Wet storm presents Bay Area drivers with bumper car conditions
CONCORD -- Heavy rain was predicted for Saturday throughout the Bay Area and it did not disappoint. For a lot of people, driving in the wet conditions felt a bit like playing a vehicular version of Russian roulette.
At mid-morning, rain was coming down hard in the Walnut Creek area. Up the road in Concord, Highway 242 slowed to a crawl.
That's where Vuong Thanh stood stranded on the side of the road -- one of many waiting for a tow truck -- after rear-ending another car in the slick conditions.
"It's very smooth, too wet so I stop," he said. "Yeah, I hit somebody. I am OK but the weather is too wet so, I can't stop!"
About a mile up the highway, the reason for the traffic backup was revealed. A large truck had rolled over trying to avoid a collision. CHP officer Andrew Barclay said it's an example of the kind of physics involved with a large, heavy object traveling on a wet surface.
"Very often, it takes very little for something to go wrong before a vehicle starts spinning," Barclay said. "We get people who will tell us at these crashes 'well, I wasn't speeding.' But just because you're not going over the speed limit doesn't mean you're traveling at a safe speed. When we have water on the roadway, we need to slow down. That standing water creates that layer on the road and it takes very little to start hydroplaning."
In the Novato area, northbound Highway 101 traffic at San Antonio Road was backed up for miles, reportedly due to flooding on the road coming from a construction zone in the highway median.
"Our people are busy right now," said Officer Barclay. "All over the Bay Area, wherever rain is falling, wherever water is standing on a roadway, there is a CHP officer responding to a call, handling a crash or helping someone who's broken down on the side of the road."
But this was one of the few remaining weekends before Christmas so, for many, venturing out to shop in the rain was more of an obligation than an option.
"People are driving crazy over the rain," said Nai Chao, at the Target shopping center in Pleasant Hill. "We saw a lot of accidents, so we weren't really looking forward to this weather."
"I wish I didn't have to go anywhere," said Tiffany Surratt from Antioch. "Yeah, I would love to just be home."
Ed Resuleo was picking up a birthday present for his nephew and was at least grateful that the holiday crowds were a bit lighter than usual.
"This street is usually pretty packed this time of year and today, luckily, it's not. It's easier to maneuver through," he said with optimism. "You gotta give and take a little bit."
Then there was Tim Miller who was out shopping while pushing his dog Bella in a baby stroller. Miller said he considers the rain to be a kind of birthright.
"I may have been raised in Oakland but I was born in Seattle so this is fine with me," he said.
By early afternoon, the skies were brightening a bit and traffic was settling down. Forecasters say there will be more rain coming and more challenges on the roads.