Aqua-planing Lorry - worst accident I've seen happen

[mattcambs]

Just got back from Sunny Spain today - to rainy, warm England. The father in-law picked me and Mrs Mattcambs up from Heathrow and we got on our way hitting very heavy traffic on the M25.

Turns out the jam was due to rubber-neckers checking out a three car smash on the other carriageway - the weather was pretty bad.

Further on just past South-Mimms (going clockwise) the rain gets seriously heavy and there is loads of standing water. The majority of traffic rightly slows down to 50 - 60mph.

The Father in-law used to be a traffic cop, so he is getting quite critical of anyone still going at 70mph +, commenting that one particular car (a small old pug or something) should slow down in-case they aquaplaned.

It was just after he said that that he then said: "LOOK, THERE'S ONE!"

So I look behind to see a 7.5 tonne truck spinning on its side across the lanes. The father-in-law saw it all in his mirror and apparently the truck was bombing up the outside lane when he started to aqua-plane. He smacked into the inside reservation which then tipped him over leaving him spinning to a stop blocking lanes one and two.

We were long gone so didn't stop, but we called the police straight away.

It was actually quite a sickening sight to see. Who knows whether anyone hit him or the full extent of the accident?

Drive appropiately for the road conditions, folks

[LimeyMk1]

I had a 'moment' on the A32 yesterday where the car hit a couple of wheel ruts full of water. It was a 'don't touch anything and clench butt cheeks moment'. I wasn't paying attention to the speedo and had crept up to 65mph.

Plenty of places on the A3 and A31 where there's standing water on the road and you can feel the car beginning to aquaplane if you hit it too fast.

[DiddyMR2]

Aqua-planing is by far one of the worst things to have on the road.

I remember being out in my mates car and I kept saying slow down as I could see the water and he didnt and we went sideways at 70 odd mph. Luckily it corrected itself safely but I bet he wont do that again!

You really do just have to sit there and hold the wheel hard and be travelling at a much slower speed!

[FizzyBlueMr2]

Yup - aqua planning is nasty.

A while back a work colleague of my cousins had just got enough no claims to allow him to get a decent car - he had his eye on a mint 306 Hdi.

Anyhow, a couple of weeks later he was on the new, just surfaced A1/M1 link road. Loads of water, nice new smooth/slippy road, and he hit a big pool of water....

...and on instinct he braked, lost control and ended up bouncing between barriers, ending up facing the wrong way in the fast lane. He managed to get himself onto the hard shoulder without being hit thankfully.

All very nasty. I cringe when I see drivers shooting past in the outside lane when theres lots of standing water/torrential rain, especially as since this will mean they can't stop too well they are putting other drivers at risk.

...and on a side note, if passing a car in such situations I always give cars in the inside lane plenty of space before I move in front of them - I hate it when people move in front too close and you get loads of spray in your windscreen and you can't see a thing.....

[mattcambs]

...and on a side note, if passing a car in such situations I always give cars in the inside lane plenty of space before I move in front of them - I hate it when people move in front too close and you get loads of spray in your windscreen and you can't see a thing.....

Indeed - good driving

Actually I never cease to be amazed at the stopping distances people give themselves between other cars in most situations. Even though my father-in-law slowed down to 50ish he was still WAAAY too close to the car in front, almost defeating the object.

Because he rung the police later that day we also found out that thankfully no other cars were involved in the accident and the truck driver was unjured.