Just been out for the first blat since throwing my bonnet into a low orbit...
... what DO they put on the road with the salt & grit? I've seen some mention of molasses in the mix, to stop the grit being washed away - but it leaves the roads slippery and bikers are having a bad time with it. Today it seemed that every time I gave the loud pedal some welly the rear wheels just lost traction, no matter what speed or gear. The most 'interesting' one was in 4th gear at 60! The roads just looked slightly damp - no ice as the temp was around 4 or 5 degrees.

but apart from that, and when I was following a biker trying to reduce his life expectancy with some of the worst riding I've seen for a long time, it was a nice run...

Hmm can’t say I’ve been very impressed either with some of the bike riding recently in town, I’m embarrassed to be associated with them. All just look at me riding like a twat, even saw one idiot yesterday going along with L-plates and his arms folded! So fed up with bikers

This one looked like he'd recently passed his test - no L plates, but still on a 125. He was drifting from lane to lane with no signals (he got the benefit of my air horns for doing that, as he was only about 10 yards ahead of me, at 60mph). Shortly after he was less than a car's length behind an obvious slow dodderer who showed every sign of suddenly stopping or turning - the biker was exactly on the centre-line of the car, so would have had no chance of slipping past if the car had done something unfortunate. Oh, and as I said, the roads were severely greasy!

After that I took the first opportunity to zoom past - when I last saw him in my mirror, he was still on the tail of the car, as he obviously didn't have the power to overtake...

He was on his way to being a statistic, IMHO.

its sugar of some sort - its to help the salt stick to the road.

bloomin danagerous

quote:

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Originally posted by David Jenkins
He was on his way to being a statistic, IMHO.

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Iv been out in the 2 ton tintop this morning and kept spinning the rears and that was just half throttle

I have been working over this festive season and the van has lost traction several times on my travels. The despatch isnt the most powerful and its loaded with spares so its never going to break any speed records.
Then we had the RUST2ROME Clio stepping its backside out last night but we just kept it planted and it sorted the line out.
The seven had a moment on one of our private road tests and the fronts locked up withe ease. The tail was very loose and the back stepped out with the slightest application of power.
But we are happy as the setup now self centers with the new upper bones.

Yep greasy and frosty makes for an entertaining ride.
Seen 3 chav mobiles in the fields in the last few days.....so dont be so hard on the bikers.....

I wasn't being hard on bikers in general - I used to be one - and most I've seen have been driving sensibly.

It was just one plonker in particular...

I went out in the locost this saturday and was all over the place came to a roundabout in otley and had to go3/4 way round and just about lost it! but i was wondering what the person in the car behind me was thinking!

Councils are using "Safecoat" which is a salt, grit and mollases waste mixture. Supposed the stick to the road for longer meaning they can grit earlier and less often. The problem is when the temp is just above freezing, the salt draws moisture from the air, that dampens the mollases and you end up with slimy roads. Anything but safe for cyclists and bikers!

adrian

I don't have any trouble with traction in my Espace - sticks to the road like glue

Might be a lack of horses!

Followed a bike this afternoon - what a plonker. Largish bike, hadn't been cleaned in months (couldn't read the plate), all done up in yellow dayglow, trying to follow the lines IAM/RoSPA teach, but was late every time, then driving through a local village, he stopped and waved pedestrians across

If they's be hit, he'd have been prosecuted. And, if he'd been using his mirrors, he'd have noticed there was only three cars behind him, so peds would only have have to wait another 6 secs!!!

Anyway, if you're out in toy cars, be careful, there's good chaps

ATB

Simon

Yeah I went out xmas day. Was pretty wild.

Never knew that was why roads looked wet/shinny though

I gave up road bikes 2 years back myself and went back into moto x racing.