Photo Essay - It Rained In Perth Tonight

Phildo · 25-06-2011, 09:20 AM

It rained tonight. A lot. In a very short amount of time.

It really, really, really, really, really ****ed down. It started over a few minutes and went for about half an hour. Not a particularly long time, but there was too much water for drainage systems to handle, resulting in lakes of water everywhere.

By fluke, I had fitted new wheels and tyres the night before. After lots of hours researching what tyres would be good in wet weather conditions at a good price, I chose the Neuton NT5000 tyre, paying $160 each for 235/40ZR18 size. This night confirmed that I'd made the right choice - they were amazing. No matter what I did, the car drove well and felt stable and safe. There was no sliding or loss of traction at all, and I pushed the car very hard through some corners to see how the tyres would hold.

It wasn't easy to get any photos, but I had a go.

Blurry photo, but shows the amount of water that cars were driving through.

Yes, I am on the wrong side of the road. Yes, that is water gushing over the median strip. There were cars blocking the road, so going on the wrong side was the only way of getting through.

This is the puddle of water at the intersection of Scarborough Beach Road and West Coast Highway. When I got there a Commodore SS Ute was stuck in the middle of it, with a very unhappy looking driver.

shedcoupe · 25-06-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phildo

.... lakes of water everywhere.

No matter what I did, the car drove well and felt stable and safe. There was no sliding or loss of traction at all, and I pushed the car very hard through some corners to see how the tyres would hold.

Using the public roads as a test track in difficult conditions at night isn't what the roads are designed for, and I don't want to have to share the roads with drivers who drive like I used to.
What would have happened if the new rubber had let go ? We all did that stuff as lads but there's a time and place for it .......

Phildo · 25-06-2011, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

Using the public roads as a test track in difficult conditions at night isn't what the roads are designed for, and I don't want to have to share the roads with drivers who drive like I used to.

It wasn't about going fast, it was about pushing the tyres to see if/when they would break traction, and under what conditions they would break traction. It wasn't about speed performance or getting my rocks off, it was about getting a methodical understanding of what the tyres are capable of.

I need to know exactly what my car can and can't do. When some drunk moron runs out in front of me, I need to make a split-second decision on how hard to swerve to miss him. If the tyres break traction then the car is going to slide and clobber Mr Drunk. This is not the average taxi, and I'm not the average taxi driver.

These tyres passed and exceeded my expectations. They're damn good. My car felt a lot safer tonight and a quick chat with my day driver this morning confirmed that he felt the difference yesterday as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

What would have happened if the new rubber had let go ? We all did that stuff as lads but there's a time and place for it .......

If the tyres let go then I need to know about it somewhere safe and slow, away from people and without passengers. Without causing any damage to the car or anything else.

I wasn't doing anything fast or dodgy. It was about accelerating early out of corners and accelerating early out of u-turns (ie when tyres would normally break traction). Slow speed stuff (ie 20-30km/hr at the most). There was nothing illegal or reckless - I needed to push the tyres at slow speeds to get a feel for how they handle. That way I can focus on what the tyres are doing, and not be distracted by how fast the car is going.

These tyres were a good move. My confidence in the vehicle has increased a lot, and it is now a much safer vehicle to drive.

I don't how how the Neuton NT5000 tyre would go on a higher powered car (ie XR6 Turbo or V8), but on an LPG I6 they are exceptionally good in wet conditions. They are hard to find - I got mine from a place called Eurotyres (9362 1896 - in Welshpool, Perth).

**DJM83** · 25-06-2011, 10:42 AM

Thats ALOT of water

Quote:

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

Using the public roads as a test track in difficult conditions at night isn't what the roads are designed for, and I don't want to have to share the roads with drivers who drive like I used to.
What would have happened if the new rubber had let go ? We all did that stuff as lads but there's a time and place for it .......

Dont be a hypocrite.

OffRoadFalcon · 25-06-2011, 10:50 AM

WOW! Those clouds had more water than I thought! So much for us thinking they dropped it all down here in Busselton... we didn't get anything like that, it was getting close to flooding, but never got to that stage!

btw, what water shortage? lol

flappist · 25-06-2011, 10:52 AM

He what a perfect example of the effect of global warming, I mean climate change, I mean carbon footprint, I mean........

If there was too much carbon dioxide wouldn't be raining soda water?

Riksta · 25-06-2011, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

If there was too much carbon dioxide wouldn't be raining soda water?

And that would be an awesome thing, the money I'd save on CO2 canisters for my Soda Stream would be incredible!

Road_Warrior · 25-06-2011, 10:54 AM

Yes it was a lot of water and for the third time in 2 years my front and backyard flooded because the Council drain out the front couldn't cope

And it would seem I have an issue with my gutters or downpipes because water started ****ing in (somehow) through the top of a window frame in a bedroom.

This is nothing compared to the March storm last year though - that was truly epic. It did a billion dollar's damage - in one night!!! We needed the rain though. Despite all these 'winter' downpours we're still nowhere near how much rainfall we need.

GhiaEB · 25-06-2011, 01:19 PM

A tree out front of mine came down, I sat under my patio and just watched the lightining show. Tried to get some shots but always missed it.

Cheers

AUIIPURSUIT · 25-06-2011, 02:35 PM

looks like a normal afternoon in melbourne.

TheInterceptor · 25-06-2011, 05:07 PM

Looks pretty cool n fun to me.

And maybe thats what the commo ute driver also thought right before he hydrolocked.....

RSgerry · 25-06-2011, 09:55 PM

oddly enough i saw an alfa romeo parked up on the side of the road. i hope the owner got back to it before it rusted away overnight.

XD 351 Ute · 26-06-2011, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSgerry

oddly enough i saw an alfa romeo parked up on the side of the road. i hope the owner got back to it before it rusted away overnight.

Lol!!!!

Ed

UU TS50 · 25-06-2011, 10:02 PM

thanks for the pics i was busy watching the neigbours patio gutters leaking and flooding my patio area!!!

Spudz27 · 26-06-2011, 07:26 PM

Those photo's are what out the front looks like whenever there is a major downpour. Our rental is at the bottom of 3 hills and the council have not seen fit to provide anymore than 1 drain either side just out the front. Needless to say I have sandbags at the front door ALL the time.