Is this hydroplaning?

Question

I haven't had my license thaaat long and I'm still trying to figure stuff out.

I was doing 65 today on a highway and the rain was pouring, I could barely see. There was already a lot of rain on the road and lots of puddles.

I started to notice that my car felt like it was gliding and the it kept going left and right, I steered a little bit but I didn't want to jerk the wheel. Luckily I was all alone on the road so I could move into different lanes without any harm.

So the car was going left and right at it's own discretion and I felt like I was gliding, so I stopped accelerating and didn't brake. After a while everything felt normal again.

Was I hydroplaning? I know what it is but I've never felt it before. I can't tell whether I was or not.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Now you know what hydroplaning feels like. When this happens again, and it will, slow down by lifting your foot off the gas. Cars with slick tires are more likely to do this, than ones with fresh tread, so take a look at your tires and make sure that they are properly inflated.

This is a dangerous condition, and has caused many wrecks and deaths on our highways. You were lucky that no one was riding in the other lane or you may have had an accident already.

When you are in bad weather adjust your speed lower and take your time.

good luck in the future.

Answer 2

Yes, it sounds as if you were hydroplaning.

Hydroplaning is what happens when the tread on your tires cannot channel all the rain-water out from under your tires.

If you find yourself hydroplaning, do not touch the brakes. Slow down by smoothly lifting your foot from the accelerator, engage your clutch if you are driving a standard-shift vehicle, and let it coast down to the point where the hydroplaning stops.

You can prevent hydroplaning. Keep good tires on your vehicle. Keep your speed down in the rain (slow by at least 1/3) and if you are following another vehicle, try to drive in their tire tracks -- let their tires displace some of the water so yours don't have to work so hard. This will help you "keep the shiny side up!"

Good luck.

Answer 3

How about lower speed? Why would you think of changing tire pressure? Hydroplaning occurs when the vehicle is going too fast for the tires to displace the water, and is worse as the tire gets older with less tread. So, heavy rain, slow down! If the traffic allows, stay slightly to the right or left of the slight grooves worn in the road by traffic until the rain lets up.

Answer 4

Hi so you are a fairly new driver and inexperienced, right? why are you going 65 when it was raining and "you could barely see" ? hello if you could barely see... SLOW DOWN.!!
From your description it sounds like hydroplaning. you did the correct thing by not braking and driving slower. Now if there was no one around and no one could barely see, and you were in a ditch from lack of control, then no one wouldnt see you and you would be stuck, and also very late for wherever you were going too fast... or possibly dead.

Answer 5

YES, you were hydroplaning. You are also going to be DYING if you drive at that speed in pouring rain.

Answer 6

Yes.....Actually it only takes 2 inches of water on the highway to Hydroplane.

Answer 7

sure sounds like it, slow down a little in the rain, its scary I know Ive done it one time and slid over in other lane a nd a car was coming then tried to over correct and almost hit a mailbox, boy was my butthole puckered!!!

Answer 8

yes you were, depending on the weather you should drive liike ten under the speed limit if you notice you are hydroplaning, it can be very dangerous especially if you go into on coming traffic..........

Answer 9

yes it was and yes you were. You probably should not be going that fast on the freeway in rain, so be careful and make sure to increase your following distance.

Answer 10

yes, next time you may want to down shift to gain some back pull... on an automatic, you can take the overdrive off.