Fording

[Ming the Merciless]

There was a bbc program on the weather a number of years back. They did an experiment on how much flood water / current did it take to wash a person off their feet. It was surprisingly shallow and not that fast. There is a deceptive amount of force in slow moving water.

 

[GilesM]

Stanhope (County Durham) was another lovely one, but now it's gated-off

My old 110Tdi (that dates the photo to 1997 - 2001)
View attachment 633132

http://www.wetroads.co.uk/durham.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7085052.stm
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-17115018

I came up to that one on a sunny day with lots of spectators and got a lot of abuse for bottling it, in my defence I was in my Elise, it could have been embarrassing.

 

[figbat]

A couple of years ago we were camping in the Cotswolds and during a day out we came across this ford at Kineton. My wife was driving and stopped at the water's edge - I got out to survey the ford and gave it a big fat 'nope' - it was not only quite deep (it was a wet October) but the floor was littered with large rocks. The road is pretty narrow so we had to reverse some way back along the road to a gateway where we turned around and took a different route, to then come across another ford. Once again I took a look and this one looked passable, so Mrs figbat drove her new-that-year XC40 through it - all fine.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Rufford Mill Ford Closed! (gated?)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-63839821

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Rufford Mill Ford Closed! (gated?)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-63839821

WHen I was learning to drive my Dad taught me how to go througha ford

even thought there are no fords anywhere near us

simple really
keep rev high
keep speed down by slipping the clutch

CHECK THE DEPTH FIRST!!!!

some of the people in the video would have got through easily if they went far slower
although some would have needed a boat not a car!!!

 

[Deleted member 26715]

WHen I was learning to drive my Dad taught me how to go througha ford

even thought there are no fords anywhere near us

simple really
keep rev high
keep speed down by slipping the clutch

CHECK THE DEPTH FIRST!!!!

some of the people in the video would have got through easily if they went far slower
although some would have needed a boat not a car!!!

Thats the way I was taught, but one of the issues with modern cars is that to get the coldest air into the engine they have the intake under the front bumper which sucks water straight into the engine, been through that ford many times without issue.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Thats the way I was taught, but one of the issues with modern cars is that to get the coldest air into the engine they have the intake under the front bumper which sucks water straight into the engine, been through that ford many times without issue.

Oh
didn;t know that - the whole engine bay is so full and covered in plastic that you can no longer see the different bits like you could in the good old days

Certainly easier with a 2CV or a T reg Ford Fiesta Mark 1!!!

 

[icowden]

Thats the way I was taught, but one of the issues with modern cars is that to get the coldest air into the engine they have the intake under the front bumper which sucks water straight into the engine, been through that ford many times without issue.

No, no, no. Modern cars don't have engines...
(just batteries!)

 

[Deleted member 26715]

No, no, no. Modern cars don't have engines...
(just batteries!)

If you have the time trawl through all the videos you will find a Tesla that didn't make it.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Thats the way I was taught, but one of the issues with modern cars is that to get the coldest air into the engine they have the intake under the front bumper which sucks water straight into the engine, been through that ford many times without issue.

Yes
My last car, a 2011 Octavia estate had the air-intake at the leading-edge of the bonnet

I have no idea where it is on its successor, a Kodiaq, l can’t see it!
I guess it takes its air from the grille area

 

[mustang1]

The simple answer is pure willy-waving / Colin McCrae wannabe syndrome.

Mmh but it could be because... Wait...let's do this with a joke:

Why did the car driver want to cross the ford?
To get to the other side.

 

[gbb]

Regarding Rufford, I assume perhaps it's levels are variable during the year, perhaps many of those that get stuck actually do use it regularly but have no problem...until they do. You only see the worst outcomes, not the maybe thousands of successful crossings.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

The variable water levels are a factor
I used to live in Bangor (North Wales) and there was a handy country road that led around the main part of the town - but went through a ford half way round
In summer it was only a few inches deep and was great fun on bikes and cars could go through with no problem

In winter locals knew to have a think about recent rain before going that way - it could get a few feet deep quite quickly
although it was kinda obvious - especially as there was a very clear depth gauge on a bridge (for pedestrians)

I used to take my daughter and her friends there on little bike rides - they loved it - my partner at the time thought I was being childish and always insisted the kids walk across the bridge with their bikes!!!!

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Regarding Rufford, I assume perhaps it's levels are variable during the year, perhaps many of those that get stuck actually do use it regularly but have no problem...until they do. You only see the worst outcomes, not the maybe thousands of successful crossings.

I've been going through it for over 40 years without issue, used to take the kids there when they were little to splash our way through, but I think it's been a victim of it's own Youtube success & the continuing slide into stupidity of the general public.

 

[cougie uk]

If you have the time trawl through all the videos you will find a Tesla that didn't make it.

That's weird. I've seen Tesla's almost submerged. It's not like they need any air. Wonder what happened?

Even my little EV is tested up to 70cm deep. Not that I'd do it !