In most parts of Kenya, the long rains are coming to an end. Should we now check our cars for the dry season? Several readers
Yes. Make it your first “advance” check for the next rainy season in October/November, and any wet days in between.
If Kevin Costner thought his “Waterworld” was the ultimate in flood fashion, wet-look weirdos and H2Orrendous Happenings, he should come to Nairobi in the rainy season! We slither and slide and stall and swoosh and stop and generally behave like a drunk on roller skates who is not sure whether he is trying to waddle or water ski.
But perhaps the most amazing aspect of it all is the general sense of surprise. The calendar ticks towards mid-March, the skies glower and one day, suddenly, we all run around our houses with buckets and pots (having done nothing about last year's roof leaks).
Similarly, the city council maintenance crews “discover” that their storm drains are blocked, the power and lighting people are astonished the untrimmed branches are falling on their power lines, bridges and train tracks get washed away (well, what a co-incidence, almost exactly the same thing happened in almost exactly the same place at this time last year!). And so on.
Why, oh why, we cry, don't they clear the drains and trim the trees and shore up the foundations and fix the roofs and patch the potholes before(!) it rains?
And while thinking these thoughts we skid on our bald tyres, we do it sideways because our brakes are binding asymmetrically, we can’t see because our wipers are perished and the washer nozzles are blocked or pointing askew, we stall because our electrics are in tatters, and we can’t start again because the only dry thing in our engine compartment is the inside of our battery!
We cause thousands of shillings worth of damage to our cars by letting water slosh behind cracked light lenses, rusting the chrome reflector and blowing the bulb; we invite corrosion in our door panels and sills by not checking that the drain plugs are clear; and we both endure and cause traffic jams by either speeding through a pond or stopping before a puddle that a dachshund could wade through without getting its knees wet.
If we wish to put our hand up in June and plead “Not Guilty”, we must somehow try to remember that, every year for many thousands of years, the rain-bearing Inter Tropical Convergence Zone has headed north from just south of us in about the middle of March, and comes back south again in late October. And in some parts of the country, torrential rain can happen at almost any time. So, in advance... above all else, check your tyres. If they are almost new, your cornering grip and braking efficiency will only be halved in the wet.
If they are worn, but still have several millimetres of tread depth, there’s just a chance you can keep a grip on the situation if you cut your speed and increase the distance between you and the car in front.
Are your windscreen wiper blades smooth and flexible? Do they sweep smoothly and effectively over the glass, without juddering or streaking (or scratching!)? Are they positioned correctly on their spindles? Do the windscreen washer nozzles deliver a strong jet of water...in the right direction. And (here’s a really professional tip), is there water in the reservoir?
Do your brakes bind evenly? Does your car start easily (if it is any problem at all now, it will be a disaster in the rain)? Are the high-tension leads and distributor cap in good fettle?
Are all the rubber bungs in the floor (under the carpet) in place?
Are the drain plugs in the bottoms of the doors clear of mud and rubbish? Are the squeegee rubbers/brushes on your window sills clean and sound? Have your pedal rubbers got a bit of grip?
Are there any cracks in your light lenses? Do the tail lights sit snugly on their rubber seals? Is the screw on your jack lightly greased to stop it rusting up solid in a damp boot? Does your glovebox contain a cloth, a loo roll, and a tin of water repellent (e.g. WD40)? If you own a tow rope and jump leads, carry them (all year round).
Finally, remember that the first light rain after a dry spell is the most dangerous. It is just enough to turn the build-up of dust and rubber on the road into slippery syrup, but not enough to wash the now-greasy mixture away.
