GOOD VISION IN A DOWNPOUR

email | 7/30/2010 | Anonymous

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The sunglasses seeing through rain sounds apochryphal to me, not using cruise control in rain makes more sense. I did not find it on Snopes. Can anyone provide a fact based rebuttal?

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

[999replies]

I don’t understand how a car will accelerate in cruise control when tires lose contact with the ground. The wheels would still be spinning and the speedometer will still be registering, so why would the car accelerate?

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

You make a good point, it’s just that when I hydroplane, I take my foot off the acelerator gently. Cruise control, not sensing inertial effects, will try to maintain constant wheel speed, perhaps with nasty consequences. Maybe that one is just as apochryphal. Like I said, I dunno.

[tgusa]

Agreed. That stuff works.

[Wyatt's Torch]

I use sunglasses all the time when it rains. Furthermore, I use sunglasses with lenses that are “high contrast” vision. I am an Oakley fan and their “Fire” and “Fire Polarized” lenses are fantastic in the rain and also on cloudy days.

[Texas resident]

Been using polorized sunglasses in the rain for years. Works like a charm.

[Hot Tabasco]

I use that stuff all the time, it works great.

[Condor51]

*** The sunglasses seeing through rain sounds apochryphal to me ***

Okay ..

• 5 minutes in the FR Penalty Box for using a big word everyone will have to look up.
• And another 5 minutes in the Penalty box for spelling it wrong.

'apocryphal': of doubtful authorship or authenticity.

Why not just say, 'dubious'?

[just teasing ya :-)]

[xvq2er]

And it makes cleaning bug splatter off the windshield a breeze as well. Nothing sticks to it.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

This is one of those emails that went around.

I tried it (expensive, polarized Ray-Ban’s). I found it makes no difference.

I suppose if the rain is creating a hazy glare it would.

The sunglasses didn’t help me with night time glare, either.

[SMARTY]

I heard about the cruise control issue, but the sunglasses in the rain is something new. I will try it. I drive 30 highway miles to work every day.

Nothing spooks me more than the kind of storm with sideways rain, etc. when the wiper blades (no matter the speed) won't help.

Will this work in a white-out too, or do I just pull over and wait? We get some serious white out conditions here too in NE Ohio.

[Condor51]

*** 'rain*x' ***

That stuff does work. I used all the time when I had my Benz.
For some reason we stopped buying it?

Thanks for jogging my memory, will have to get some now.

[Moonman62]

I recommend the version that goes in the washer reservoir. It's easier and works just as well.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I guess because the email was from my wife and I shot back "It could be true, but it reeks of apocrypha." Outlook express is very nice about checking spelling. "It could be true but it reeks of dubiousness." does not have the same chacet ;)

In sense 2:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cachet

Main Entry: ca·chet
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from cacher
Date: circa 1639

1 a : a seal used especially as a mark of official approval b : an indication of approval carrying great prestige
2 a : a characteristic feature or quality conferring prestige b : prestige
3 : a medicinal preparation for swallowing consisting of a case usually of rice-flour paste enclosing a medicine
4 a : a design or inscription on an envelope to commemorate a postal or philatelic event b : an advertisement forming part of a postage meter impression c : a motto or slogan included in a postal cancellation

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

That would be my guess. Sounds somewhat dangerous and a placebo effect at best.

[meyer]

Actually, polarized sunglasses ought to help reduce glare and reflected light somewhat in a downpour. Obviously, wipers in good condition and the use of Rain-X (or similar) on the windshield would be helpful as well.

There are two major issues with driving in a downpour - your own windshield, and the hazing effect of the rain itself. When it’s really pouring (like it was here in Jacksonville yesterday afternoon), the cleanest windshield in the world won’t be enough.

[Condor51]

*** "It could be true but it reeks of dubiousness." does not have the same chacet ;) ***

Arrrrrgh! Now you're throwing French words around.

I'm going to need a bigger dictionary ;-)

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Did you notice that I deliberately misspelled it as well?

[dangerdoc]

I’ve used cruise control in the rain for years. I slow down which is the most important factor. I drive an AWD vehicle which may be another factor in that the car can tell when any one of my wheels is turning faster than the others. The cruise control will detect hydroplaning and cut the accelerator faster than I can.