By Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes
REMEMBER Florida, recently? Hurricane Irma was such a pain that claimed 73 lives in that devastation. This writer might just be taking it too far here, but the reality is…the rains are here. Whether you are up West, East, North or South, if you don’t take necessary precautions before going out behind the wheel, then you might wind up regretting it or end up floating on a metal makeshift boat of a car in a downstream river.
So, to better put things in perspective, this scribe jotted down a crucial action plan before you head out and sail past nature’s wrath.
Monitor weather forecast the night before
Tune in to your local news channel on television or radio. You could also check some social-media sites for weather updates (e.g., Yahoo! or Google) so, you could take necessary efforts to make adjustments if ever bad news comes your way.
Checkup
Do service checkups before any long drive, especially prior to monsoon rains. You never know what you might encounter on the road during this kind of weather. Pray that you don’t have to subject your car into muddy floodwaters, if ever the time comes.
Guard the beacon
Headlights serve as your secondary eyes on the road. Ensure that they work properly at the middle of a downpour. And so does your taillights.
Wipe out
With constant use, wiper blades tend to wear out as fast as the wind blows. Its rubber strip grows from useful to nil within a year. Better make sure also that its thin surface does not harden or form cracks, as it will scratch your windshield. Function-wise, your wiper has to work fluidly in the three speed modes.
The washer bottle, meanwhile, should be filled up. If you want, a mild detergent can be mixed into it to better fight off dirt and oil.
Body protect
Use wax coating if you care about your car’s paint. Water from rain is acidic and affects the car’s overlay, making it fade and sometimes peel away.
Since your car’s body is made up of metal, whether you like it or not, it is prone to rust and corrosion. So better keep it clean and scratch-free. Fix little dents right away since decomposition starts with a little chink in one’s armor.
Do tire checks
The tires are considered your legs on the road and, thus, make the first direct contact. Make sure that it’s properly balanced and aligned. Inspect tire pressure, too, as well as cracked rubber. The tire tread depth must cover enough traction and should not be less than 2 mm. You don’t want to be aquaplaning like Mickey Mouse in Disney on Ice.
Take a brake
Take time to look at your brakes. Its calipers should be regularly cleaned and replaced, if needed.
If you catch yourself water-wading and for you to be able to dry out your brakes after, put your left foot on the brake pedal while gently pushing the throttle with your right. This ensures that water will not be left stuck in the brake disc/drums.
Bring a portable vacuum cleaner
Well, this may sound a bit drastic but this writer has been in this quandary, so to speak.
Manila traffic can be cruel and it is a sure given fact, no doubt. But getting stuck in it as water rises is nothing short of a dreadful tragedy. Just hope water won’t get higher, otherwise, you might have to evacuate your precious car. A portable vacuum cleaner can be a useful tool to suck the UFO (unwanted floating object/unwanted flowing object). Just don’t force it if excess water seeping in is just too much.
At times, prolonged dampness on the covers elicits foul smell and diminishes quality of the seat covers. To avoid it, vacuum-clean the seat to wipe away the moist. Then put absorbent tissues/papers on them.
Eu de parfum
Put perfume inside the car. Yes, tends to be a bit smelly once the above-mentioned already happened.
Wires in
Patch loose or weak electrical connections. Ensure all the fuses work properly.
Inspect battery
Your battery should be in proper condition. In fact, a coat of petroleum jelly should be applied to the terminals for protection.
Drive slow, don’t stop
When faced by floodwaters on the road, don’t panic. Put the car in first gear and drive through gently. Just keep on pushing the throttle, as water might get into the tail pipe. But, do take note that before plunging in, make sure your car can handle it.
Meanwhile, set the speed a few notches down when driving on rainy days, as brakes tend to be less effective.
With these, this writer hopes that even as mere mortals, we still get to do something and abate that sense of inadequacy, most especially when Mother Nature already wallops her will.
Hurricane or not, still, we should be in a hurry as Father Time is of the essence in such circumstances.