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Driving through floods/puddles

I appreciate that in the grand scheme of things this is just annoying, but still...

Is there any rule (HC or law) that says motorists have to try to NOT drive through large puddles or floods in such a way as to drench people walking or riding nearby?

I avoided the rain the other evening, but was still soaked by a woman driving an SUV on an otherwise empty road who couldn't see any reason why she might want to move out and avoid driving straight through a large puddle.

This morning, I was more cautious and actually had to wait until queues of traffic had gone by (every. single. one. of. them. driving through where drains were blocked and large puddles/small floods had formed (width of one lane)).

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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6 comments

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nniff | 3 years ago
2 likes

I was riding home from London last winter - it had been raining a lot and parts of the road were flooded.  A motorcyclist in full waterproofs thought it would be a great idea to blast though a big deep puddle and soak a long line of CS7 cyclists. 

In case you haven't already worked this out, he wasn't too bright.   He had to stop 100 yards up the road at some traffic lights and quickly found himself surrounded by a number of very, very pissed off cyclists who explained his error to him robustly.  I'd have sent the video to the Met, except that the '2 minutes' footage before and after the incident' would perhaps have raised a few questions.  Justice served, without delay.

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brooksby replied to nniff | 3 years ago
0 likes

laugh 

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brooksby | 3 years ago
0 likes

It actually got even better (?) riding home last night.

Along the A369 there were two sections where the floods had joined up so they went all the way across the road.

Some helpful council official had put up 'flood' signs, but all that meant was that motorists went out to the middle of the road to pass through (from what I could see, they only slowed down if they could see other motor vehicles approaching from ahead).

Honestly, I kept expecting to hear swish - scrape - smash as somebody hydroplaned their way off the road...

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kil0ran | 3 years ago
7 likes

Yep, it's an offence (RTA '88), punishable as a fixed penalty.

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brooksby replied to kil0ran | 3 years ago
5 likes

Thanks!

 

Now, if only motorists were tested so they knew what counted as an offence under the law...  We could call it a "driving test"...

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Gary's bike channel replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
0 likes

a lot of them forget it after a few years, they feel its a right that can't be taken away. I say take peoples licences away after proven offence against cyclists, then they can experience life without a car. Might drum it into them then.

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