Driving in the rain

Follow the middle lane:Water tends to pool down the outside lane,so keep your car on the middle lane of the road for safe driving.

Drive in small gear:Small gear driving will not let the car engine stop. Car tends to start ‘missing’ while driving in high gears,so keep it in low gears to keep the engine running.

Follow the car ahead:Always follow the car ahead of yours and maintain a minimum distance of 10-15 meters. It gets slippery,and to avoid accident,always keep an eye on the break lights of the car ahead of yours.

Avoid using sudden breaks:The sudden application of breaks leads to the tyre slipping. To slow down,break early with less force or take off your foot from the accelerator.

Do not stop the engine:Rainwater enters a car through the exhaust pipe,and then it travels to the engine,which does not let the engine work anymore. So always remember to keep the engine running. Even if the car comes to a halt,always keep a foot on the accelerator and don’t let the engine stop.

Never drive through running water:Do not drive through running water,even if you are having an SUV,your car may get swept away.

Don’t use cruise control:During hydroplane,cars easily accelerate and it gets difficult to control the vehicle even on highways. So avoid using cruise control during rains.

Safety Measures
Wiper Blades:Check the status of the car’s wiper blades. If they are in a bad condition,then replace them immediately.

Tyres:Bald tyres reduce the car traction on the road and offer little resistance to hydroplaning. When the tyres run over the water,the displaced water travels through the treads of the tyres. If the tyres are bald,then the water has no place to go,so you ride on a layer of water like a boat. So replace the bald tyres before monsoon.

Save Your Car:Rainwater is acidic in nature. It can damage the car in different ways. There are certain precautions which can be taken:

Teflon coating:It helps in saving the exterior paint. Price: Rs. 2,000 for a small car and Rs.3,000 onwards for a big car and SUV.

Rust-proof coating:It saves the under body of the car from rusting. Price: Rs.1,500 for small car and Rs. 2,500 for big car.

Thermocol coating:The engine needs special attention from rust. Price: Rs. 1,500.

Moisture free-interior:It reduces the moisture in the car. Price: Rs. 3,000 for leather interiors and Rs. 2,000 for others.

For more information on rates,contact:Sangha Motorcraft: Plot: 368,Industrial Area,Phase-1,Chandigarh.Ph: 9814008191.

The writer is a city based gemologist and owns an adventure club,www.clubfootloose.com. You can contact him at solisethi@gmail.com.