It may be winter, but instead of snow, we have rain here in California, which is all good since I can get my car washed for free, and enjoy some sweater weather. However, the rain isn't as welcome on the roads. Rainy weather means that I will probably pass by an accident on my commute. Even LA drivers, who normally drive like they're in the "Fast and the Furious," slow down to a turtle's pace when things get wet.
Seeing that most Cali natives are inexperienced with wet driving and that campus is right on the entrance of a windy canyon, I thought it appropriate to share some of the ways I deal with having all slip and no grip. I'm not trying to be a smart-aleck, but It rains almost half the time in Indonesia where I'm from, and nearly every day during the monsoon season, so I've had a lot of time to think about this.
It still surprises me how easily traction is broken on wet roads. Having less grip means that for any steering input, your car is ever more likely to lose grip, and enter into a slide, which can end in a violent tailspin or a loss of control. Driving slower does help as does making sure traction control is turned on, but it is more important to be gentle and "progressive" with your steering movements, so as to not disturb your car's center of gravity.
This brings us to how we can correct sliding. When you lose traction, you can understeer, which means that the front wheels of your car is not turning enough, and you risk sliding into the sides of the roads. This happens when your car is a front wheel drive car.
To stop this, add more steering to make the turn while slowing down. Understeer is relatively predictable. When you oversteer, though, the rear of your car is turning too much, and as such it enters into a tailspin. This happens with rear wheel drive cars. Slowing down alone, in some situations, will still result in a tailspin.
In order to regain control, it is important to apply counter-steer or opposite lock. To do that, just turn the wheel in the opposite direction as you feel the car slide, and you will "catch" the slide. The GIF below is a good example, in which the driver enters the left turn too quickly. To compensate, he quickly twists the wheel to the right and regains control, avoiding an accident. His fellow drivers, however, did not see that coming.
Another risk of wet driving is hydroplaning. A remedy for this is to drive slower and avoid puddles, unless there is someone you don't like standing by the road (just kidding). It is important not to jerk the wheel or slam the brakes/throttle, as it will exaggerate the skid, and put you in a tailspin - when skidding, your car is highly responsive to throttle/brake or steering inputs. Ease off the accelerator, and even our your steering. Once your tires find the road, your will be a-okay.
The best way to counter any slip is to not slip in the first place, so drive safe and stay alert!
