Flooded dual carriage way

[Rakip123]

So I've come across some videos of the rufford ford which reminded me of a question i thought of yesterday if your on a dual carriageway and the road mid section is flooded assuming you dont want to risk a hydrolock, what course of action is there? - also assuming you cant turn around the way you came as its a one way road, what do you do? - anyone been in this position

[J4CKO]

Drive through it, damage your engine, then come on here asking how to con BMW into giving you a new one when it disintegrates a few weeks down the line because it was full of water?

My thinking would be, call the Police and ask for assistance, chances are that stretch will be under camera surveillance.

Its one of those things that not doing it properly to save time will cost more time and money in the long run, you are where you are and in one direction you potentially cause yourself a massive bill to get a new engine, or even just destroy the entire car by flooding the interior. The other way you risk colliding with a car coming as you reverse or drive the wrong way up a dual carriageway, or possibly some kind of fine for driving the wrong way up a dual carriageway.

I would rather just wait for the water to subside than take any of those options, if you go off half cocked without the Police being aware then you are on your own, if you speak to them they will be helpful and try and extricate you from your predicament.

How many Muppets just wade through and then destroy a 50 grand car for the sake of getting their heads round the fact that this time, you cant go that way, then the rest of us get to pay a bit extra on our insurance and only have some YouTube videos of them looking a tit as their car bobs up and down in five feet of floodwater ?

[the-sharpener]

get out and walk through to see how deep it is

If it's too deep then you're stuffed

[MartinGLeeds]

Rakip123 said:

So I've come across some videos of the rufford ford which reminded me of a question i thought of yesterday if your on a dual carriageway and the road mid section is flooded assuming you dont want to risk a hydrolock, what course of action is there? - also assuming you cant turn around the way you came as its a one way road, what do you do? - anyone been in this position

That’s easy, make sure the Windows are up, flick the switch on the Dash marked, ‘Underwater’.

The girl in the passenger seat will look nervous then equally impressed.

Then go on to; roger……..moore……..

Edited by MartinGLeeds on Monday 26th July 09:29

[MattyD803]

I guess it would depend purely on the situation, but I'd be tempted to roll up my trouser legs and wade through with a view to getting a rough measurement of the depth......you might find that the crown of the road is manageable....?

Failing that, sit tight and write off 3 or 4 hours of your life while you wait for the police to close the carriageway behind you, and reverse the stuck vehicles......

[SweptVolume]

Sit for a while and wait for some other people to have a go. Feel smug when the first one of them breaks down mid way through.

[joropug]

There was a pretty horrendous flood near me that I had no option but to brave many years ago (no option...well I did...but didn't want to drive around it)

I had an e46 330ci, I parked up in front of the water for around 5 minutes and watched a few cars make it...then a 330ci came past and made it through so I knew it was safe(er)!

[InitialDave]

I'd try to determine the depth, and depending on the car, disconnect whatever low level intake runs to the airbox to give a fighting chance of it not taking a drink.

[Red9zero]

Those Rufford Ford videos are weirdly mesmorising. Surprinsing how many ordinary cars go through quite merrily and others die a horrible, steamy death.

[ejenner]

joropug said:

There was a pretty horrendous flood near me that I had no option but to brave many years ago (no option...well I did...but didn't want to drive around it)

I had an e46 330ci, I parked up in front of the water for around 5 minutes and watched a few cars make it...then a 330ci came past and made it through so I knew it was safe(er)!

Driving through some very bad flooding in Snowdonia on one occasion I saw two stuck cars on that journey. Both were late naughties BMW 3 series. Was very severe flooding and it was going on for miles and miles.

[mmm-five]

Reverse?

[fido]

SweptVolume said:

Sit for a while and wait for some other people to have a go. Feel smug when the first one of them breaks down mid way through.

Pretty much this. I watched a vintage BMW (90s) attempt a U-boat dive at the end of the slip road. It feeds into Beverley Brook and always get flooded after heavy rain. I pulled over about 100m before to observe how deep the puddle was. It certainly needed to be driven through slowly which Mr BMW didn't. Ended up having to turn around and re-join the A3 which isn't fun either.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kingston+Vale,+L...

[joropug]

ejenner said:

Driving through some very bad flooding in Snowdonia on one occasion I saw two stuck cars on that journey. Both were late naughties BMW 3 series. Was very severe flooding and it was going on for miles and miles.

BMWs are notoriously bad for floods for some reason - Every time there is car breaking floods there is a BMW in the centre of it.

[InitialDave]

joropug said:

BMWs are notoriously bad for floods for some reason - Every time there is car breaking floods there is a BMW in the centre of it.

The ultimate diving machine?

[Pica-Pica]

joropug said:

ejenner said:

Driving through some very bad flooding in Snowdonia on one occasion I saw two stuck cars on that journey. Both were late naughties BMW 3 series. Was very severe flooding and it was going on for miles and miles.

BMWs are notoriously bad for floods for some reason - Every time there is car breaking floods there is a BMW in the centre of it.

I don’t think any particular car or van is better than any other (unless adapted for it). I can’t say I have seen pictures of BMWs especially affected. I think it is more a case of driver awareness, the ‘me and my car are invulnerable’ attitude.

[underwhelmist]

the-sharpener said:

get out and walk through to see how deep it is

MattyD803 said:

I guess it would depend purely on the situation, but I'd be tempted to roll up my trouser legs and wade through with a view to getting a rough measurement of the depth......you might find that the crown of the road is manageable....?

Failing that, sit tight and write off 3 or 4 hours of your life while you wait for the police to close the carriageway behind you, and reverse the stuck vehicles......

You know there’s often sewage floating around in floodwater? Not something I’d fancy wading through. Also there might be manhole covers that have been displaced and of course you won’t be able to see the resulting hole because of the murky water. Sitting tight or reversing/turning around would be my choice.

[jeremy996]

InitialDave said:

The ultimate diving machine?

Neat!

We seem to recover an excessive number of BMW X5s from Leicestershire floods and fords. (Leicestershire and Rutland 4x4 Response). The drivers seem to assume they are invincible as they drive a big 4x4. Nothing could be further from the truth as most BMWs have their cold air intakes low down on the front of the vehicle.

Hitting any body of water at speed is dumb - you have no idea how deep it is or how fast it is flowing. Even in my old school Defender, I am quite careful driving into water. Floods can dislodge manhole covers and one can easily catch and tear off a wheel.

[bluezedd]

Pica-Pica said:

I don’t think any particular car or van is better than any other (unless adapted for it). I can’t say I have seen pictures of BMWs especially affected. I think it is more a case of driver awareness, the ‘me and my car are invulnerable’ attitude.

I've heard the intake can be lower on BMWs but I've not owned one/measured it so can't confirm.

I have noticed a lot of BMWs in pictures of cars stuck in floods, but then this could be because there's a lot of BMWs overall.

[underwhelmist]

slowcars1 said:

This. I drove back through the A13 yesterday afternoon and one of the floods, that cars were being directed through, was sewage and not just flood water. I washed the car but the engine bay now smells and I think there is human waste on my subframe and undertrays. I now need to call my garage and ask very kindly if they will remove my bumper, undertrays and rear diffuser and wash it all out for me because the smell is awful.

Ugh, that is grim. Hope you get it sorted.

[ejenner]

not ideal but the smell will dissipate after a few days as the organic compounds creating emitting smell will dry out