where snakes fear to tread...RAIN
- Thread starter Indy
- Start date
VIPER GTSR 91
Enthusiast
They would have learned a lot more on a circular skid pad for car control and corrections in the skid than that auto cross set up. The waxers will hate this!
I tend to find the rain comments interesting. I know tires have a lot to do with it, but my gen 3 does really well in the rain. Frankly, I've been dang surprised at just how well the tires will bite if you do push them a little. I don't try to win any races or anything, but it'll chug down the highway at 70 with no problems unless you hit a pretty big puddle.
Policy Limits
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2012
- Posts
- 1,372
- Reaction score
- 1
prolly just me but I dont see the fun in spinning out of control and not being in control of your vehicle at all times. already one death in a gen V that I've heard of.
Looks like a novice driver with a frightened instructor on board. <== Scratch that...
I watched farther and saw that the guy knows what he's doing and he was told to "feel free to spin it out" by the guy shooting the film. Looks like it took a few tries and some very deep water...
I watched farther and saw that the guy knows what he's doing and he was told to "feel free to spin it out" by the guy shooting the film. Looks like it took a few tries and some very deep water...
denniskgb
Enthusiast
Jim Sullivan
Viper Owner
Any leaks ?
ViperSmith
Enthusiast
It was a picture shoot. Took traction control off and was stomping it to do some photo ops
Mister Viper
Viper Owner
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2011
- Posts
- 74
- Reaction score
- 0
This is Erich Heuschele intentionally drifting a Pilot car in the rain during one of the media events last November at Sonoma. Everything was turned off, which is not what I'd recommend doing in the rain! But he certainly had fun for a bit. The rest of us just got wet!
This is Erich Heuschele intentionally drifting a Pilot car in the rain during one of the media events last November at Sonoma. Everything was turned off, which is not what I'd recommend doing in the rain! But he certainly had fun for a bit. The rest of us just got wet!
Now that makes more sense.
Allan
Enthusiast
I had a very serious hydroplane incident a few years back, and am lucky to be alive and not totaled the car.
I had brand new Invos on the car at the time and assumed things would be OK.
On the highway in a moderate downpour, going way too fast for the conditions, about 80 or so. (I know.......IDIOT)
Ran into some heavier rain (was coming down a little faster than it could run off the road at that point) Before I could slow down, the rear of the car came around without any warning and the car spun around 2 1/2 times before coming to rest facing the opposite direction on the other side of the highway inches from the ditch (5 foot deep, this was in farmer country)
I got lucky. This was at the widest, flattest part of the entire highway, right before a bridge that crosses the Arkansas river. There was no oncoming traffic at that time and no median between east and west bound lanes.
There is a coffee stain on the carpet in the passenger side of my car from that, and I don't clean it on purpose, as a reminder of that day.
For those of you that think it's safe to blast down the road while it is raining in a Viper, I highly caution you.
I was driving, and thought everything was fine. ......There was no deer, no whatever. Just my own ignorance and stupidity.
Have driven in the rain many times, never gave it much thought.
In a regular car, no worries.
The Viper tires are so wide that it doesn't matter how much tread is there, they can't disperse water fast enough.
I didn't hit a pool of standing water, just heavy rain. Yes, I was going too fast for the conditions, and the incident was my own fault.
But that all stemmed from the 'it will be OK attitude' 'that won't happen to me' 'I know how to drive in the rain' 'I know this road' 'whatever'.
HEED THIS WARNING. VIPERS ARE NOT SAFE IN THE RAIN!
I am not afraid to drive on wet roads, or in a light rain, but if the wipers need to be on more than intermittently, I slow way down.
Hope this post will save a life, and a Viper.
I had brand new Invos on the car at the time and assumed things would be OK.
On the highway in a moderate downpour, going way too fast for the conditions, about 80 or so. (I know.......IDIOT)
Ran into some heavier rain (was coming down a little faster than it could run off the road at that point) Before I could slow down, the rear of the car came around without any warning and the car spun around 2 1/2 times before coming to rest facing the opposite direction on the other side of the highway inches from the ditch (5 foot deep, this was in farmer country)
I got lucky. This was at the widest, flattest part of the entire highway, right before a bridge that crosses the Arkansas river. There was no oncoming traffic at that time and no median between east and west bound lanes.
There is a coffee stain on the carpet in the passenger side of my car from that, and I don't clean it on purpose, as a reminder of that day.
For those of you that think it's safe to blast down the road while it is raining in a Viper, I highly caution you.
I was driving, and thought everything was fine. ......There was no deer, no whatever. Just my own ignorance and stupidity.
Have driven in the rain many times, never gave it much thought.
In a regular car, no worries.
The Viper tires are so wide that it doesn't matter how much tread is there, they can't disperse water fast enough.
I didn't hit a pool of standing water, just heavy rain. Yes, I was going too fast for the conditions, and the incident was my own fault.
But that all stemmed from the 'it will be OK attitude' 'that won't happen to me' 'I know how to drive in the rain' 'I know this road' 'whatever'.
HEED THIS WARNING. VIPERS ARE NOT SAFE IN THE RAIN!
I am not afraid to drive on wet roads, or in a light rain, but if the wipers need to be on more than intermittently, I slow way down.
Hope this post will save a life, and a Viper.
KNG SNKE
Enthusiast
I had a very serious hydroplane incident a few years back, and am lucky to be alive and not totaled the car.
I had brand new Invos on the car at the time and assumed things would be OK.
On the highway in a moderate downpour, going way too fast for the conditions, about 80 or so. (I know.......IDIOT)
Ran into some heavier rain (was coming down a little faster than it could run off the road at that point) Before I could slow down, the rear of the car came around without any warning and the car spun around 2 1/2 times before coming to rest facing the opposite direction on the other side of the highway inches from the ditch (5 foot deep, this was in farmer country)
I got lucky. This was at the widest, flattest part of the entire highway, right before a bridge that crosses the Arkansas river. There was no oncoming traffic at that time and no median between east and west bound lanes.
There is a coffee stain on the carpet in the passenger side of my car from that, and I don't clean it on purpose, as a reminder of that day.
For those of you that think it's safe to blast down the road while it is raining in a Viper, I highly caution you.
I was driving, and thought everything was fine. ......There was no deer, no whatever. Just my own ignorance and stupidity.
Have driven in the rain many times, never gave it much thought.
In a regular car, no worries.
The Viper tires are so wide that it doesn't matter how much tread is there, they can't disperse water fast enough.
I didn't hit a pool of standing water, just heavy rain. Yes, I was going too fast for the conditions, and the incident was my own fault.
But that all stemmed from the 'it will be OK attitude' 'that won't happen to me' 'I know how to drive in the rain' 'I know this road' 'whatever'.
HEED THIS WARNING. VIPERS ARE NOT SAFE IN THE RAIN!
I am not afraid to drive on wet roads, or in a light rain, but if the wipers need to be on more than intermittently, I slow way down.
Hope this post will save a life, and a Viper.
This is an interesting post and I'm guilty of flying at 80 through an extremely heavy downpour on the highway on PS2 tires. Not my brightest moment. Good info though.
ViperSmith
Enthusiast
I had a very serious hydroplane incident a few years back, and am lucky to be alive and not totaled the car.
I had brand new Invos on the car at the time and assumed things would be OK.
On the highway in a moderate downpour, going way too fast for the conditions, about 80 or so. (I know.......IDIOT)
Ran into some heavier rain (was coming down a little faster than it could run off the road at that point) Before I could slow down, the rear of the car came around without any warning and the car spun around 2 1/2 times before coming to rest facing the opposite direction on the other side of the highway inches from the ditch (5 foot deep, this was in farmer country)
I got lucky. This was at the widest, flattest part of the entire highway, right before a bridge that crosses the Arkansas river. There was no oncoming traffic at that time and no median between east and west bound lanes.
There is a coffee stain on the carpet in the passenger side of my car from that, and I don't clean it on purpose, as a reminder of that day.
For those of you that think it's safe to blast down the road while it is raining in a Viper, I highly caution you.
I was driving, and thought everything was fine. ......There was no deer, no whatever. Just my own ignorance and stupidity.
Have driven in the rain many times, never gave it much thought.
In a regular car, no worries.
The Viper tires are so wide that it doesn't matter how much tread is there, they can't disperse water fast enough.
I didn't hit a pool of standing water, just heavy rain. Yes, I was going too fast for the conditions, and the incident was my own fault.
But that all stemmed from the 'it will be OK attitude' 'that won't happen to me' 'I know how to drive in the rain' 'I know this road' 'whatever'.
HEED THIS WARNING. VIPERS ARE NOT SAFE IN THE RAIN!
I am not afraid to drive on wet roads, or in a light rain, but if the wipers need to be on more than intermittently, I slow way down.
Hope this post will save a life, and a Viper.
Allan,
Thank you for this post. The Gen V will be my first and tidbits like this very well may well help keep me safe.
Allan
Enthusiast
Yes. All the rap about how Vipers are unsafe.........all true.
You are many people's hero to be getting a gen V. That is supposed to have some of the rough edges worked out of it, and be a lot more civilized,
but has the original DNA of the previous Vipers. -that is the part that will keep you on your toes and make the car fun.
Somewhere on this forum, there is an awesome thread on how to not kill yourself in a Viper as a new owner. If you haven't read that yet, find it.
I am not the 'link master', nor do I remember the title of the thread, but it pops back up every once in a while.
Maybe someone will remember it and post up a link to it for us all. It is a good read for all Viper owners, new and old.
Congrats on your gen V.......... watch out for cops.
Just to be totally fair, I think in general all high torque and/or high HP, RWD cars with wide, dry weather, high performance tires are more difficult/tricky to drive in the rain than say lower torque cars w/ all season/all weather tires (and even more so if they are FWD or AWD). This includes Vipers, 911 GT2s and GT3s, GT500s, Corvettes, Ferraris, etc. etc.
The best way to protect yourself is to attend some driving schools, particularly those that run more or less an autocross type format where the speeds and environment are well controlled. Many of these offer wet weather simulations where they soak the course and let you experience the situation in a place where there's nothing to hit.
P.S. Before I started racing 17 years ago, i put my first "super car" (another brand) into a wall ... I wasn't even speeding (it happened at under 50 mph). it can happen to any of us and the best defense is training and seat time.
The best way to protect yourself is to attend some driving schools, particularly those that run more or less an autocross type format where the speeds and environment are well controlled. Many of these offer wet weather simulations where they soak the course and let you experience the situation in a place where there's nothing to hit.
P.S. Before I started racing 17 years ago, i put my first "super car" (another brand) into a wall ... I wasn't even speeding (it happened at under 50 mph). it can happen to any of us and the best defense is training and seat time.
ViperSmith
Enthusiast
these threads?
http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/630445-Keeping-new-Viper-owners-SAFE-a-How-To
http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/630232-best-tires-techniques-avoid-crashing.html
To be honest, I am scared to death of the car. Which, I hope will help keep me safe. I look at it like owning a firearm. Once you get complacent, you will get hurt. Always treat it like it is loaded.
Allan
Enthusiast
You sir, are a wise man. Very appropriate attitude.
You will make a good owner for your car!
viperbilliam
Enthusiast
Yes, better driving skills are important but won't matter when basic physics are violated. Light vehicles with wide tires will hydroplane more easily which means to simply slow down; I don't go over 60 when it's raining a good amount as in pouring. Light rain matters little unless tires are worn.
Yeah, by certain logic really every car is unsafe in the rain. I don't purposefully push mine hard when it's raining, I just try to pay extra attention to how the car is reacting. It will "hydro-brake" as I like to call it really easily. By that I mean if you hit even a fairly shallow puddle it'll do it's best to throw you into the steering wheel, which I attribute to the wide tires, but I've never really felt the car hydroplaning yet in all the rain I've driven in. I'll usually slow it down a little or keep it in higher gears when the rain picks up to help cut down on the engine torque.
If you want a bad car to drive in the rain take my 67 Dart. I can barely take off from a stop sign when someone spits on the ground in front of it. It doesn't even make that much torque (more of a horsepower build), but it just doesn't have any weight on the rear end to help it out.
If you want a bad car to drive in the rain take my 67 Dart. I can barely take off from a stop sign when someone spits on the ground in front of it. It doesn't even make that much torque (more of a horsepower build), but it just doesn't have any weight on the rear end to help it out.
Similar threads
