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      08-07-2019, 05:55 AM   #1
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Drove through a blinding torrential downpour this morning

A wall of water. I have never been so scared in my entire life. Driving on the interstate at just about 6am. Sky is ominous, but no rain yet. 3 or 4 raindrops hit my windshield. Looking ahead I see this strange nothing. It's literally a wall of water. I can see the line of where the rain starts. I slow down and as I hit it, all goes completely dark. It's like someone dropped a dark grey sheet from the sky to the floor. I can't even see the tail lights of the car ahead of me, I can't see the road, the lines, or any shapes that are cars around me. Now I'm flipping, my brain scrambling to reconstruct the visual of what's around me. The car that was 3 lengths ahead. The yahoo in the pick up truck flying past on my left. How many car lengths behind me was the next car. The tractor trailers to my right.

I nail the brakes and come to almost a complete stop, then realize that's not the best idea. If I can't see the guy ahead, the guy behind can't see me. I felt like I drove under Niagara Freakin falls. Windshield wipers are doing nothing. But I must proceed, so on the gas I go. It was like driving with my eyes closed. It must have lasted 10 seconds.

Wow.
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      08-07-2019, 06:07 AM   #2
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Crap that doesn't sound fun, at least you made it out ok
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      08-07-2019, 06:22 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by canukgtp View Post
Crap that doesn't sound fun, at least you made it out ok
Thank you. I'm just glad it was 6am and not 8am. It would have been like bumper cars. I was just waiting for the impact from all directions. An hour later I think my pulse is finally is back to normal. Thought about going to a bar instead of Starbucks.
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      08-07-2019, 06:22 AM   #4
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I had that happen to me a few years ago. Was driving home on a backroad at 11pm. It was raining heavily already but suddenly it just became a wall and I couldn't see shit. My buddy was with me and he couldn't see either. I had my Jeep with a roof light bar and bumper mounted driving lights. All lights were on and I could just make out enough of the road to pull over. Once it stopped about 10-15 minutes later the remaining 5-6 miles of road were flooded with several inches of water.
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      08-07-2019, 06:28 AM   #5
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Had this happen to me a few times as well. Florida weather is a tricky ol' guy.
Luckily never had any accidents, but yes, it's as you're driving completely blind, having just the lane dividers as your only guide.

As has been said before, glad you made it out ok. You can be the best, most careful driver out there, but in certain scenarios (like this one), there's really very little you can do.
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      08-07-2019, 06:37 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by CTinline-six View Post
I had that happen to me a few years ago. Was driving home on a backroad at 11pm. It was raining heavily already but suddenly it just became a wall and I couldn't see shit. My buddy was with me and he couldn't see either. I had my Jeep with a roof light bar and bumper mounted driving lights. All lights were on and I could just make out enough of the road to pull over. Once it stopped about 10-15 minutes later the remaining 5-6 miles of road were flooded with several inches of water.
Now picture doing 70 mph on a 4 lane interstate. No way to even attempt to get to the shoulder.
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      08-07-2019, 06:38 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by xxTHIR13ENxx View Post
Had this happen to me a few times as well. Florida weather is a tricky ol' guy.
Luckily never had any accidents, but yes, it's as you're driving completely blind, having just the lane dividers as your only guide.

As has been said before, glad you made it out ok. You can be the best, most careful driver out there, but in certain scenarios (like this one), there's really very little you can do.
Thank you. Couldn't even see the lanes.
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      08-07-2019, 07:37 AM   #8
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That happened to us coming back from DC in June. We were in Ohio at the time. Luckily there was a rest area about a mile after it started, so I limped the car in and stopped until it had passed. But the number of idiots who stopped on the ramp into the rest area pissed me off. Why not go all the way in and get out of the way?

The wipers on the C300 aren't nearly as good as the ones my X5 had. Much slower, so they don't clear water as well.
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      08-07-2019, 07:40 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmyx6go View Post
Thank you. Couldn't even see the lanes.
No, no, I know... what I meant were the raised pavement/lane markers which would be your only indication of going straight vs. changing lanes.

And you nailed it on your o.p., the scariest part is not knowing what the drivers around you are thinking or planning on doing... very scary!
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      08-07-2019, 07:59 AM   #10
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I had something similar happen to me a few months back. I was driving from Helen Ga back home(about 2 hours) in my 2002. I got a little outside of Helen and hit a wall of rain that continued through downtown Atlanta. I basically drove 25-30 mph in the slow lane hoping I didn't get killed. The 2 hour drive took almost 4 and we saw 6 bad wrecks on the way.
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      08-07-2019, 08:06 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmyx6go View Post
A wall of water. I have never been so scared in my entire life. Driving on the interstate at just about 6am. Sky is ominous, but no rain yet. 3 or 4 raindrops hit my windshield. Looking ahead I see this strange nothing. It's literally a wall of water. I can see the line of where the rain starts. I slow down and as I hit it, all goes completely dark. It's like someone dropped a dark grey sheet from the sky to the floor. I can't even see the tail lights of the car ahead of me, I can't see the road, the lines, or any shapes that are cars around me. Now I'm flipping, my brain scrambling to reconstruct the visual of what's around me. The car that was 3 lengths ahead. The yahoo in the pick up truck flying past on my left. How many car lengths behind me was the next car. The tractor trailers to my right.

I nail the brakes and come to almost a complete stop, then realize that's not the best idea. If I can't see the guy ahead, the guy behind can't see me. I felt like I drove under Niagara Freakin falls. Windshield wipers are doing nothing. But I must proceed, so on the gas I go. It was like driving with my eyes closed. It must have lasted 10 seconds.

Wow.
You went through all that trouble and didn’t post pics/vids? Multitask OP

I visualed what you went through and sitting at a McDonald’s right now I’m glad all is well with you.
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      08-07-2019, 08:06 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MPOWER5266 View Post
I had something similar happen to me a few months back. I was driving from Helen Ga back home(about 2 hours) in my 2002. I got a little outside of Helen and hit a wall of rain that continued through downtown Atlanta. I basically drove 25-30 mph in the slow lane hoping I didn't get killed. The 2 hour drive took almost 4 and we saw 6 bad wrecks on the way.
This was like nothing I have ever experienced before, and I'm driving for 40 years. I've driven in downpours before, I call them middle lane kind of days but you can SEE the road and the other vehicles. I'm talking blind driving. Picture the densest fog you can imagine where you can't see past the windshield or out your windows, or rear. Nothing but grey and maybe the slightest red blur of taillights but you can't tell distance.
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      08-07-2019, 08:15 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by F30lolz View Post
You went through all that trouble and didn’t post pics/vids? Multitask OP

I visualed what you went through and sitting at a McDonald’s right now I’m glad all is well with you.
LOL! Pics/vids. Thank you.
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      08-07-2019, 08:29 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmyx6go View Post
A wall of water. I have never been so scared in my entire life. Driving on the interstate at just about 6am. Sky is ominous, but no rain yet. 3 or 4 raindrops hit my windshield. Looking ahead I see this strange nothing. It's literally a wall of water. I can see the line of where the rain starts. I slow down and as I hit it, all goes completely dark. It's like someone dropped a dark grey sheet from the sky to the floor. I can't even see the tail lights of the car ahead of me, I can't see the road, the lines, or any shapes that are cars around me. Now I'm flipping, my brain scrambling to reconstruct the visual of what's around me. The car that was 3 lengths ahead. The yahoo in the pick up truck flying past on my left. How many car lengths behind me was the next car. The tractor trailers to my right.

I nail the brakes and come to almost a complete stop, then realize that's not the best idea. If I can't see the guy ahead, the guy behind can't see me. I felt like I drove under Niagara Freakin falls. Windshield wipers are doing nothing. But I must proceed, so on the gas I go. It was like driving with my eyes closed. It must have lasted 10 seconds.

Wow.

No jokes from me on this one, I totally understand. Fact is, it is this situation that led to the only accident I think I've been involved in which was my fault (or at least where I hit a car...thusly at fault)

Just in my case, instead of rain, it was snow.

I was driving up the highway and we came into a stretch where there were farmers fields on either side, no snow fence, nice and flat...and it was like you said, you just drove into a wall. Suddenly, the world was white...everywhere. Lost the car in front of me who was only 30 feet ahead or so, tapped brakes to go even slower (we were already going slowly at 60-70 km/h before we all hit the wall)...and just hoped that no one had stopped ahead.

Sadly, this was not the case. There was a big pileup ahead, and I had just reacquired the car in front of me when the extremely discomforting sight of a tractor trailer stopped dead in my lane about 20 feet ahead also loomed out of the whiteness. And all cars stopped every other lane as well, nowhere to go. So the guy in front of me hit the trailer and bounced back, and then I helpfully knocked him back into the trailer again for the double whammy.

Like you, was pretty worried about a transport being behind me, but nothing I could do, so I just leaned back into the headrest and waited to be hit, which took all of 5 seconds. About $20K of damage to my vehicle which insurance fully covered.

Turns out there were 96 cars involved in this pileup - largest one I think I've heard of. Pretty much all had damage, miserable day for their insurers.

After I got hit I put down the window to yell at a lady who decided it was a good idea to get out of her car and start running to the front...she didn't listen, but far as I know she made it. I was attempting to gently persuade her that she'd me much safer in her car, surrounded by a few thousand pounds of steel and aluminum, in case a transport came flying through. Ah well...least she made it. No fatalities at all that day, nothing critical, few minor injuries I believe and that's it.

So I get how you felt.
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      08-07-2019, 08:36 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by Joekerr View Post
No jokes from me on this one, I totally understand. Fact is, it is this situation that led to the only accident I think I've been involved in which was my fault (or at least where I hit a car...thusly at fault)

Just in my case, instead of rain, it was snow.

I was driving up the highway and we came into a stretch where there were farmers fields on either side, no snow fence, nice and flat...and it was like you said, you just drove into a wall. Suddenly, the world was white...everywhere. Lost the car in front of me who was only 30 feet ahead or so, tapped brakes to go even slower (we were already going slowly at 60-70 km/h before we all hit the wall)...and just hoped that no one had stopped ahead.

Sadly, this was not the case. There was a big pileup ahead, and I had just reacquired the car in front of me when the extremely discomforting sight of a tractor trailer stopped dead in my lane about 20 feet ahead also loomed out of the whiteness. And all cars stopped every other lane as well, nowhere to go. So the guy in front of me hit the trailer and bounced back, and then I helpfully knocked him back into the trailer again for the double whammy.

Like you, was pretty worried about a transport being behind me, but nothing I could do, so I just leaned back into the headrest and waited to be hit, which took all of 5 seconds. About $20K of damage to my vehicle which insurance fully covered.

Turns out there were 96 cars involved in this pileup - largest one I think I've heard of. Pretty much all had damage, miserable day for their insurers.

After I got hit I put down the window to yell at a lady who decided it was a good idea to get out of her car and start running to the front...she didn't listen, but far as I know she made it. I was attempting to gently persuade her that she'd me much safer in her car, surrounded by a few thousand pounds of steel and aluminum, in case a transport came flying through. Ah well...least she made it. No fatalities at all that day, nothing critical, few minor injuries I believe and that's it.

So I get how you felt.
Scary story for sure. Glad you and the others involved were ok. It's unnerving that in certain situations, there is just nothing you can do.
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      08-07-2019, 11:34 AM   #16
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I once drove into an abyss, one morning, that suddenly, and for no reason, turned into a blinding torrential downpour.

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      08-07-2019, 11:47 AM   #17
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      08-07-2019, 11:52 AM   #18
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Sig picture checks out.
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      08-07-2019, 12:06 PM   #19
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Sig picture checks out.
I'm certain that was the look on my face but both my hands were on the wheel.
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      08-07-2019, 12:08 PM   #20
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Pro Tip: Hit the gas and you'll get through it quicker.
Reading this I picture Tom Cruise smashing the clutch, changing gears and ripping through the smoke and flames in Days of Thunder.
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      08-07-2019, 02:10 PM   #21
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I feel your pain. Torrential downpour happens every day on schedule around 2PM during Florida summers.

PSA: please don’t turn on your hazards when driving in rain. I don’t know why the fuck Floridians do this but it’s stupid. Please stop.
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      08-07-2019, 02:53 PM   #22
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I feel your pain. Torrential downpour happens every day on schedule around 2PM during Florida summers.

PSA: please don’t turn on your hazards when driving in rain. I don’t know why the fuck Floridians do this but it’s stupid. Please stop.
All of this. It just happened to me a short time ago.

cmyx6go , I'm glad you're ok!! Sudden weather changes can be scary AND UBER Dangerous!

I don't know if you did this but I highly recommend putting on your hazards as soon as you see any road anomaly and give a medium-hard brake to give yourself distance to what's in front while managing and warning the traffic behind. Whenever I've had passengers and something like this occurs and I react as described above they always tell me that they will adopt the practice. I've been doing it since someone plowed into the back of me in traffic years ago and except for a texting idiot plowing into the back of the i8, it's always worked.

Cheers-mk
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