The past week was a bummer.

The weather was a hassle. During intermittent downpours, driving in the rain can be challenging and hazardous.

Like last Friday, feeling under the weather, I took a hailed ride. I didn’t want to get caught in a downpour, and I had a terrible headache.

“Kamusta Manila?” I asked Joey, the driver of my ride.

“Baha sa Malolos, dun ako galing (It’s flooded in Malolos, I came from there). Kawawa mga electric Taxi, madaming natirik (I pity the electric taxis. I saw many stalled ones).”

He then tells me that he is glad that his ride is a diesel.

I comment that the prices of gas are so high, more so for the diesel cars.

“Basta, ‘pag tumirik ako, pede ko tulak itong kotse ko (What is important is that I can push-start this car if I get stuck in the floods).”

We go on with a discussion about the new and fancy EVs.

Joey tells me he is unimpressed with EVs because when it rains in the Philippines, the floods are a major problem.

I smile and agree. After all, I am his captive audience, right?

So, to make the discussion interesting, I ask Joey for tips that drivers should follow on rainy and flooded days.

I share with you what Joey and I came up with. Since this is an English paper, I am taking the liberty of making an English version. I hope Joey doesn’t mind.

1. Get yourself and your vehicle ready for the road.

You need to be well-rested and have a totally clear head; there’s no room for any sort of impairment when driving in tough conditions (“Dapat di mainit ulo niyo pag magmamaneho sa ulan. Delikado,” Joey said.)

2. Make sure your car can handle the rain. Your tires should be properly inflated — which allows them to have the most traction on the road — and have enough tread.

“The tread helps evacuate the water between the tire and the road, so the deeper the tread, the better the traction,” Joey said. “We tend to take tires for granted, but they’re the most important part of the vehicle. If someone’s tires are underinflated or close to balding, they’ll have less traction on the road exactly when they need more traction.”

3. Make sure you can see and be seen.

It’s harder to drive safely in the rain because of limited visibility — especially at night — so test your windshield wipers. They should clean the glass in one swipe, with no streaks. If they’re not performing well, you may need to purchase and install new wiper blades. That’s an easy DIY project, though you can also have it done for you at your local gas station or auto parts store.

If you’re anticipating frequent, heavy downpours, consider applying water-repellent products to your windshield that help water bead and run off the glass more quickly.

Many cars have settings that automatically turn on the headlights when the skies dim or the wipers are on, but it’s still a good idea to double-check that they’ve been activated during a rainstorm.

You’re about twice as visible to other road users when your headlights are on, so anytime you drive — day or night, rain or shine — turn on the headlights.

4. Keep your distance.

In bad weather, drivers should leave more room between themselves and the car in front of them.

“It’s really hard to hit something if you’ve got enough space around your vehicle, and drivers should increase their following distance to five or more seconds behind the vehicle ahead,” says Joey.

If you’re on the highway or a road with several lanes, try to keep an open space on at least one side of your vehicle at all times. This way, if something happens in front of you and you don’t have enough time to brake, you can immediately move left or right, he adds.

5. Avoid sudden movements.

“We see drivers jerking the steering wheel, stomping the pedals or waiting too late to brake, and while you might be able to get away with that in dry conditions, when you start losing traction in the rain, you cause trouble for yourself if you’re really rough with the car (Madaming grabe magmaneho pag umuulan),” Joey explains.

Make gradual speed or steering changes, and start slowing your vehicle by taking your foot off the gas earlier than you normally would before gently squeezing the brake pedal.

6. Don’t use cruise control.

Normally, in wet conditions, lifting your foot off the accelerator transfers weight to the front of the car and slows you down enough to allow your vehicle to regain traction. However, when cruise control is engaged, the car won’t respond until you press on the brake. Avoiding cruise control when driving in the rain leaves you with more options in a loss-of-traction situation.

7. Slow down.

Most people drive too fast on wet roads, Joey observes. Tires can lose contact with a wet road at just 35 miles an hour, making it more difficult to control the car. Reducing your speed maximizes safety.

“Your tires have far less traction on wet pavement than they do in dry conditions, so slow down before you get to a wet-looking spot and before you start to turn left or right,” he says.

8. Don’t panic.

Hydroplaning — when your tires float on a layer of water instead of the rubber meeting the road — can be frightening.

While most drivers instinctively jam on the brakes, that’s a bad idea.

“You want to gradually get traction back to those front tires, so lift your foot off the accelerator. That shifts more weight to the front end of the car and gets those tires back on the pavement (Dapat dahan-dahan ang pag apak sa brake, di bigla. Kasi baka mabangga ka pa ng nasa likod mo),” he explains.

If that doesn’t work, gently apply the brakes. By keeping the heel of your foot on the floor and using the ball of your foot and toes to work the pedals, you’ll have more braking control. Press too hard and you’ll throw the car into a rear tire skid, he adds. To correct a skid, continue looking and steering in the direction you want the car to go.

“Keeping your eyes focused on the target — the road ahead — tells your brain to help your hands and feet do what they should do to maximize the chance you’ll end up right where you want to be,” he says.

Because your vehicle’s reaction time is much slower in slippery conditions, reducing your speed helps prevent you from skidding.

Tips matter

“A little preparation and thinking about how you’re driving can really make a big difference,” I add. And when feeling under the weather, a paid ride is one good idea, I discovered.

Until the next detour.