[Hardware]

This morning, it was raining (and had been all night) and as I took a 90 degree right hander (turning at an intersection) I passed the end of the centre median and noticed I was lined up to cross over a steel manhole cover.

The pavement was wet and there was a thin sheen of standing water on the cover. I corrected my line to cross it close to the far (outside) edge - as much as I could correct without radically changing my line on the wet asphalt.

The front washed out a little, sliding 4-5 inches off the cover and then immediately gaining grip on the pavement. This process repeated again as the rear touched and slid off the cover onto the pavement.

There was no danger of a highside - I remained balanced on the bike and speed had been kept down to allow for such an eventuality.

Someone watching from a few feet away probably wouldn't have seen anything untoward - however it could definitely be felt on the bike.

As I straightened up I sort of laughed aloud - as soon as I'd seen the cover I knew I would slide on it - kind of felt squidly, in a cautious; prepared-for-it; rode-through-it-smoothly kind of way.

So remember class - steel, painted, polished stone and even paved surfaces can be very slick when wet. A no-brainer, but worth remembering.

 

[Clint]

Uggh. I cringe even thinking about those extra heavy paint lines.

Good tip.

 

[Hardware]

Ironically painted lines on the pavement here aren't too bad. I noticed early on they didn't feel like North American painted lines underfoot.

Then one day a crew was installing them at the intersection near my house. Yes, I said installing. Here, it appears that they lay down hot sheets of coloured rubber that laminates into the asphalt - it's not the "grittiest" of surfaces but it's superior to anything I've seen anywhere else and way better than wet steel!

 

[jaydog19833]

Yeah, we have some heavy painted crosswalks around here on some sharper corners with relatively high speed limits in the area. I see this as a recipe for disaster because even a car can wash out on these particular babies.

 

[inspiron]

They have started using a new technique for painting lines over here - they aren't solid anymore, but rather like big drops. The advantages are that 1) they offer better grip because they aren't flat, and 2) they are more visible because the reflective paint has alot more surface at different angles.

 

[Louis]

:bluethum:

 

[F7Rider]

Then one day a crew was installing them at the intersection near my house. Yes, I said installing. Here, it appears that they lay down hot sheets of coloured rubber that laminates into the asphalt - it's not the "grittiest" of surfaces but it's superior to anything I've seen anywhere else and way better than wet steel!

They use those same sheets in michigan. I've installed them myself when i used to work for the Department of Public Works.