Lisa nearly lost it

Anything goes in here.....
User avatar
campbell
Posts: 17336
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:42 pm
Location: West Lothian
Contact:

Lisa nearly lost it

Post by campbell » Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:44 pm

...on standing water.

On the motorway.

In the Skoda.

Blimey.

I've said this elsewhere, but in the spirit of avoiding even more splintering of clamshells, consider this. Much of the replacement surface now laid on major roads and m-ways is of the "whisper-tarmac" style. It was great when it first came to UK from France/Spain a couple of decades ago - no road noise etc. But it turns out to be astoundingly bad at dispersing water, and it doesn't have to be a deluge either. In fact I don't know how the Highways Agency / Transport Scotland are getting away with it, in our land of cotton-wool enriched Health & Safety madness. But they are. They must have ordered a lifetime supply at a huge discount or something.

Whether it's miles of the stuff (eg M74) or select patches (M9), either way it can really catch you out. Indeed, on the M9 from Stirling to Edinburgh, the effect is really clear as you transition back and forth between the smooth new stuff and the rough old stuff. There is less visible spray on the rough old stuff too (good) and much more generated by the new (boo).

So, drive like you are about to aquaplane at any moment and you might just survive the winter :-)

Public Service Announcement ends.
http://www.rathmhor.com | Coaching, training, consultancy

User avatar
H8OAG
Posts: 2546
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:23 pm
Location: Comrie (God's Waiting Room)

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by H8OAG » Tue Nov 10, 2015 4:33 pm

Hi Campbell
I have indeed noticed that some of the new surfaces M9/M74/M80 have great water retention abilities.
You should try the M80 uphill stretch alongside Denny at max attack on 20" runflats...............character building :shock:

The relevant agencies do put out helpful flood signs to cushion any potential mitigation blows from unwary drivers

:cheers
Younger member of Team Still Game

99 Lotus Elise 111S.....Heterosexual Spec ...S1
BMW Z4M40i
Range Rover Velar
2022 Spec Mini JCW
BMW R9T Scrambler Sport
Monkey Bike with 125cc conversion
Honda 250 Race Quad
Womaniser Liberty

User avatar
tut
Barefoot Ninja
Posts: 22975
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 5:53 pm
Location: Tut End, Glen of Newmill

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by tut » Tue Nov 10, 2015 4:53 pm

Helps to have experience at KH along the Railway Straight at 110.

Hang onto the wheel and hope it stays straight as you aquaplane through.

tut

User avatar
Dominic
Posts: 14446
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:14 am
Location: Milton Of Campsie
Contact:

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by Dominic » Tue Nov 10, 2015 5:42 pm

Campbell, you are not alone. My Dad use to work with a civil engineering company and use to (and still does) rant about the whisper tarmac. Despite raising his concerns with local and national government, he found himself banging his head against the "environmental do-gooders" wall.
http://www.dsaccountancy.com

1999 Lotus Elise Sport 135'99

User avatar
BiggestNizzy
Posts: 8932
Joined: Sun May 27, 2007 6:47 pm
Location: Kilmarnock
Contact:

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by BiggestNizzy » Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:28 pm

Sent from my ZX SPECTRUM +2A

User avatar
campbell
Posts: 17336
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:42 pm
Location: West Lothian
Contact:

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by campbell » Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:35 pm

££££ I presume?
http://www.rathmhor.com | Coaching, training, consultancy

User avatar
mckeann
Posts: 5370
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:20 am
Location: Bo'ness

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by mckeann » Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:01 pm

How worn are the tyres???

User avatar
campbell
Posts: 17336
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:42 pm
Location: West Lothian
Contact:

Lisa nearly lost it

Post by campbell » Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:44 pm

Half or less.

Edit to clarify - less than half worn :-)
http://www.rathmhor.com | Coaching, training, consultancy

User avatar
smoo25
Posts: 356
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2014 12:38 am
Location: Doune

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by smoo25 » Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:52 pm

Brutal drive from Edinburgh to Stirling the other night in the VX. Amount of water on the road was like driving along a river and the darkness makes it much harder to see the standing water with the glare from other headlights. New yokos did well tho and was sounding well courtesy of CMC :thumbsup
Lego Elise couldn't afford a real one spec - sold
Skoda Octavia Scout work shed spec
VW T25 girlfriend's toy/wish it still worked spec - sold
GR Yaris - hooligan spec

User avatar
bertieduff
Posts: 2253
Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:19 am
Location: Purple Side of the Moon

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by bertieduff » Wed Nov 11, 2015 2:15 am

Ooft. At least no damage done to anyone. Thought you'd bought another Evora when I saw the title. :lol:
Sounds like the story of the demise of my car. (That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...)
Lotus Corsa
Lotus Wagon R
Lotus Focus
Lotus Collie dug

User avatar
campbell
Posts: 17336
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:42 pm
Location: West Lothian
Contact:

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by campbell » Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:04 am

Lol Bertie.

Joking apart, standing water really is, er, no joke. The motorcycle fraternity here will probably testify to that.

One Evora is quite enough thanks :-)

It's brilliant in standing water btw
http://www.rathmhor.com | Coaching, training, consultancy

User avatar
robin
Jedi Master
Posts: 10546
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:39 pm

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by robin » Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:20 am

Even the XC90 in new winter tyres was a bit squirmy through the M74 standing water when Katie & I headed south at the end of last month. You would think that it is too heavy to aquaplane on the standard tyre size (235 IIRC). Nothing will ever be like driving back across France on the motorway in worn R888's, though :-)
I is in your loomz nibblin ur wirez
#bemoretut

mxvx
Posts: 1027
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2014 2:19 pm
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by mxvx » Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:58 am

tut wrote:Helps to have experience at KH along the Railway Straight at 110.

Hang onto the wheel and hope it stays straight as you aquaplane through.

tut
Do your wheels spin at the top of the crest in the wet? Track was drying up in car similar to yours at last TS day and still got some slip :)

User avatar
mckeann
Posts: 5370
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:20 am
Location: Bo'ness

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by mckeann » Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:42 am

robin wrote:Even the XC90 in new winter tyres was a bit squirmy through the M74 standing water when Katie & I headed south at the end of last month. You would think that it is too heavy to aquaplane on the standard tyre size (235 IIRC). Nothing will ever be like driving back across France on the motorway in worn R888's, though :-)
Toulouse to Edinburgh. 1200 miles in 18 hours, with about 75% of it flooded motorway. Good times

User avatar
tut
Barefoot Ninja
Posts: 22975
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 5:53 pm
Location: Tut End, Glen of Newmill

Re: Lisa nearly lost it

Post by tut » Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:48 am

With 350 hp, 820kgs and no electronic aids, they will spin if the throttle is not matched to the track conditions.

tut

Post Reply