I'm trying to get my mind around the influence of tire pressure on hydroplaning. At first blush it would seem that a highly inflated tire would provide less surface area than an under inflated one and that a bald tire would provide more surface area than a grooved one...but maybe thats it...maybe its about the surface area? The weight is the same but if you reduce the surface area with grip asperities or increased hardness than you increase the force per area of contact thus requiring less residence time of the surface in order for the water to develop a film? Is that it?
If so, then ride with spiked tires in rain ( while tearing the crap out of the road) would be near impossible to hydroplane .
Ok, thanks guys...I think I now understand. You just witnessed a monkey learning to use a twig to snag termites!
