Traction sand!

Just a reminder to those of you who live where they spread sand for traction, its still on the roads! And it nearly put me on my behind!

I was pulling off to the side of the road to park in front of a buddys... I was maybe doing 20, hit the front brake, and SURPRISE, the front wheel locks and skids. I panicked, let off for a second. Then hit the brake again for some dumb reason ( inexperience?) and slid more until I gained the composure to stop hitting the front brake and slow down with engine braking.

I was very close to going down. Which wouldnt have been catastrophic at that speed with all my gear, but still.

I could imagine this happening in a turn or at a higher speed being just awful! Be careful!!!

 

Yup I agree. Here in Minnesota they tend to get carried away with the sand and salt (don't know wich one is worse) and it's mostly all still there. We need one of those all day soakers to clean things up around here.
I noticed a few times yesterday that the rear wheel wanted to pass me when I took off from an intersection. I don't get too carried away in the beginning of the season. I seen to many riders go down because of the sand on the corners.

 

Peewee,

Glad you came out of it with both you and the bike unhurt.

But it's the same here in Vermont. I took my bike out on Sunday and had to take it easy for that reason. Some of the riders in our shop won't take their's out until after the soaker PainterD mentioned.

mikeg

 

There's alot of riders here to that won't ride until they sweep the streets/roads and it rains a good one. The salt gets on the frame and wheels and those "bar bikes" don't like that. I just make sure I wash the fenders and frame good when I clean it to keep the salt from doing any damage. I get images in my head of salt 'packman' eating away at the frame!! ("wanko-wanko-wanko")

 

Here in Maryland, they spread the salt so thickly that it partially melted together into huge mounds in the road. Those mounds are breaking apart as cars drive over them, scattering salt all over the lane. And of course, we have traction sand everywhere. Even the recent rains haven't washed it all away.

I just take it slow, and I'm very careful on the curves.

 

ya, i'm waiting for the salt and crap to be gone, gives me some more time to tinker any way.

 

Don't forget the ice guys!
I was up in the hills on a nice twisty road this morning.
I was taking it easy as it was f'ing cold and the tires felt that way.
I come to a turn and there's snow melting and running across the road.
I come to the next turn same thing, only this turn is in the shade.
As I said I was putting along but, when I hit that water it was ice.
I straightened up with a little wobble and kept going.
If I was on it, it would have been all over.
Some one here once said, if it's wet it's slick.

 

Yes have to watch out for sand and cinders. Cinders got me a couple of weeks ago. I went down and broke my wrist. The XJ is still ridable tho (I rode it home).

 

Stuff is all over here right now. Rain washed some away. My back tire broke loose a week ago on some. Have to be careful....

 

Here in SD they don't use sand, it's more like pea gravel. thats why there are so many cracked windshields in this area. They don't however use much salt in this state, thats good for the rust issues but sometimes when you slide through an intersection at 3 mph you wish they'd use more.

Those tiny stones do suck. I almost fell victim to one the other day.
The Buff

 

In Oregon and SE Washington they use shar gravel about 1/8 - in size. It is ILLEGAL to use salt. Might kill a roadside bush which is probably the preferred fodder for striped termites or something you know! The only thing chemical they can use on the roads is fertilizer.

 

They started cleaning the street s yesterday sand everywhere.