How are the LA folks handling the rain?

[Rick Lee]

LA wasn't so bad, but the drive to Vegas was baaaaddd. I had to leave my bike in Pasadena and get a rental car to get to Vegas. Wind near Barstow was the worst I've ever seen, would have been suicide on the bike. Tumbleweeds were moving as fast as the cars on I-15.

[ODDJOB UNO]

hell we thought you bikers were "TOUGH!" CAPTAIN AMERICA would have eaten those tumbleweeds for breakfast with a smile on his face and swallowed them with budweisers and never spilled a drop on his american flag fuel tank!


i thought YOU were BORN TO BE WILD!


good luck, 2+ inches of rain at my house. at least 3" here at work and the next one is slated for monyana and its gonna be WICKED!

drive/ride safe.

[RNajarian]

I got in an accident on Sun. My wife was driving her mom's 2002 Lexus ES 300 after a heavy rain and lost control at 30 MPH. At the time of the accident there was only a light rain.

The Accident Totaled the car, the air bags did not deploy. I cannot believe the extent of the damage considering we were going only 30 mph. I know had we been in my Cayenne we would not have lost control.

I cannot believe how many accidents I've seen over the past few days.

[SoCal911T]

I'm glad I don't live in LA. It sounds gnarly.

You LA guys should move outside the city limits where the weather is much better.

img removed - ns

[onewhippedpuppy]

Does LA have tornado sirens? Do people there know what they are, or do they assume the Japanese are attacking?

[Alex5]

Vegas Here! I've never seen so much rain in the 7 years I've lived here..Reminds me of the North East. I guess tomorrow is supposed to be even worse? Thank God for the Michelins though, the rock in the rain..Now if we can only make the retards here drive better in the wet...!

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by Alex5

Now if we can only make the retards here drive better in the wet...!

Have you thought about taking lessons?

[jyl]

I used to live in Glendale just south of Montrose, and the Angeles Crest was my playground. I was sad when the fires stripped that range. Now I wonder how bad the mudslides will be.

Early last century, in 1934, there were huge mudslides from the Angeles Crest. It is now called the Pickens Canyon slide. The mud went all the way through LaCrescenta-Montrose, to or past Foothill Blvd. Destroyed 100 houses and killed 45 people.

Giant mud diverters were built after that. I fear they're going to be tested with the combination of El Nino and slopes stripped of vegetation. That area is much more populated now than in 1934. Just to the east, La Canada is stuffed with expensive homes and, I would think, at risk too.

[Alex5]

I've had lessons in the rain, I've raced in various conditions...the problem is regardless of how great of a driver you can be, it's everybody else you have to worry about and can't control... Let's face it, driving a 911 with all the SUVs around me in the rain in Vegas, doesn't make me feel any safer and I have always been a proponent of a performance based vehicle to get you out of trouble as opposed to a large car with tons of sheet metal around it that doesn't handle but can withstand a hit. (That would make for a great debate)

[dd74]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Does LA have tornado sirens? Do people there know what they are, or do they assume the Japanese are attacking?

No. No tornado sirens. We do have Tsunami sirens in some spots, and lots of dogs to tell us when an earthquake is about to strike.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by jyl

I used to live in Glendale just south of Montrose, and the Angeles Crest was my playground. I was sad when the fires stripped that range. Now I wonder how bad the mudslides will be.

Early last century, in 1934, there were huge mudslides from the Angeles Crest. It is now called the Pickens Canyon slide. The mud went all the way through LaCrescenta-Montrose, to or past Foothill Blvd. Destroyed 100 houses and killed 45 people.

Giant mud diverters were built after that. I fear they're going to be tested with the combination of El Nino and slopes stripped of vegetation. That area is much more populated now than in 1934. Just to the east, La Canada is stuffed with expensive homes and, I would think, at risk too.

Mandatory evacuation for all burn areas, though some people opted to stay.
(Mandatory doesn't mean they force you from your home, btw. The authorities just strongly urge).

I think about ten or so years ago, a landslide buried an entire town on the way to Santa Barbara. One can see remnants of what was once there from the 101 fwy.

[Brillo]

Originally Posted by dd74

I think about ten or so years ago, a landslide buried an entire town on the way to Santa Barbara. One can see remnants of what was once there from the 101 fwy.

La Conchita

They've had a couple of major slides, the first was in 1995. People killed, but folks still live there. Some houses still standing half buried.

[dipso]

Today is supposed to be the worst. I heard on the radio this morning, it could be the worst storm we've had in 5 years.

We will see.

[turn9]

I just completed approx 1,400 miles over 3 days of the worst weather driving of my entire life. Left LA monday trying to make it to medford, OR in my new ( to me) 73RS clone. Got as far as Redding and then ran into multiple road closures which made it impossible to continue. Due to time constraints and some car trouble I had to return to LA yest . Blasting crosswinds, rain coming down in sheets for hundreds of miles, lightning, fog, visibility near zero in 70-80 mph speeds bracketed by 18 wheelers spraying curtains water, praying that no one is going to panic and slam on the brakes creating a massive pileup and not daring to slowdown for the same reasons.
Finally made it back safely after a 12 hr drive and with not a scratch on the car but with a dead starter motor which had me refueling the car with the engine running...

We got very lucky.

T9

[rnln]

haven't really driven my baby for several months, 3 months maybe?, couldn't take it any more, I took it out yesterday (wrong day).
Couldn't see shhh. It sits too low. All those modern big trucks/SUVs keep dumping water on my face. And it's too dark, 911's headlights is too bad. All night long, I only see "butts" (trucks butts). Today, I am driving minivan to see from the above. Now, I understand why truck's drivers love to drive next to lady drivers :lol:

[daepp]

This storm was so totally overhyped by the local media.

And now the acting governor has declared a state of emergency so we will get federal funds.

The other 49 states need to pay for el lay to clean up after the rain - great!

[legion]

I don't drive any different in the rain (unless it is in water of any depth).

I don't understand how so many accidents occur in the rain in SoCal.

[flatbutt]

yeah I don't see how rain is such a problem. BUT I drive/ride in it all the time. So being accustomed to it makes all the difference I guess.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by legion

I don't understand how so many accidents occur in the rain in SoCal.

People's general driving abilities are so marginal even during nice weather, that whenever some adversity is thrown into the mix (such as poor visibility, decreased traction, road debris, puddles, working the windshield wipers and defroster, and the general distraction of the presence of rain--not to mention eating/drinking while working the cellphone, nav system, and radio) there's no reserve driving skill available.

[BeyGon]

Originally Posted by legion

I don't drive any different in the rain (unless it is in water of any depth).

I don't understand how so many accidents occur in the rain in SoCal.

A few things that make it different here, right now we are at about 9 inches of rain for the season, that's a lot for here. The streets usually don't get that much water, when it rains, once in awhile, the streets have an oil slick on them, you get more rain and the streets get washed more often, plus snow and maybe salt. We have drivers that don't get used to wet streets and the drive. We have drivers that never drove in Mexico and now that they are here they are real coboys. First time driving and first time in rain.