Awesome Experience

[etienne]

I have a Forester S, MY01. It has been raining very hard here in Austin, TX. I was accerlerating to get on the interstate. There was a pick-up behind me also trying to get onto the Interstate. I noticed a pond of water and shifted to the right to avoid the deeper section and slowed down a little bit. At this point I was probably doing about 60mph. I made it through the pond fine, but the pickup completely lost it and ended up sliding 100ft in the grass.

The experience awesome just to see how good the tires were and also how well designed the Forester. The weight balance was perfect and the AWD obviously contributed to being able to drive straight through the pond.

Etienne

 

[Brent Burton]

(Etienne) wrote:
| I have a Forester S, MY01. It has been raining very hard here in | Austin, TX. I was accerlerating to get on the interstate. There was a | pick-up behind me also trying to get onto the Interstate. I noticed a | pond of water and shifted to the right to avoid the deeper section and | slowed down a little bit. At this point I was probably doing about | 60mph. I made it through the pond fine, but the pickup completely lost | it and ended up sliding 100ft in the grass.

I'd say that your experience is more a testament to driver judgment than car design. Hydroplaning is caused by speed, water depth, and tire pressure. What you did was minimize two of those factors by slowing down, and moving around it as best you could. Good move!

I, too, am in waterlogged Austin and wished more drivers shared your sense.

cheers,
-Brent

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

what tires and how old?

Carl
1 Lucky Texan

I have a Forester S, MY01. It has been raining very hard here in Austin, TX. I was accerlerating to get on the interstate. There was a pick-up behind me also trying to get onto the Interstate. I noticed a pond of water and shifted to the right to avoid the deeper section and slowed down a little bit. At this point I was probably doing about 60mph. I made it through the pond fine, but the pickup completely lost it and ended up sliding 100ft in the grass.

The experience awesome just to see how good the tires were and also how well designed the Forester. The weight balance was perfect and the AWD obviously contributed to being able to drive straight through the pond.

Etienne

 

[etienne]

Sumitomo Tires and Less than 1 year old.

what tires and how old?

Carl
1 Lucky Texan