Road hazards you encounter daily?

[dave1068]

As I take my bike to work a few days a week, 50 miles each way I have road hazards as of late that include 6-8 mile of grated road waiting to be paved, never fun but on the V85 its ok w/ the tires, also. in the other direction while one lane is newly paved, the lane next to it is about 1 in -1 1/2 in lower making it unsafe (or at least it feel so) when you have to get onto the newly paved road, that angle going up at speeds of over 60-70mph is never fun.

Next....

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

in my area, the biggest hazard is gravel/sand washed into the roads.  All the back country roads here are steep and twisty.. almost everyone in these areas have a steep gravel driveway, and the rain situation here is.. well.. WET. We get more rain than Seattle or London, two places considered rainy as all get-out. The amount of gravel and sand washed into every corner on the backroads is pretty shocking, and the more remote and less traveled roads are the most likely to be full of debris for days and days after any thunderstorm.

[Gliderjohn]

I have three miles of dirt/sand/ small rock road until pavement. Usually the worse time is right after the road maintainer has come through leaving a lot of loose material and no packed tracks.
GliderJohn

[wavedog]

  Georgia drivers.

[Chethro]

Cell phones

[twowheeladdict]

I mostly ride pretty deserted country roads so my road hazards are:

Gravel washed out into the road in blind corners.
Roaming Dogs who wait in ambush.
The occasional oncoming driver in the middle of the road or cutting the corner because there is usually no one on the road.

[Guzzi Gal]

For me it used to be encountering Chupacabra's but ever since I got a Guardian bell given to me I have not seen even a single one.

We have Chupacabra and flying Chupasangre. Maybe I need a guardian bell?

We have lots of sand, gravel, tar snakes, real snakes, ground squirrels, coyote, javelina, and potholes.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Fortunately not everyday!



And Amish horse poop


mother to son theme

[Ncdan]

Fortunately not everyday!



And Amish horse poop


mother to son theme

Now that’s some slippery ****, stuff🤔😂

[Scout63]

Very old drivers, lost tourists and frustrated locals.  Living in a resort retirement area sucks sometimes. I’m not a huge fan of deer, dogs and rabbits either.

[dirtiegirtie]

On my way home from work I have to turn left off of a pretty major roads. One lane in each direction, plenty of shoulder on each side, and speed limit is 45 on this stretch. When I'm in my truck I don't have a concern; people go around me in the shoulder (legal here in MA) or another truck will have to wait. But when I'm on my bike, it's a completely different experience. People feel the need to continue at 45-50 mph going around me as I wait to turn. If I see I'll be waiting too long at the first left (the most convenient), meaning there's a long line of cars coming the other way, then I'll proceed to the second left. Same scenario and I'll continue another 1/2 mile for my final chance at turning left, but that one has pretty bad line-of-sight from the crossroads so that's always fun.

I'm terrified at some point I'm going to be waiting to turn left and someone is going to falafel me at 50mph.

[twowheeladdict]

On my way home from work I have to turn left off of a pretty major roads. One lane in each direction, plenty of shoulder on each side, and speed limit is 45 on this stretch. When I'm in my truck I don't have a concern; people go around me in the shoulder (legal here in MA) or another truck will have to wait. But when I'm on my bike, it's a completely different experience. People feel the need to continue at 45-50 mph going around me as I wait to turn. If I see I'll be waiting too long at the first left (the most convenient), meaning there's a long line of cars coming the other way, then I'll proceed to the second left. Same scenario and I'll continue another 1/2 mile for my final chance at turning left, but that one has pretty bad line-of-sight from the crossroads so that's always fun.

I'm terrified at some point I'm going to be waiting to turn left and someone is going to falafel me at 50mph.

In this scenario I think I would figure out a different route that didn’t involve a left unless it was at a controlled intersection.

[JJ]

For me it used to be encountering Chupacabra's but ever since I got a Guardian bell given to me I have not seen even a single one.

C'mon now..."CHOOPPERS!!"

[JJ]

QUOTE:  Road hazards you encounter daily?

In northern AZ, the majority of ROAD HAZARDS I encounter on a motorcycle are the hoards of mouth-breathing "tourists" clogging the roads...stopping to take photos...or driving 20-30 mph ABOVE the posted speed limit.   You really have to be on alert 200% of the time up here!!

[80CX100]

Quote from: dirtiegirtie on Today at 06:42:07 AM
On my way home from work I have to turn left off of a pretty major roads. One lane in each direction, plenty of shoulder on each side, and speed limit is 45 on this stretch. When I'm in my truck I don't have a concern; people go around me in the shoulder (legal here in MA) or another truck will have to wait. But when I'm on my bike, it's a completely different experience. People feel the need to continue at 45-50 mph going around me as I wait to turn. If I see I'll be waiting too long at the first left (the most convenient), meaning there's a long line of cars coming the other way, then I'll proceed to the second left. Same scenario and I'll continue another 1/2 mile for my final chance at turning left, but that one has pretty bad line-of-sight from the crossroads so that's always fun.

I'm terrified at some point I'm going to be waiting to turn left and someone is going to falafel me at 50mph.

In this scenario I think I would figure out a different route that didn’t involve a left unless it was at a controlled intersection.

     I agree with twa, if at all possible I try to plan my routes so I'm moving with traffic or ahead of it, that puts me in control; I don't like sitting at intersections or stopped or slowing to make a turn depending on other drivers for my safety.

     Re the op, standard back road debris, sand, Mennonite horse pucks, tractor tire mud clumps, wet leaves etc; but the one hazard that can be very hard to notice and in hindsight, I think it caused the start of a low side a few years back on my Griso in a heart stopping moment, are the drippings from wet manure wagons.

      Some of the farming areas I ride through, the manure wagons move up the roads from farm to field; the slop drippings from those honey wagons, coat the pavement like grease, and it takes a long time for rain and traffic to clean the greasy shine off, very slippery.

[ff73148]

I live in NJ. Where would you like me to start?

[guzziart]

In addition to those road hazards mentioned above, I realized a few years ago that when oncoming traffic encounters a pedestrian, bicycle, etc. in their lane, they apparently have no problem crossing the centerline to pass it regardless of what is coming at them from the opposite direction.   When I took Drivers Ed. in '69, I was instructed as a matter of law, safety and road etiquette to yield to oncoming traffic if there was an obstruction in my lane, once the oncoming traffic lane is clear I could then initiate a pass of the obstruction in my lane by crossing over into the opposite lane.  Anyway, I guess they don't teach that anymore.

Before I retired, I would ride to work, to Cleveland, during the season, a 70 mile round trip commute.  It seemed to me that traffic signals & stop signs were optional in CLE .  Most encounters I had were with motorists on their way to work too.  And, I was pretty much positive they did not live in Cleveland. 

The residents of the housing development off our country road complain that folks driving through the development speed through and do not adhere to posted speed limits.  However, those same residents have not problem pulling out onto our 45mph road and cranking it up to 75mph.  Yeah, it's scary crossing the road to get the mail.

Oh well, we indulge in a potentially hazardous sport, be safe out there!

[cloudbase]

Drivers attached to their phones.

[Rough Edge racing]

  Earth, stone ,mud, crop debris ,tractors on the road...But the worst danger is me at twice the posted speed limit...

[sib]

Wild turkeys were re-introduced into RI in the 1980's, and they've been amazingly successful.  They're huge, fearless, unpredictable, and roam everywhere, even in urban areas occasionally.  I've encountered groups as large as 25 birds in the roadways.  You have to stop at a safe distance and wait until they decide to retreat into the woods.  I generally like the wannabe dinosaurs, but not when I'm on my bike.

[twowings]

5 miles of rural dirt road + 4 miles of gravel county road ravaged by 3 years worth of rainfall since July 1st on a Norge with street tires just to get to pavement.

[Ncdan]

Wild turkeys were re-introduced into RI in the 1980's, and they've been amazingly successful.  They're huge, fearless, unpredictable, and roam everywhere, even in urban areas occasionally.  I've encountered groups as large as 25 birds in the roadways.  You have to stop at a safe distance and wait until they decide to retreat into the woods.  I generally like the wannabe dinosaurs, but not when I'm on my bike.

Speaking of wild turkeys, I must tell this account of a friend of mine’s encounter with a wild male turkey many years ago while on a deer hunt.
We went on a deer hunt in the eastern part of NC and it’s customary to come back to the truck and have lunch and discuss the morning hunt.
We had heard a shot around 11:00 and figured one of us had gotten a deer.
At noon we returned to the truck and found Tommy attempting to get the blood stopped from numerous wounds on his face, hands, neck and legs. Here is his account of the encounter.

Tommy had a flock of turkeys came past his position and the season was in, with that part of deer season.
Tommy shot a large Tom which ran off and into a gutter or ravine if one prefers.
Tommy ran over and looked in the gutter where the bird had disappeared and the bird was in the creek flopping around.
Instead of shooting the bird again,close up, and destroying meat my buddy figured he would just pounce on the Frailing beast and break it’s neck.
Tommy said when he grabbed the Tom by the neck it commenced to whip his ARSE and in a few short seconds it inflicted all the damage to his body that we were looking at.
He did manage to finish the bird off with his Bowie Knife and did retrieve the meat but he admitted it was not worth the cost.

[Tom H]

I live in NJ. Where would you like me to start?

I like that one.

I was thinking, most other people. 

Tom

[krglorioso]

Deer.  Texas whitetail deer.  I live on a peninsula on Lake Buchanan 70 miles NW of Austin and a lot of old people live here (among the oldest being this hapless Guzzisti).  Some feed the deer "Bambi is soooo cute!!!" and I have often counted over 20 of these big, brown rats standing along the road on which I'm riding (very slowly), quivering in fear.  After a mile, the deer population thins out, but still must always be considered a menace to riders.

It was about 20 years ago when Larry Grodsky, safety editor for Rider magazine, was riding across Central Texas on a Kawasaki KZ-1000 and hit a deer.  Both died at the scene. 

I've hit and killed two deer on motorcycles, in 1989 and 1995.  A doe and a fawn.  Score:  Ralph 2; deer 0.  I dread a third time.

Ralph

[Kiwi_Roy]

The Sun, here lots of roads face East / West riding into a rising or setting sun is no joke, I have a strip of electrical tape on my visor that I can position to block the sun but at times I need to ride one hand with the other acting as a shade.

[80CX100]

The Sun, here lots of roads face East / West riding into a rising or setting sun is no joke, I have a strip of electrical tape on my visor that I can position to block the sun but at times I need to ride one hand with the other acting as a shade.

     Hey Roy, I don't know what type of helmet you wear or are comfortable with, but the built in, sliding sun visor in my Shoei GT Air, has been a game changer for me.

     The mountains I ride through are a much smaller scale than yours, so within 1-2 km I can ride from full bright sun in the eyes, to deep dark shadows, rinse, repeat, many times.

     Without the sun visor, my eyes wouldn't have time to adjust to the changing light conditions, and like you, I was continually shielding my eyes with my hand, now I just slide the sun visor up or down as needed. Next helmet change you might consider that as an option. 

      fwiw ymmv

[Gliderjohn]

Totally agree concerning the retractable sun visor. Also be sure it is internal one, not external.
GliderJohn

[nc43bsa]

Deer.  Texas whitetail deer.  I live on a peninsula on Lake Buchanan 70 miles NW of Austin and a lot of old people live here (among the oldest being this hapless Guzzisti).  Some feed the deer "Bambi is soooo cute!!!" and I have often counted over 20 of these big, brown rats standing along the road on which I'm riding (very slowly), quivering in fear.  After a mile, the deer population thins out, but still must always be considered a menace to riders.

It was about 20 years ago when Larry Grodsky, safety editor for Rider magazine, was riding across Central Texas on a Kawasaki KZ-1000 and hit a deer.  Both died at the scene. 

I've hit and killed two deer on motorcycles, in 1989 and 1995.  A doe and a fawn.  Score:  Ralph 2; deer 0.  I dread a third time.

Ralph

Technically, not on a road, and certainly not a daily ocurrance, but a deer/bike interface from Summit Point Raceway in 2010:

(Skip to 1:25, if you wish)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW7ktbJzpPs

[Scout63]

I hit a deer going a little over 50 on the Skyline Drive at dusk about 35 years ago on an R100.  I still remember every second.  Definitely up there for road hazards.

[Tom]

Besides the stoopid tourists......mango es, guavas, turkeys, wild boars & goats (lots of them)      Fortunately goats are like antelopes and not as stupid as deer.