What Classic Car And Muscle Car Enthusiasts Can't Wait For - Cool Weather Driving!

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Cooler weather is finally here. In South Central Texas we've been gripped by 100 plus temperatures most of the summer, and as recent as just a few weeks ago. But, we had our first "cold" front come through, reducing the temperatures to a balmy 80 degree range! This is probably still quite hot by most people's standards, but for those of us in this part of Texas, it's bliss. And, for driving enthusiasts, it's heaven.

Most people will agree that taking a drive on a day that is "picture perfect" is a great experience. Not only is it pleasant for you, but for your car as well. Your car performs better under cool conditions, and you're apt to notice the boost in power and performance.

An on-line forum reader posted this question (along with the above pic) to fellow car enthusiasts:

"I love this time of year, it’s still dry and the air has cooled. Perfect driving weather. When is your perfect time to drive?"

It didn't surprise me that the following great comments were included in the responses:

• "This one after the sun has warmed the pavement."
• "It's just coming into Spring time here in Melbourne, so perfect driving season for me is just beginning. It gets a little too hot for comfort over Christmas, but then we get another great driving season Between around late Feb to April. This will be my first spring/summer with a convertible so I'm just dying to get down out and about with the top down. It hasn't stopped raining since I bought it two months ago, but I suppose what did I expect buying a convertible in winter. I'm hoping for good weather this weekend so I can take off down the Great Ocean Road, one of the best driving roads in the world, and starts just 90 mins from my house. I love my car so much I just can't wait to drive it as it was meant to be driven, top down, in the sun, on a great road."
• "Driving on the back roads of the Blue Ridge mountains in fall when the leaves turn red and start to fall...when the air is getting crisp and a slight wind is present...my favorite time of year."
• "Night time, little to no traffic. I have these wonderful backroads near a state park that are amazing and fun to drive. I drive in heavy traffic during my one-hour, one way commute daily and to have the freedom of an open road is so relaxing... I just take off sometimes, I just love driving."
• "In Montana, anytime there isn't snow on the ground."
• "My favourite is going out at 1am-3am on a winters night with a fresh inch or two of snow on the country roads. I can't wait for winter."
• "Mine is on a crisp sunny day, sunroof down, in the wide open country."
• "Summer and autumn evenings with the top down."
• "Cool Air= Perfect turbo weather."
• "2AM on a warm summer night, with nowhere to go and nowhere to stay."
• "I love driving in the day and at night. During the day I take it easy and cruise around with some music on. At night on a back road, with the cooler temp is when I when i give it the beans!" 
• "SoCal here, late at night when the traffic subsides, in the mountains around LA. Anyone who has business up there is home in bed and the roads are mostly empty. Except, depending on where you go, there could be dozens of cars running the mountains. All enthusiasts, all enjoying a few hours of empty twists and turns. During the summer, it's uncomfortably hot all day, but at night it's warm with just a bit of a chill when you go fast with the windows down. So you go run the mountains and canyons with your windows down."
• "All the time. If I'm going to have a car, why not use it for what it was meant to be used for?"
• "Middle of the night, empty windy road, after a long day at work."
• "I've got three, depending on my mood: Friday or Saturday night/morning, preferably til sunrise, when it stopped raining for some time and roads are still a little damp, during winter, I just love snow."
• "When I don't have to wait 10 minutes for my car to cool down from being out in the sun is perfect driving weather for me."
• "I love driving top down anytime the weather is 70ish! Night and day are both awesome."

Any of these ring true for you? I guess it's no surprise that there is a wide range of things that people like, but it seems that cooler temperatures really do play a role. I've heard the excitement building when talking with friends, customers and even our vendors. We're all looking forward to the enjoyment that the cooler weather brings to our driving experience.

When most drivers think of fall driving, they often envision colorful fall foliage, empty highways and beautifully cool clear days. And, depending upon where you are in the country, many indeed do live up to this expectation. But even picture-perfect days have have the potential for disaster in the days of autumn. Fall weather can be unpredictable and driving conditions can change from perfect to dangerous in no time at all. To complicate things, the decreased daylight with return to Standard Time from Daylight Savings Time means more hours driving in potential darkness. So, while Fall is one of the most desirable times of the year for driving, it is actually one of the more treacherous times of times! Here's some of the things to be cautious of in the Fall months:

• Deer & Animals in Roads - Fall is a time where animals are more active in preparation for winter. Depending on the area of the country you are driving, you may encounter deer or even moose and elk which can spring out of nowhere. We have a lot of deer in South Central Texas and the Hill Country, and even the smallest can cause a lot of damage!
• Rain – Fall rainstorms often tend to be sudden and heavy. Early fall storms are the worst from a driving perspective because highways that have a summer’s worth of oil and rubber buildup from traffic become extremely slick when suddenly soaked. It usually takes a couple of really good downpours to wash this buildup away and in the interim the roadway is especially hazardous.
• Hydroplaning - We've all heard of it, and luckily probably very few of us have ever experienced it. But, when hydroplaning happens it can be very scary. It is caused when excessive water builds up on the road and causes a vehicle to "float" on a layer of water as it looses contact with the road surface. It's a matter of physics. Hydroplaning occurs because the water buildup on the road is greater than the amount of water the tread channels can effectively clear away. Most commonly, hydroplaning lasts only a second or two as a vehicle is passing through a shallow puddle, but during heavy downpours it can last long enough to loose the ability to steer and brake. In this circumstance it's best to slow down and avoid any sudden movements of the wheel or brakes that can make your vehicle spin out of control. If you feel a floating feeling while driving on wet roads, steer straight and gently back off the throttle until you feel the tires make contact with road surface. Here in Texas, we have especially heavy downpours where it can be best to pull off the road and wait it out.
• Fog - Usually found in low places or areas surrounded by trees, hills or mountains, fog is statistically the single most dangerous condition a driver can encounter. It can severely limit visibility and change your perception of distance. When encountering fog, even just a small foggy patch in a hollow, slow down. There may be a stalled or slow vehicle hidden behind that wall of white. It is also smart to turn on your headlamps (low beam) or fog lamps to increase your visibility and your chances of being seen by other motorists. Most accidents happen in fog because the driver was going too fast for conditions and rear-ended the vehicle ahead. Slow down to a crawl if necessary, keep your lights on and use extreme caution.
• Foggy Windows - We've all had this happen. Just the act of your warm body entering your cold car causes your windows to fog up. If you've got a hot cup of coffee, it'll happen much faster. You can clear all windows by running the defroster, but if you want to keep the fog from returning, take the time to wipe off the glass. RainX has an excellent product which keeps it from returning. Fog also tends to form on the exterior mirrors, so don't forget those.
• Leaves - As Fall moves along, non-evergreen trees lose their leaves and end up covering streets. While it is fun and beautiful to roar through quiet country roads that are colored with leaves, they become very slippery with even a slight amount of moisture. Avoid sudden turns, hard acceleration and braking, which can all lead to skidding.
• Glare - Glare from the sun can be very intense in the Fall because of the sun's position, reflection off of damp roadways, other cars, windows and even road signs. Good anti-glare sunglasses are recommended to have on hand for any road trip.
• Frost – It's pretty when Jack Frost  pays a visit, leaving twinkling sparkles all over your lawn and trees. But, when driving through a shady patch of road around a sharp corner, the effects could be hair-raising. Use caution when driving over bridges, down tree-lined streets, or anywhere else where heavy shadows cross roads that are dew-laden from melting frost.
• Black Ice – Invisible, unexpected. Although black ice doesn't usually occur this early, a cold snap in our Northern States certainly make it a possibility. At a minimum black ice is dangerous and at it's worst it can be deadly. What makes it so dangerous is that the roads looks as dry. Black ice usually forms below overpasses, on bridges, in shaded areas and where there is water running across or pooling on the pavement. If you live in an area where frost occurs, black ice is always a possibility. Use extreme caution when driving on cold mornings where there is evidence of frozen moisture on the roadway.

As we get a bit further into the season, we have other dangers to consider such as snow, ice, hail, sleet, black ice and bridges that freeze. For now, enjoy the cooler weather and use common sense and a bit of caution when the crisp early morning and evenings lure you to put the pedal down and enjoy your ride!

REFERENCES / ARTICLE RESOURCES:

AARP - Fall Driving Tips

Bridgestone - Fall Driving Tips

Castrol - Yellow & Orange Alert: Fall Driving Safety Tips

Tacoma Transmissions - Safe Fall Driving Tips

TracTalk - Fall Driving Tips

USA Today - Top 10 Fall Foliage Drives Around the USA

INTERESTING READS:

California Fall Color - Dude, autumn happens here too

Colorado - Scenic Drives

Discover New England - One Week Fall Foliage Driving Itinerary

Explore Minnesota - Rainbow Routes: 10 Fall Color Drives

The Foliage Network - The Source For Accurate Foliage Information (updated twice weekly)

Great Lakes - Fall Colors In The Great Lakes

Maine - Driving Itinerary

Michigan - Fall Color Tours

Road Trip America - Autumn Road Trips Across the USA

Utah Fall Color - Driving Tours

Washington State - State Scenic Byway: Scenic Driving Tours

West Virginia - Fall Color & Driving Tours

New York State - Fall Driving Tours

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.