Date:         Sat, 3 Nov 2007 12:52:40 -0400
Reply-To:     Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: don't use cruise control in the rain?
Comments: To: Sam Conant <samcvt@COMCAST.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <002c01c81e2f$f89c05d0$6401a8c0@youro0kwkw9jwc>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

Many years ago (as a young driver) I was traveling at night on the
Maryland eastern shore (heading to the beach). I was traveling in my
Super Beetle on US 50. Maintaining speed and having no troubles at
all driving in the rain.

I glancd down at the speedometer (infrequently enough) and suddenly
saw that it was reading 30 mph, instead of the 60 mph I thought I was
traveling at. A short time later the front left wheel got back on the
pavement (instead of hydroplaning) and the speedometer jumped back up
to 60 mph. That was my first experience with hydroplaning and I
thought it pretty cool. Did I slow down? Heck, no, I watched it
happen multiple times on that trip.

I was young and invulnerable.

Common sense is something that folks acquire with age. The young
(mostly) don't have it.


On Nov 3, 2007, at 11:41 AM, Sam Conant wrote:

> Hydro-planing can occur with Cruise Control on or off ... It is the
> wear on
> the tread and the driver's level of common-sensical driving which
> determines
> the risk and, often, the outcome.