Author Topic: What the hell is burning...  (Read 1804 times)

Offline wheaties

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What the hell is burning...
« on: January 20, 2018, 04:50:54 PM »

... my eyes?

Time to ask the experts.   I wear glasses, I always wear a helmet.  I'm tooling down some back road at about 35mph when one or more eyes start to burn like I got fly ash in it from a steam locomotive.  The visor is down.  My eye(s) burn insanely for about five minutes and then it's gone.  Today it was one eye, then the other.  Navigating two ninety degree turns and a small bridge was no fun at all. 

So what is it?  Out gassing from my helmet foam?  Mouse guano burning off on the headers?  Vindictive microscopic eyelash mites?

Does this happen to you?  What do you do if it happens?  I have heard drops of lemon juice will take it away, has anyone tried this?
2011 California Black Eagle
2014 Norge

Online pehayes

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2018, 04:54:02 PM »
I get it following diesel trucks.  Study DRY EYE.  Feels like someone dripped acid in my eye.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

oldbike54

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2018, 04:55:17 PM »
 I'm not a doctor , and haven't stayed in a Holiday Inn Express in over 20 years , so I got nuthin  :laugh:

 Matt , if this only happens when you are riding or wearing a particular helmet , or riding thru a certain area , try eliminating those factors one at a time and see what happens .

 Dusty

twowings

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2018, 04:55:27 PM »
Well, from 1500 miles away, my assessment is sweat droplet(s) containing that hair product you use or sunscreen washed into your eye... :cool:

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2018, 04:55:27 PM »

Online Gliderjohn

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2018, 04:59:29 PM »
From twowings:
Quote
sunscreen washed into your eye... :cool:

Second that one. Hurts like hell, learned that lesson early on. First happened to me about 100' off the runway on approach to landing. Not a good time to go functionally blind.
GliderJohn
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Offline Sasquatch Jim

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2018, 05:17:15 PM »
   Most likely a buzzard flew across the road just before you and let a great and sour fart.
 You are lucky it didn't rot the bearings out of your wheels.
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Offline Vagrant

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2018, 05:50:19 PM »
happened to me one time about 12 years ago near DC. I thought i ran through a cloud of acid. My buddie pulled over behind me and gave me some eye drops that kinda cleared things up. strangely he wasn't affected but he wore a full face with glasses and i had a 3/4 with just sunglasses. now i always have drops with me. I'm sure it was a cloud of industrial waste.
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Online lucian

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2018, 05:58:55 PM »
Road salt or other de icing chemicals. Up here they are pre treating roads with potassium chloride . Last year at Christmas time it was 50 degrees and I went out for a ride . Had the same thing happen, wearing a full face with a shield. That crap gets kicked up into the air and is highly nasty.

Offline SmithSwede

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2018, 06:04:16 PM »
Have you been down this dirt road before?  Any industrial activity nearby?

Part of my commute along US 80 in Texas takes me past some industrial plant that uses sulphuric acid in their processsing.   Normally it’s not an issue. 

But sometimes in the evening, especially under calm and humid conditions, I get the same sort of fierce stinging in my eyes.  Burns like heck, tears well up, I can hardly see.  Then a few miles later it dissipates.

Took me a while to make the connection.
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Offline wheaties

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2018, 06:24:10 PM »
Hair products or sunscreen: 

I don't usually use either but I believe you when you say it sucks to get it in your eyes.  I did get a hair cut today, but no hair products were used, just a buzz cut with a #2 comb (?).  Maybe hair fragments?

Buzzard fart:

I did have a turkey vulture take off in front of me once down a country road.  That's a pretty big bird, very ugly, and not what you'd call a high performance flier.  Starting from a patch of grass to one side, the buzzard flew right in front of me and gave me a really good view of his, um... tail section.  Then with a lot of ungainly flapping he gained enough altitude to be on track to *bomb* me.  As soon as I realized this, I slowed considerably.  He finally landed on the dead branch at the top of a tree hanging over the road.  No bombings or farts.  My eyes were unaffected.  That's all I got for that theory.

Acid, industrial waste, diesel fumes:

Could be.  I did have this happen once when I smelled what I took to be burning garbage in a burn barrel.  Distinct from wood stove smoke.  Definitely a burn barrel.  A fragment of burned paper would do it.

I should add that it happens in random places and random times.  I only have one helmet, but it doesn't happen all the time either.

Road salt:

Ah... I really like this one.  Towns in this area do the same thing, both road salt and pre-treatment with potassium chloride.  Today was 45 degrees and I was in and out of snow melt water.  Also following cars that kick it up with their tires.  Good theory.

What amazes me is it happens with my full face shield down.  Vents are open... but...

Thanks for the replies!  Good to know it isn't just me.

Matt
2011 California Black Eagle
2014 Norge

Offline rodekyll

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2018, 06:47:12 PM »
I get it around fields and feed lots where agricultural chemicals and livestock foulness collect in the bottoms.  I've passed feed lots where the air was sticky and brown . . . .  I'm sensitized enough now to watch for the localized brown haze in the air and find a route around it.

Online lucian

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2018, 06:47:56 PM »
Make sure you give that bike a good wash down after riding through that stuff. It eats steel for breakfast.  I pre treat my griso with ACF before any winter use and it works great as a corrosion inhibitor.  I was surprised at how that would get through a full screen but it really becomes just vapor in the air flow. It will find your eye balls. 

Offline wheaties

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2018, 07:01:47 PM »
Make sure you give that bike a good wash down after riding through that stuff. It eats steel for breakfast.  I pre treat my griso with ACF before any winter use and it works great as a corrosion inhibitor.  I was surprised at how that would get through a full screen but it really becomes just vapor in the air flow. It will find your eye balls.

Good point.  I'm riding the older bike because of the road salt.  The Norge has the winter off.
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twowings

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2018, 07:08:30 PM »
I can attest that riding through Iowa or Nebraska in the warm-weather months can expose one to smells and eye-irritation that you never dreamed existed on planet Earth... :shocked:

Offline fotoguzzi

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2018, 07:22:10 PM »
I can attest that riding through Iowa or Nebraska in the warm-weather months can expose one to smells and eye-irritation that you never dreamed existed on planet Earth... :shocked:
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Offline wyno

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #15 on: January 20, 2018, 09:17:41 PM »
I get it around road works because quite often they use lime in the road base mix. When the lime dust gets into the air it doesn't matter if you've got your visor down or not, it will temporarily blind you with tears and pain.
Wyno

Online Huzo

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #16 on: January 20, 2018, 10:29:37 PM »
From twowings:
Second that one. Hurts like hell, learned that lesson early on. First happened to me about 100' off the runway on approach to landing. Not a good time to go functionally blind.
GliderJohn
Me too.

I once had a student close to solo and it happened to him on short final, I told him I would remain close on the controls but the landing was his.
He gutsed it out and greased it on. Suggested that soon he'd be in command and would need to know he'd be able to fly around the issue. Keep your eyes open and fly the glider.
Sent him off solo an hour later after he'd been and washed up.
I'm to understand it can be a function of the salt content in your sweat after periods of mild dehydration.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2018, 10:36:08 PM by Huzo »

Offline chuck peterson

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #17 on: January 21, 2018, 07:40:59 AM »
IN Vermont it means it's mucking the barn season...great masses of cow guano is pulled out of the winter barns and carried around to spread on the most scenic curvy roads they can find. Next step the ambulance drivers park and wait for rain to make the cow guano the slipperyist product known to man...if it stays dry the guano floats as dust into the air, where on contact with your eyes...it stings. It's happened to me three times...about May when it thaws enough to muck to frozen guano....

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Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #18 on: January 21, 2018, 08:03:41 AM »
The first thing I thought of..  :smiley:
Something is burning, baby, are you aware? Something is the matter, baby, there's smoke in your hair. Are you still my friend, baby, show me a sign. Is the love in your heart for me turning blind?
Dylan
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Offline wheaties

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #19 on: January 21, 2018, 10:32:39 AM »
I'm almost relieved to hear that it can be any number of things.  I do go by a fair number of farms.  I don't use sunscreen most days or hair care products because... no hair.  Road salt is a given this time of year in these parts.  Diesel exhaust is common.

The takeaway for me is there's a fair amount of dust, aerosol, or suspended particulates that make it past the full face helmet and into your eyes.  This is true when the visor is cracked open or the vent below the visor is open, even with the nose deflector installed.  I can feel the air on my face from that vent.

This should come as no surprise, but then I didn't expect to get water inside the helmet when it rained.  Don't the vents separate air and water? No...?!

Thanks all for the replies!

Matt

2011 California Black Eagle
2014 Norge

Offline Paul Brooking

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Re: What the hell is burning...
« Reply #20 on: January 21, 2018, 08:52:56 PM »
I get it following diesel trucks.  Study DRY EYE.  Feels like someone dripped acid in my eye.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

An age related symptom that I used to get a lot. Feels like I've poured 80 grit garnets into my eye.
Flushing with water helps.
Can also change your vision, mine was discovered at my last eye test, my prescription was radically different.
What worked for me ... (Opticians advice.)
Boiling water in a cup and a q-tip dipped in it and wipe the bottom edge of your eye socket. There is a line of oil glands that get clogged like blackheads.
The hot wet q-tip dislodges the plug of yellow 'grease' and allows the glands to resume working.
Repeat daily for a week and then as required.
A good proprietary "Dry Eye" eye drop will also add lubrication to your eye and prevent the onset of the pain.
Have not had a serious reoccurrence since I started doing this routine about a year ago. 
Oh yes ... my prescription reverted to normal once I had treated the 'dry eye" (That is I still needed glasses but nowhere near as radical)

 

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