5 harmful habits when driving a motorbike in the rain

1. Wearing a raincoat is not neat

Most motorcyclists use loose raincoats (bat-wing raincoats); some people have the habit of covering the raincoat over the top of the vehicle or letting it flutter. This poses a high risk of causing accidents.

Covering your motorbike with a raincoat when it’s dark will block the headlights, making it impossible for oncoming vehicles to see you. Because in rainy conditions, visibility is greatly limited; signaling will be meaningless if the front turn signal is blocked.

The driver covering the raincoat over the front of the vehicle also reduces the ability to handle and control the vehicle flexibly. In addition, if the driver lets the raincoat flap behind him flutter, it is also very dangerous, obstructing the vision of the person behind. The flap can also be caught in the wheel, causing the driver to fall.

2. Run fast through flooded areas

Rain makes the road slippery, driving at high speed is very dangerous. Drivers will have difficulty handling and can easily fall if they brake suddenly. On flooded roads, driving too fast will create large water waves that affect surrounding vehicles, and at the same time, the possibility of the vehicle stalling is very high.

If you try to rush through a puddle, water will splash onto the spark plugs and even penetrate deeper into the engine. In the long run, this will cause damage to the car and rust on the metal parts inside.

3. Drive near large vehicles

Do not drive your motorbike close to larger vehicles in the rain. Especially large, strong waves from container trucks or buses can knock over a motorbike. If the driver drives too close behind these vehicles, the view will be blocked, which can easily cause an accident if the vehicle in front brakes suddenly.

Motorcyclists should keep a safe distance and not drive close to the rear or side of large vehicles because these are blind spots and it is difficult for drivers to see vehicles below.

4. Stop the car under a tree

Some road users choose to take shelter under large trees or wear raincoats. However, this is a very dangerous area because heavy rain and strong winds can cause trees to uproot or branches to break.

In case you cannot find a safe hiding place in time, absolutely do not use trees as shelter from the rain, avoid higher areas around, and stay away from metal objects.

5. Forget to wash your car after driving in the rain

Rainwater is highly corrosive because it is acidic. Therefore, if you do not wash your car after driving in the rain, many parts will rust. Mud can also stick to the engine block, reducing the life of the car.

One of the parts that is easily affected is the chain, sprocket on manual and clutch motorbikes. Some motorbikes do not have a crankcase, rainwater washes away the lubricating oil, reducing the lifespan of the sprocket. For motorbikes with crankcases, if you do not wash the motorbike after riding in the rain, mud will clog the drainage holes over time, causing stagnant water inside and rusting.