As a high-mileage commuter, I run into all kinds of weather conditions on my daily grind. I travel through five counties, so I may start with clear skies only to run into storms 72 miles away. My captivity forces me into unsolicited situations that become my amusement for the next hour and 20 minutes. As a road-weary driver, spring is the time (after winter and before the orange cones commandeer the roadways) to crack the window, open the sunroof, and enjoy the ride. Unfortunately this year, April showers have sent my auto-sensing wipers into an unpredictable beat caused by a relentless barrage of rain, which is only rivaled by 2018 and 1890 rainfall totals for the month. Although the rain is welcomed by May flowers, it is not by drivers in Western PA, especially with the storms and high winds we have been experiencing.
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"I would rather know for sure." - Millennium Boat Launch, Mahoning Twp, PA
One of the biggest threats to an already intense drive in the rain is ponding. Although ponding sounds like a water game involving young children jumping into puddles, it is far from that innocent. In fact, annually one million accidents are a result of hydroplaning. Even though a hydroplane is a plane equipped to glide across water, cars are not, especially when going 70 miles an hour on a highway. The best way to avoid the uncontrollable slide is to slow down prior to hitting the pond that has miraculously materialized on the road. When you pass a sign every day that says “Road May Flood”, there is a good reason to exercise caution.
"Oh, Good! Now I know." - Nashaw Rd, Pulaski, PA
Although some drivers are under the impression that speeding up will allow them to defy the laws of physics and skim across the danger like a skipping stone, that is usually not the result. Slamming on the breaks also does not bode well for a favorable outcome, especially when stuck in a permanent construction zone sandwiched between a semi and a cement barrier. Semis also provide another cautionary tale for driving in the rain. Whether it is due to the new aerodynamics of tires, a lack of mudflaps on new cars, or the reconstructed roadway, it seems to “rain” a lot longer on the highway even when the clouds have shut off the spigot.
Have you ever been stuck behind a semi and decided to pass through the thick veil of water in their wake? Not that I condone closing your eyes while driving, but you may as well. Sometimes you just have to wish for the best, hold on tight, and channel the force to pass through the blinding spray. After you get past the tsunami, you realize it wasn’t raining hard or even at all. Then, a few miles down the road, you get hit by a huge tidal wave, whose origin is the pond on the opposite side of the road. For the water to become airborne, it was hit with as much force as a mischievous teenager performing a cannonball into the pool to launch a splash attack on unsuspecting sunbathers.
"I can't overstate the obvious enough." - Clark Boat Launch, Clark, PA
Although summer is around the corner and you are looking forward to some water fun, you are in a car, not a pontoon boat, so slow down, keep your foot off the break and stay a safe distance from other cars during and after a hard rain. You can always make a wish for the rain, rain to go away, but at least you will be back to drive another day. Remember, always keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, stay in your lane, and hopefully your commute won’t drive you insane.