Weathering the Storms on the Road

Each year, we spring ahead and fall back. Just as April showers bring May flowers, the changing of the seasons means different weather and, subsequently, different driving conditions. These varying driving conditions require adjustments to the normal operation of your motor coach. In some cases, the modification can be as minor as slowing down, while at other times a more proactive approach is necessary. Knowing what adjustments work for each weather condition can give you an edge behind the wheel.

Wind is perhaps the most common and least predictable of all weather-related driving conditions. Some vehicles are affected more by the wind than others. Because of the large side surface, motor coaches can get jostled around a good bit by wind. You may have noticed that when you approach an overpass, the air pressure seems to shift by 180 degrees. What once was the wind coming from the left, now seems like it is pushing from the right. To lessen this effect, anticipate the change in wind pressure when you're approaching an overpass. As you draw near, start to release the pressure that you've applied against the wind with the steering wheel, which in turn will make the coach react in a less violent manner when you reach the spot where the pressure shifts.

Vehicles are also affected by the mass of air that is pushed in front of a tractor-trailer. As a tractor trailer overtakes your motor coach, the air usually pushes the vehicle to the right at the beginning of the passing maneuver, and then pulls the vehicle back to the left as the tractor-trailer completes the pass. You can reduce this movement by placing your coach toward the right side of your lane. This maneuver is safest when you're traveling in the far right lane. If you're using another lane, moving to the far right of that lane might cause the driver in the lane beside you to panic because it looks like you're going into his lane.

Another common weather condition you'll experience on the road is rain. Rainy conditions are most dangerous during the first 15 minutes of rainfall. The roadway absorbs so much oil and petroleum that when water is added to the equation a very slippery road surface is created. Reduce your driving speed and increase your following distance when the roadway is wet. This is necessary because it takes longer to stop your coach on a slippery surface. Make slow, smooth applications to the throttle and brakes, which will reduce the potential of getting involved in a slide. Your steering wheel adjustments should be calm and steady as well. For the best possible visibility, drive with your headlights on.

Rainwater can also be dangerous when it pools on the road surface. Most people would guess that because of the weight of a motor coach, the tires would adhere to the road all the time. But that's simply not the case. Hydroplaning is a phenomenon that is caused by the tire surface leaving the roadway and climbing up on top of the water sitting on the road. This causes the tire to lose contact with the road and, for the most part, renders the steering wheel and the brakes useless. Hydroplaning usually occurs at speeds above 50 miles per hour, although it can happen at lower speeds if the tires are not in good operating condition. Preventing hydroplaning is so critical that the federal government requires an additional 2/32" tread on the front tires of commercial vehicles over what is required on the rear tires.

You can reduce the possibility of hydroplaning by following a couple of easy procedures. First, slow down. Try to avoid the low spots on the highway where the water gathers, such as in grooves where tires have worn down the pavement. Move just slightly to the left or right of the groove onto the portion of the lane that is not covered by water. This increases your vehicle control, while decreasing the amount of water splashed onto other vehicles.

Driving in heavy rain presents another hazard-a condition known as "wet brakes." Wet brakes occur when the rainwater is splashed up onto and into the brakes. It occurs more commonly on drum brakes than it does on disc brakes. To reverse the wet brakes effect, once you've reached an area where the roadway is not so wet, make a normal brake application. If the brakes do not work normally, place your left foot on the brake pedal just hard enough to feel that is it trying to slow the coach down. Continue with your right foot on the accelerator in the position that it was in before you started the procedure. Drive with very light pressure on the brake pedal for 10 to 15 seconds. Take both feet off the pedals and try another normal brake application. If the brakes still aren't working normally, repeat this procedure until they dry out.

Another condition you may encounter on the road is fog. You've probably seen reports on television where multi-vehicle accidents have occurred when fog causes a whiteout condition. In a whiteout, which can also be created by blowing snow, drivers simply can't see. With visibility at near zero, vehicles begin crashing into each other.

Recent investigations by the ABC television program 20/20 give us some insight into the problem. Michael Gilliland, ABC's Science Editor, was placed into a simulator that duplicated a dense fog condition and monitored the reactions of the driver. In each case they found that a driver entering the fog at 65 miles per hour would before long be traveling at 85 or 90 miles per hour. It appeared that once the drivers lost all reference points, they were too frightened and busy to look at the instruments and inadvertently increased their speeds dramatically. I believe that in addition to a loss of reference points, the fear of being hit from behind also spurns drivers on blindly.

Observation can help you to avoid "pea soup" fog. When you see moisture lying near the ground in fields alongside the roadway, be aware that it doesn't take much for this fog to pool in an area in front of you. As a general rule, these conditions are most common in the early morning, early evening, or during hours of darkness. The moisture from the air can start to gather on your windshield causing you to have to use your wipers. This is a clue that the potential exists for a heavy fog condition to happen. A body of water, an agricultural field, or a low area in the roadway are all places where fog might gather.

To avoid foggy areas, turn on your CB radio to the channel the truckers are using. In most parts of the country, this is usually channel 19. When truckers spot fog banks, they warn each other, often referring to mile marker poles. Identifying trouble spots in advance will help you to be prepared. Pull off the road at an exit before you reach the fog and sit until it dissipates.

If you are forced to drive in foggy conditions, slow down and drive defensively. Take notice of what professional drivers around you are doing. Consider turning your four-way (emergency) flashers on. Used by professional drivers when climbing hills, the flashers signal that the vehicle is traveling slower than the rest of traffic. Do not use your flashers when parked alongside the roadway in fog-you may be mistaken for a slow-moving vehicle.

Another dangerous condition that most people don't recognize is known as black ice. This condition occurs when ice melts and refreezes throughout the day. As the temperature lowers, the moisture that hasn't evaporated can refreeze into a very thin coating on the roadway. Black ice can also occur on bridge surfaces at any time since the cold air under the bridge may prevent melting. Mountainous or hilly terrain where the sun is prevented from hitting both sides of the roadway is an area where you may find black ice. It usually occurs on the south side of an east-west highway.

At night, if your headlights no longer illuminate the roadway in front of you, that's a sure sign of black ice. What's occurring is that the black ice on the roadway causes your headlights to reflect up off the road and into the air. Snow, ice, and slush, though dangerous conditions, can usually be avoided by RVers. You don't have to travel when the weather gets bad. If you are moving to the south for the winter, you can stop and park or postpone your departure until the weather clears. If you are caught in snow, slush, or ice, use the same defensive driving techniques mentioned for use in other adverse driving conditions.

Take notice of the changes in the weather that will affect your travel, and don't take chances. Adjust your driving style and schedule to whatever the weather conditions require to ensure that you arrive safely at your destination.