Aquaplaning on the highway is a scary thing.
First of all, there's the fact that so much is happening. Quickly. You don't know what that truck beside you is doing, if the guy up ahead is going to pull out, or whether everyone will drop anchor if it's revealed that there's a cop behind the next bush.
Add a dash of low visibility and some rain, and things can get hairy pretty quick.
And - as someone who regularly travels on the Pacific Highway between Sydney and the Mid North Coast - I can unashamedly say that it has caught me out once or twice. Depending on the circumstances, it can even happen at speeds as low as 80km/h.
They don't call it 'drift lubricant' for nothing. It's slippery. It's slick. And it can be quite fun - in the right situation.
So why would you drive through the rain (one-handed) at 140km/h, while wearing sunnies, despite the fact that everyone else on the highway has decided to peg it back?
Because you're a mad lad, that's why.
Honestly, I would give him credit for hopelessly trying to achieve a 360 degree spread of one-handed control, if it weren't for the fact that the ESP took control a long time ago.
Needless to say, this is the perfect advertisement to keep any and all electronic safety systems activated at all times. It's better to have - or to cause - a bruised ego than a broken leg. Or worse.
But what if you don't have a safety net to fall back on?
James Stewart, an instructor from Ford Driving Skills for Life, advises that the average aquaplane is mainly charged by a few things: failing to drive to the conditions (see above), underinflated tyres, and a lack of tread.
Mr Stewart advised against unsettling the car even further, warning that the tyres will get into contact with the tarmac again once the water has been dispersed. You want to be on good terms when that happens.
"Because even if the car is aquaplaning, it will still grip up and come to a stop," Mr Stewart said.
Additionally, should you ever be a passenger in this situation - try not to use the person in control of your fate as a temporary anchor point. Use the door handles - it's what they're there for.
How many times have you aquaplaned? What measures did you take to avoid an accident? Tell us what you think in the comments.
