Wet Weather Riding

"Wet Weather Riding"    

The Rain. One of the disadvantages for us riders is that we are exposed to the elements. The rain is one of those irritating facts of life that we have to live with, along with telemarketers and junk mail. Any rider who has ever ridden in the rain will tell you that it a very painful experience, no pun intended.

So how should a rider prepare himself for such an eventuality? Always carry a raincoat on yourself. You will never know when the sky will decide to let it pour on you just as you are on your way to pick up a hot date. I doubt your date will be impressed if you arrive soaking wet, unless she has some weird fetish, but let’s not go there. Sometimes being able to spot bad weather approaching will be your best bet to a dry commute, so look up to the sky before you set off on your bike (or if you are in a multi-storey car-park, stick your head over the ledge and look up, but not that far. Insurance does not cover that).

If there are dark clouds around, observe what direction the clouds are moving towards. Is that the same direction you are going? If the dark clouds seem to completely blanket the sky, accompanied by strong wind and a “Cat 1” announcement (an NS term for inclement weather), consider waiting it out. If you cannot, make sure you don both your raincoat jacket and pants. Shoe coverings are a great option too, along with a waterproof bag cover, if you have one. They might be a hassle, but it sure beats getting hit by small droplets of rain while travelling at 80km/h and wearing singlet and shorts. What about if you are already on the road? When do you stop to put on your raincoat? Apart from looking straight ahead to see if you are approaching a wall of rain further up, you can also look at the vehicles across the road travelling in the opposite direction. Why? Because they just came from the direction you are heading towards. I personally do this often when I ride, and I have compiled a tried and tested 3-level rain-detection method that I shall share with you today.

Level 3: Vehicles in the opposite direction are covered in water droplets. Not the biggest key worrier, as vehicles tend to keep the water droplets on them even though they passed the point of rain far back. At this level, keep your guard up, but it is not that necessary to stop and wear your raincoat yet.  

Level 2: Vehicles in the opposite direction are covered in water droplets AND have their wipers on. Sometimes some drivers take extra-long to turn off their windshield wipers even though they have already passed the point of rain, but this is still a bad sign. It is time to get your raincoat on. The point of rain is very near.  

Level 1: Vehicles in the opposite direction are covered in water droplets AND have their wipers AND headlights on. If it is the middle of the day and vehicles have their headlights on, that is never good news. Heavy rain awaits you further up. It is definitely time to wear your raincoat. As a special bonus, I have added a bonus level for those who really think they can brave the rain.  

Level 0: Vehicles in the opposite direction are covered in water droplets AND have their wipers AND headlights AND hazard lights on, accompanied with the smell of rain, and thunder and lightning. Only a really important engagement would justify riding through the kind of rain that is in front of you. Seriously consider stopping somewhere safe and waiting it out. Let me end this off with one word of advice: Stay away from the rear of big lorries. They throw up huge quantities of spray, which can really impair your vision. This applies even if the rain has stopped and only the road is wet. Ride safe everyone.  

Written by: Marian Nathan I'm a friendly down-to-earth girl that has a passion for riding, and I'm blessed to have a husband that shares that passion. My current mode of transportation is my beautiful blue and white CBR400RR i call Sapphire.