It's on as I type this. Not sure what model, but they're using it to test the myth that if you're driving with the top down and it starts to rain, is it possible to drive fast enough that no rain gets in the cabin.

Be interesting to see how this turns out...

I know that I have driven fast enough with the top off that not much rain got in.

One way or the other those guys will find a way to blow that sucker up and try to convince us it's science.

I just wonder why they can drive 120mph to do a show and for a AX we are limited to far below that? Thanks Alameda for the same set of rules for everybody.

Sorry to disappoint you cheapsnake, but they didn't blow it up.

So the result was, if you drive at least 90 MPH, you can keep your car dry if the tops down when it's raining. However, you'll probably fishtail, crash and die if you drive 90 in the rain, so there's not much point in having a dry cabin after that.

What?

90mph is close to the suggested "cruising speed" on the german autobahn. 90% of the passenger cars drive faster than that. All day, every day. And it rains. A lot.

I used to commute to Cologne for work. 100km one way. Every day. Sun, rain or snow. In my Renault Twingo. Hitting 125mph when traffic was light. Daily. Even in the rain.

Andy

I got caught in the rain once, top at home. Stayed dry except for the stoplights.

They should have tested that myth with a 914. 914's aren't that bad to get rain in over about 50 or so with the windows up, until you slow down. Wonder why they didn't have the side windows up??? Any normal person would have.......

Fair enough... but that's on the autobahn. That's the standard- people are used to it. Most people here don't do 90 on a regular basis. Besides even if you don't crash, there's not too many cops on this side of the world that are allowing cars to do 90 without giving chase.

this episode convinced me beyond doubt that they need to add a driver to their team. they always find these "pro instructors" that work for the police or fire department and they really aren't very good.

the "pro" spun going straight through water, AFTER he was back onto the dry road. now i am not saying something weird couldn't have happened but it seemed a bit, ehh.

my point is, they do so much driving stuff a real full time driver should seem obvious.

good episode though haha

must be a "Turbo" Twingo we don't have in France ... I never drove a Twingo that can reach 110 ...

I got caught in the rain with the top off on the way home from work a couple of months ago... I was dry as long as I stayed above 80km/h... so about 50 mph.

I DID get some looks, though... (other than the normal "what the hell is that thing?" and "mate, you're on the wrong side of the car!")

We all weren't there for the test and going from dry to wet (2" hour rainfall) to dry would certainly be a sudden change at 120 mph.

a. Did he lift immediately after the rain causing the car to become unsettled?

b. Was it all a stunt to scare the casual observer about hydroplaning?

We'll never know...

I have raced in the rain many a times. Most times without any incident. It's real easy to hydroplane at high speed with fat tires and alot of horses. One time at Moroso, I a was coming into turn 2 and I couldn't have been doing more than 35, hydroed, got sideways and to the edge, collected it in time and out of the way in time to see the guy that was behind me fly off. Before that I never experienced a low speed hydro.
I'm sure all of us have driven at high speeds many times in the rain, whether on the Autobahn or anywhere else without incident. But some times all the conditions come together and wham, around and around you go. I've been driving in crappy weather for over 30 years and only experienced it 3 times.

As far as Mythbusters needing a better driver? I think someone is fishing for a job. Being in the same position and conditions, 90% of us couldn't have done better. 5% would have gotten lucky. And the other 5% of us might have had a clue.

Well at least they blew up the popcorn.

Just thougt I'd add this little Mythbuster

Click to view attachment

It was raining like hell today and I was cruising at 80MPH in my A6. I hit 90MPH a couple of times. Car felt very stable but I didn't try any evasive maneuvers.

/RANT

Sometimes I wish I had a cannon mounted on my car instead of headlights.

I'm in the slow lane going about 80MPH coming up quickly on some cars also in the slow lane. NOBODY was behind me.

After I change lanes to pass, the A4 in the back of the pack decides to change lanes too. I'm off the gas and on the brakes; as I brake, I come up right behind her and she proceeds to pass the other cars at about 65MPH. After 3 or 4 minutes, she pulls back over and I zoom away.



I guess people just don't think ahead. If she would have noticed nobody behind me and counted 1001, 1002, 1003, I would have been past her and she could have passed the other cars without me behind her.

RANT OVER\

That's why the Bird was invented.

The electronic speedo only goes to 199 km/h but i had it "roll over" numerous times, it just starts counting from 0 again when you get over 200 km/h ...

That was around '95/'96.

A3 from Limburg to Köln, 100km one way daily commute, early model Twingo, no turbo, just me driving the snot out of it ...
Andy

I started hydroplaning in Oregon once at about 6mph. Kinda scary. Especially since I was in a DC-8 and weighed about 290,000 lbs.

I forgot most of my Aero Eng schooling, but I remember that there was an equation regarding airplane tires and hydroplaning.

The interesting thing was that the only adjustable variable (besides the end resultant speed) was tire pressure. (Airplane weight was also accounted, but you don't have too much say in that area either)

SO, you just needed to have the service station check your tire pressures in that DC-8 before you finished fueling.

I know I will hydroplane in my Scion XB if there is a sheet of H2O on the road (you know where the road does show through the water) with my 20% tread thats left at 60 or better. It didnt used to be that way when the tires were fresh....just the type of punp (tire) and its effeciency that matter.

That really has nothing to do with Alameda. That has to do with the rules of the sanctioning body for your autox event and the insurance company that's underwriting them.

The sanctioning bodies (SCCA/PCA/BMWCCA etc.) produce their rules, the insurance carrier accepts those rules and charges them $X based on the assumption of a certain level of risk. The more risk, the more it costs to insure.

In all likelihood all Alameda wants to know when the site is rented from them is "Do you have insurance?". No doubt the Mythbusters producers have procured some pretty good insurance given the stuff they do, but I also can be pretty certain that it costs waaaay more than you're paying for insurance at an autox event.

Producer: I wanna blow up a cement truck with 1000 lbs of high explosive.
Underwriter: Really? And which bank is going to front you the money for insurance on this escapade?
Producer: What? It's gonna cost money? How much?
Underwriter: <low whisper>
Producer: <GASP!> That's half my revenue for the show!!!
Underwriter: Yeah, but think of the ratings you'll get!

-Josh2