San Jose was 1.75". Nothing much usually happens until December at the earliest.

scrubbedexpat091

I have gotten so used to rain I can't even remember whats its like to go months without it.

Hotscot

It's here! It's here!

Geoff..heading your way in an hour or so...

GeoffM

Not yet - couple more hours according to the forecast, and potentially another bout around lunchtime tomorrow. Should be fun as we've got to go down the hill tomorrow (I-15, Cajon Pass) which is bad enough in dry conditions, let alone with the drivers who don't know how to drive in the rain.

Bloody cold for Halloween though - well, not unusual, just really started to notice the cold now. It was a bit odd around here as hardly any houses have decorations, and hardly anybody going door-to-door (except the ones dressed in black crossing an unlit street as I was driving home ). Houses are too far apart.

Beaverstate

GeoffM. As a former southern Californian, Iv'e seen that it isn't their lack of ability to drive in the rain so much as a lack of rainfall over a six month period which allows a large build up of oil on the road/freeway. Oil and water don't mix, can be as slick as ice. Always many many accidents after the first rain of the year.
Just checked my weather radar and it seems that the higher peaks, Baldy etc are getting a little snow.

Michael

That happened to me in the bay area when I took an off ramp from the freeway following the first light rain of the season and rear end of my car moved out about 4' doing 25 mph. Since then, I'm always very cautious following dry spells.

Beaverstate

Yes, a little less frequent now a days with cars leaking far less oil, tranny fluid etc than in the 70's. I recall riding a motorcycle at around 30 mph and sliding into an intersection Cured me of motorcycles.

Michael

The time it occurred for me was with my Nissan 280Z in the 1980s. I wonder if rear end drive is more susceptible or less susceptible for that to happen. I've always owned rear end drive cars so I don't have any idea but would think that rear end drive should be less susceptible since the car is being pushed instead of pulled. However it could possibly be the other way around since the rear wheels are spinning rather than rolling.

Steerpike

And of course I did a repair to the outside of the house that required 'no rain for 72 hours' ... I was out there putting plastic sheeting over the whole area yesterday morning!

GeoffM

Own goal there matey! Slippery roads - whether through rain alone, or buildup of oil and rain - is exactly the problem: so many drivers don't take account of these conditions and still drive 3 feet behind you at high speed and then wonder why they weren't able to stop in time, or slide through stop signs / red traffic lights. Lots don't have headlights either (which I thought was mandatory during rain here) so it can be hard to see vehicles.

Personally I think that an hour on a skidpan should be made mandatory for new drivers, especially for the likes of SoCal residents who might start their driving career without any slippery conditions for 6 months or more, and then come unstuck when they do.

Michael

But it is only California and the southwest states that have the issue since it is all about the oil and nothing can duplicate that. I drove in Minnesota in all different kinds of conditions including heavy rains and without chains in the winter and never had any problems. Even if you lose control without chains on snow, you can get the car back under control using certain techniques but on oil, once you lose control, it's by/by until the cars wants to get under control. I don't tailgate, don't approach intersection fast, and don't take cloverleafs fast but one of these days, I suspect you'll think are going at a safe speed and start to hydroplane, the rear end kick out, or go straight through a stop sign.

Now after the first rains after a dry spell, I'm very cautious and others that haven't experienced something like that, think I'm blocking traffic.

GeoffM

Except a skidpan, as I already stated.

What you seem to be saying is that it is perfectly okay to tailgate and brake normally in the rain after a dry spell because it's all about the oil. Of course, you don't mean that but that's the impression you're giving.

Michael

In rain on oil, you can be going 30 miles per hour on the freeway with no one in sight and all of a sudden the car will hydroplane. I've seen cars do it and the car goes totally out of control. The person can't use techniques that can be used on snow to bring the car under control but just have to wait for it to crash or slow if they are lucky.

GeoffM

So you're talking about the extreme cases (out of control). I'm talking about the more common cases of just sliding through junctions where the vehicle would have been easily able to stop had they braked earlier than normal (in control but too late).