[Closed] Why do people drive through floods?

To get home?

as well as provide more hassle to over stretched [s]Fireman[/s] firefighters

we do have females in the service now.

Because they're there?

chimp paradox-- the chimp wins

Because they have no reverse on theuiir car, cant reverse due to some muppet stopping imediately behind them , making it impossible to reverse.

or they just dont understand that cars float just like boats do.

To get to the other side

There were some "proper 4x4" Landrovers completely swamped in a river on Sky news earlier. I did chuckle.

Do fully comp policies cover engine damage caused by getting stuck in puddles?

I've Noah idea.

There were some "proper 4x4" Landrovers completely swamped in a river on Sky news earlier. I did chuckle.

They reckon that 4x4s are the most likely vehicles to get stuck in floods cos people think"oh, I'm in a 4x4, I can get through anything" but they don't actually know how to drive in deep water - using the bow wave, keeping the throttle down etc.

But it provides entertainment for the rest of us.

Crackers. The 'must get home' now mentality. Flash flood is something else but willingly drive into something higher than a puddle?

Some cars were creating a bow wave with their bonnets ffs

I think its a strange macho thing-- to prove themselves as more able than others -- but ends up the opposite-- do they have red necks ??

Sometimes it's unavoidable. Unless you fancy sleeping in the car. In the middle of the road.

Cold car, or warm bed?

It's worth a punt, surely.

A punt!

Because the Audi dealer said its ok.

I always thought that as soon as the water goes above the exhaust and you pause you basically goose your engine ...as well as provide more hassle to over stretched Fireman.

It's not the exhaust you need to worry about, it's the air intake.

If you don't know where that is, it's probably best not to bother.

If you do know where the air intake is, and its above the water line, and the flooded section of road is the only way to get home (which is always the case for me when there is a flood) then why wouldn't I drive through it.

Certainly beats sleeping in the car a mile away from home, when I know I can get home without any problems ?

Trouble is, there's so many variables. I've driven through fairly deep water along a road near Malmesbury, some years ago, in my boss's SAAB, that killed a friends Megane. The garage she was towed to had six lined up, something to do with a low-level air-intake. Taking it steady in 2nd gear and [b]not stopping[/b] is the important thing. I was in Lacock yesterday, near the Abbey, and it was fun watching who had the balls to drive through, and who clucked. 😀
You could tell the locals; they just blithely drove through without hesitation, while others stopped, sat, pondered, then finally turned around to find another route. There were a number of 4x4's and SUV's that sat and laid eggs...
Best was the very large tractor, unfortunately for the couple stood on the raised causeway alongside the road. I laughed. 😆

Taking it steady in 2nd gear and not stopping is the important thing.

I find that not following anyone else trying to drive though it is the main one! If they get stuck, you will have no option but to stop. Let them go - if they clear it, you're probably fine too; if they get stuck, then it saves you the bother of wrecking your car as well.

🙂

Some people have no idea what to do, last heavy rain we had I was on nights. The conditions were pretty bad and had to piggy back a patient through 2 feet of water. Coming back to station there was a car in front which took no notice of the workmen warning them of the flood ahead. They stalled bang in the middle, I drove through and then pulled over to see if they were Ok in case they were female and stranded.

After wading through about 3 feet of water it turns out it was a young lad who declared he had no idea what to do. I may have been abrupt but he got the point and got out with a few tips from myself.

I lived in Moreton in Marsh during the 2007 floods, a woman in a Corsa was going to drive through the flood, everyone was telling her it was 3 or 4 feet at its deepest and she had no chance, it'll be fine she says, strangely enough it wasn't and she wrecked her car, some people just cant be told.

Air intake on mine is on top of the engine so it's got to be pretty deep. I drive through floods beause it's fun, but I'd never do it if I wasn't pretty damn confident about the depth, or if there's fast-flowing water... The wheels can get unweighted pretty fast once the water's up to the bodywork.

I drove through a puddle that ended up hydrolocking my engine a few years ago.

My reason i was on the top of a hill,(troutbeck in the lakes) and it the hill went up then dropped down the other side Unknown to me itwasore of a w shape.

Now i have driven 4x4 and had them up tothere windscreens in water and its not just all about second gear and not stopping although that helps.

Let them go - if they clear it, you're probably fine too

Seriously bad advice.

I drove through a puddle that ended up hydrolocking my engine a few years ago.

My reason i was on the top of a hill,(troutbeck in the lakes) and it the hill went up then dropped down the other side Unknown to me itwasore of a w shape.

Now i have driven 4x4 and had them up tothere windscreens in water and its not just all about second gear and not stopping although that helps.

I destroyed a works van when I was but a young pup - it would have been fine, until the tit in a Range Rover came piling through in the opposite direction sending a bow wave right over my bonnet 😕

I once towed a transit van fully of tellys out of a ford next to a pub we used to drink in.
It is normally less than a foot deep, but heavy rain had swollen it to nearer 4 foot.
it was flowing over the bonnet of my Landrover Defender at one point (had raised air intake/axle beathers/etc)

crazy think was - there was no reason to drive through the ford, as there is a bridge next to it!

r if there's fast-flowing water... The wheels can get unweighted pretty fast once the water's up to the bodywork.

yep, the ford by us has claimed a couple of vehicles last thur, a transit van and an estate car, carried away very quickly, it seems a small stream, but in spate its a deadly river, seems people are co-cooned in their bubble and are impervious to outside forces....until reality hits...

Let them go - if they clear it, you're probably fine too

Seriously bad advice.

OK, if they're in a truck and you're in a sports car yes. But assuming you actually know what you're doing and know where the air intake is on your car then you can extrapolate from what you see with respect to what other vehicles are able to get through.

Mum told me a story about my old man in last years floods... Apparently the roads were flooded so he stopped off for a curry some 20 miles from home, despite an offer to stay the night there he decided to see if the waters had subsided. Nope, so instead of driving through he decided to swim and then hike the rest of the way. Then got up at 5am the next day to return back and get the car....madness...swimming flood water in the dark....

If they get stuck, you will have no option but to stop.

I trashed what was at the time.. the newest van I had ever owned by a very long margin, doing exactly that..

I thought it was more than just the air intake. Isn't rapid cooling also a problem for the exhaust and other hot bits low down?

I can see why people chance it though if there is a queue behind and not many other options. Always a knob who decides to pile through though, making it worse for everyone else.

Personally I'm lucky enough not to need to drive so just don't if the conditions are bad. Tonight the water did get hub deep in places, there was a car stranded in the middle and the police diverting traffic. Same situation last time it flooded a bit here too.

Some cars were creating a bow wave with their bonnets ffs

Take a leaf out of the Russian river crossing book

I thought it was more than just the air intake. Isn't rapid cooling also a problem for the exhaust and other hot bits low down?

Only if you have a stainless exhaust and ave been ragging it previous, seen them split on a trialer entering water

Propperly sealed air intakes and mega squirted v8 engines ....fun to passenger in , in a controlled enviroment where the danger is removed. But flood waters not a place to play ,

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if its YOUR car that you have paid for / paying for i would advise not driving through water that is above the level of the exhaust if petrol engined. The thermal shock can destroy the exhaust sensors which will cost you ~£100 each (at least one will be mid / post catalyst and at risk).
It its works car or diesel and you know where the intake is and know the water is below that level and free of obstructions go slow enough that you create a steady bow wave in front of the cars bonnet, do not change gear.

If you have HID lamps on the front they also hate cold river water.

Anyone deliberatley driving their own car through water over hub height has no understanding of today vehicles and their intolerance to water. Find another route.

CountZero your pictures from the road near Lacock Wiltshire?

Great thread, gives me an excuse for posting this YouTube vid!

I actually know the wading height of my vehicle - anyone else?

Sadly, despite being a great big eff off truck, it's a paltry 450mm - on that basis, I'm careful.

My next truck will probably be another Ford Ranger - the new model though, which can wade to 800mm.

It seems some people just have a common sense bypass, when it comes to extremes in weather and driving.

It's like deluge their heads...

check the guy with the BIG number plate-- giving his infant a thrill --bet he's driving round looking for roads to 'swoosh' through

Nice one frank - apparently the Vivaro air intakes are ridiculously low - thankfully, or we'd never have been treated to that clip...

Jamie - I saw that edit 😉

Jamie - I saw that edit

Yeah. I thought it was a bit nobbish....even for me.

vivaro air in takes are nearly just be hind the front corner of the near side bumper.