Should you pull over and wait out a severe rainstorm?
Recently we were driving through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and experienced two Texas style rainstorms in one day. The first encounter found us driving the motorhome, enjoying the day, when it started getting cloudy. 
Next it began to sprinkle, followed by rain, followed by sideways rain. It was so bad I pulled off the road into a large gas station with extra parking to wait it out. It was raining so hard my coach windshield wipers couldn't keep up and I could no longer drive safely.
Mrs. Professor appreciates it when I do this and since we have a fully self-contained RV we can have a snack, relax and enjoy the moment even while being pelted. Weather reporting being what it is, you never know in what kind of predicament you'll find yourself. Keep in mind that driving on a wet highway can lead to hydroplaning and loss of control. It also increases your stopping distance and if there is an accident around the next corner you might become part of it if you don't take adequate precautions.
Slow down, turn on your headlights and, if necessary, look for a safe place to turn off the road. You can afford to wait out a storm until it's safe to travel again. Stay safe and well - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing
Next it began to sprinkle, followed by rain, followed by sideways rain. It was so bad I pulled off the road into a large gas station with extra parking to wait it out. It was raining so hard my coach windshield wipers couldn't keep up and I could no longer drive safely.
Mrs. Professor appreciates it when I do this and since we have a fully self-contained RV we can have a snack, relax and enjoy the moment even while being pelted. Weather reporting being what it is, you never know in what kind of predicament you'll find yourself. Keep in mind that driving on a wet highway can lead to hydroplaning and loss of control. It also increases your stopping distance and if there is an accident around the next corner you might become part of it if you don't take adequate precautions.
Slow down, turn on your headlights and, if necessary, look for a safe place to turn off the road. You can afford to wait out a storm until it's safe to travel again. Stay safe and well - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing
posted by Jim Twamley at
8/16/2008 04:00:00 AM
5 Comments:
It also helps if you don't take photos while you're driving.
Just kidding, professor, I know you wouldn't do that!
By
LiveWorkDream, at August 16, 2008 11:43:00 AM PDT
Rain and glare vision problems are much fewer in our class C!
By
Anonymous, at August 30, 2008 9:10:00 AM PDT
Going into Illinois out of Wisconsin on Tollway 90 we hit the mother of all storms. Bolts of lightening dancing all around us traffic had slowed to 25 mph. I would have loved to "pull off" but there are no off ramps on a Tollway. When you talk about a "white knuckle" drive - that was it.
By
Jerry Shea, at August 30, 2008 12:05:00 PM PDT
pull under a bridge or over pass
By
Anonymous, at August 30, 2008 12:47:00 PM PDT
As a motorcycle safety seminar instructor, I tell all attendees that the worse place they can seek shelter is under a bridge or overpass. If visibility is so poor you have to pull over, the visibility does not improve until after you are under the overpass. You can become an afterthought to some unsuspecting motorist, 18-wheeler, or other RVer who decided to do the same or could not see the shoulder and did not see you until the last moment. Also, never seek shelter there to wait out a tornado. The tornadic winds increase exponentially when a tornado encounters a bridge or underpass. The effect is similar to what happens when you put your finger over the end of the nozzle to increase the force of the spray. The safest escape would be to always be aware of the sky around you; seek shelter via an off ramp; or pull into a parking lot.
Weather radios and satellite radios can give you current weather forecasts for severe weather for your precise location. However, you must know where you are. That's the final tip. Always know your location: state, city, and/or county.
By
ShaRon, at August 31, 2008 12:37:00 AM PDT
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