Why do people drive erractically when it's wet?

NeededToChooseAUsername

Not sure if it's just my perception but it seems every time I drive home at the moment and it's raining that people are driving erratically.

They seem to speed up rather than slow down (why?) and seem to have no problem in cutting other people up and pulling out of junctions before others, leaving no spare breaking distance if the 3rd party had to break hard for any reason.

Perhaps this is just down to perception due to the increased traffic level or perhaps I am slowing down and not noticing it (however generally people seem to speed up as I say - 25 in a 30 when dry as oppose to 30-35 when wet).

Another thing I've noticed is people blankly refusing to dip there headlights, especially in built up areas. There's no need to have your headlights at full beam if there is visible street lighting.

Not sure if this is just a local phenomenon or something a more national level but it's really becoming one of my bugbears at the moment!

Anybody else noticed this or just me?

rs65

Just you.

I don't recall seeing anyone driving with full beam in built up areas.

worried_jim

I would say it's the opposite, people seem to dawdle along when the road conditions would allow for a bit more speed. No issues with headlights either, but do see a lot of poorly adjusted headlights which can give the appearance of high beam (I know, I was one of them last week).

Mobeer

I think it's just you

NeededToChooseAUsername

Thanks for the replies

Mobeer wrote: »

I think it's just you

Seems so

I would say it's the opposite, people seem to dawdle along when the road conditions would allow for a bit more speed. No issues with headlights either, but do see a lot of poorly adjusted headlights which can give the appearance of high beam (I know, I was one of them last week).

Yes especially the last bit. With the roads in the state they are when people are crashing over potholes I think having misaligned headlights looks a lot like you're flashing your lights/or they're on high beam. See a lot of people driving around with 1 headlight too. I've also thought, perhaps their dipped is too dull, so they are using full beam to compensate?

Netwizard

Nothing better than racing home from work, hanging the @rse end out on roundabouts, negotiating them sideways, seeing the look on everyones faces after executing the perfect drift

Strider590

Rain doesn't make any difference to my normal everyday driving, I drive the same in the wet as in the dry, BUT I don't "push it" where I might in the dry.
I don't need to extend my braking distances and I drive at the speed limit for the road UNLESS there are other factors (like fallen leaves, or pools of water).

Some people do seem to be hyper sensitive to a few spots of rain (maybe they fitted cheap ditch finders instead of proper tyres?), we're talking about practically slowing to a crawl to take a corner.

I mostly find that people (idiots would be a closer approximation) who would otherwise be cruising along at a single constant speed of 42mph, will tend to observe the speed limits more when it rains, it's like they can't just driver along in autopilot any more, so they do actually pay attention and drive appropriately.

blindio

ive always thought as a lifelong pedestrian driving licenses should be as hard if not harder to get than gun licenses, after all theyre alot more dangerous if you want them to be, of course id see the private car banned altogether and make public transport free if i were dictator so im probably not a motorists friend really

trinidadone

are you experiences time bound????? - after work?? in the morning??? weekend???

londonTiger

don;'t know about you but when it rains, visibility is usually !!!!.

Wing mirrors are practically useless. when it's dark all you see is headlights and it's not possible to judge distance using wing mirror alone. You have to drive slower and do a quick look over you shoulder to make sure there aren't cars besde you to change lanes.

not just cars beside you but to gear an idea that the headlight of the car you see in your wingmirror is far back enough for you to slip in front of

opinions4u

blindio wrote: »

ive always thought as a lifelong pedestrian driving licenses should be as hard if not harder to get than gun licenses, after all theyre alot more dangerous if you want them to be, of course id see the private car banned altogether and make public transport free if i were dictator so im probably not a motorists friend really

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