Oman weather: Drive carefully in foggy conditions, say experts

Muscat: Motorists have been urged to drive carefully during the current fog conditions in some parts of Oman, as experts offered their top tips for driving safely.
Mark Pudwell, an international HSE training consultant, said driving in fog means that drivers have far less time to react to situations that they may normally deal with quite easily in clear
conditions.
“There are three golden rules for driving in fog - the first being the most important, and that is to give yourself more time to react by reducing your speed. The second is to increase the distance between you and the vehicle in front by an additional 100m, and the final rule is to use front and rear vehicle fog lights.
Serious incidents
“The majority of serious incidents which occur during foggy conditions are a direct result of drivers failing to see what’s in front of them, driving too quickly, and failing to maintain a safe distance.
Drivers should not use full beam headlights to try and see further into the fog, as the water vapour reflects this light back at the driver and actually reduces their visibility. Slow down, increase your distance and use fog lights,” he told Times of Oman.
The advisory was issued after visibility was reduced to less than 1,000 metres in several parts of Oman this week, leading to disruptions in the movement of traffic.
Meanwhile, the ROP has issued guidelines to avoid fog from forming on your car windows.
“Many people suffer through fog forming on the inside of their car windows, which happens during winter months when the inside of their car is warmer than the outside air.
This water condensation obstructs drivers’ visions, and threatens their ability to drive safely. There is also a lack of awareness regarding how to get rid of this fog, with unhelpful suggestions, such as using tissue or a cloth to wipe it away,” the ROP said in its website.
Detailing the methods, the ROP said most cars have an air button which rids car windows of fog.
Another way of combating fog is taking a dry bar of soap and rubbing it on the inner car window, and then using a soft cloth to wipe the glass clear.
“Also, you can use a special spray that takes care of condensation, which is sold in pharmacies and optical shops,” the ROP noted on its website.