Ive always wondered...

[///M42 sport]

If your going, lets say 70mph, and its raining while you have your top down, will you be going fast enough so you'll be cutting through the rain or will you still get wet?

[e30Matt]

In a '97 Eclipse, at least, you will still get PLENTY soaked. Don't ask why I know that.

[Jordan]

You will still get wet until alot faster then a e30 should be going in the rain.

[Rob]

based on the accident record on this board, I think a 45mph speed limit in the rain would save a lot of trouble

[Bokes]

go test it and post the results here. :P

[Chris E30 Cab]

Re: Ive always wondered...

If your going, lets say 70mph, and its raining while you have your top down, will you be going fast enough so you'll be cutting through the rain or will you still get wet?

Sure, as long as it's not pissin down so hard you can hardly see. Even at 40mph you don't get wet. Mind you the back seat get's wet ;)

[Ryan Stewart]

If you run the windscreen you have a chance. the problem is at speed a vacumm is formed behind you causing the rain to come up from the back seat.

[diablo98110]

got caught in a downpour on highway 16, sustained 65 till the nearest overpass and i didnt get wet till i slowed down for the exit

Damian

[Chris E30 Cab]

If you run the windscreen you have a chance. the problem is at speed a vacumm is formed behind you causing the rain to come up from the back seat.

Wind does blow in from the backseat at speed but in my experience it doesn't carry the rain with it.

One thing to keep in mind though, if you turn on your wipers make sure to roll up the 2 front windows, otherwise water being cleared from the windshield will come around the 2 top corners into the cockpit. I typically just leave the wipers off so I can keep my windows down......and when it's raining too hard to leave the wipers off, it's probably raining too hard to keep the top down ;) I've driven in crazy downpours with the top down and the falling rain still doesn't really get ya wet, it's the swept rain off your windshield dripping over into the cockpit.

[burtonownz]

I don't see how you couldn't get wet. All the rain that you're cutting through will probably go overtop of the passenger compartment. But, all of the rain that's falling from the sky that falls after your windshield has equal chance to hit you and even moreso when you're going faster.

Many people have tested hypotheses about whether it's better to run or walk in the run in the rain; it's been continually proven that it's better to walk. (Not that that really has anything to do with the post).

[Chris E30 Cab]

I don't see how you couldn't get wet. All the rain that you're cutting through will probably go overtop of the passenger compartment. But, all of the rain that's falling from the sky that falls after your windshield has equal chance to hit you and even moreso when you're going faster.

Many people have tested hypotheses about whether it's better to run or walk in the run in the rain; it's been continually proven that it's better to walk. (Not that that really has anything to do with the post).

Give it a try sometime, you would be quite surprised :) I drove an MX-5 Miata for 12 yrs, many times getting caught out in the rain, and now a few years in the E30 in the tropics it happens often so most of the time if I'm on a highway I just drive through it since it's normally just a shower.

That is pretty funny about the walking & running through the rain since I often find myself thinking about that very question.

[theberglar]

My brother drove through a rainstorm at 60mph and above in his Bronco with the top off and didn't get wet.

[SykoBMW]

100+ in the rain and you don't get wet, but at about 85-90 you don't get very wet either.

[bimmerphile]

at 85 in a cabrio you won't get wet.

kinda sucks for the rear seat though.

[Purdue89E30]

I don't see how you couldn't get wet. All the rain that you're cutting through will probably go overtop of the passenger compartment. But, all of the rain that's falling from the sky that falls after your windshield has equal chance to hit you and even moreso when you're going faster.

Many people have tested hypotheses about whether it's better to run or walk in the run in the rain; it's been continually proven that it's better to walk. (Not that that really has anything to do with the post).

This question has nothing to do with the old question about walking or running in the rain because the windshield is clearing the rain in front and slightly above you and you are traveling fast enough to stay in the void it creates. By the way, the Mythbusters tested the one about walking and running throuh the rainand found that you get less wet if you walk. I don't get why and I'm not sure I believe it but that's what they say.