Diesel on roads

[Lupine Lacuna]

Is this not the greatest danger to a motorcylist? What happens if there is Diesel on a 60mph corner? Surely it can't be such a roll of dice that if you hit it you are dead?

[MarJay]

[Taught2BCauti...]

It was probably worse when diesel was cheaper and people used to fill-up to the brim - there were always patches either side of a filling station near where I live, where cars lost some as they turned onto the road, but not so much nowadays.

When I'm queuing to pay for fuel lately, it seems like the people in front of me are only spending £10-20 and there's less spillage near the pumps too.

[Llama-Farmer]

I've not experienced the slippyness of diesel on a bike or in a car, but I have noticed there seems to be a lot of it on the roads in Sheffield.

Fortunately they're not big patches, they're usually about the size of a side plate and spaced about 20 metres apart, and go on and on and on.

As bad as it is that it's there, it tends to be fairly consistent so you can expect it on a corner if you've been following diesel drops, means you can plan where you're gonna go on the corner to avoid it.

[DrDonnyBrago]

It's not just diesel, it could be anything, cracks in the road, gravel, grain, dead animals, horse shit, oil, broken glass, wet leaves etc etc etc. Even heard of someone coming off on a discarded sandwhich.

It is why riding at your limits on the road is retarded, you cannot account for these things.Just hope they aren't there, do what you can to avoid them if they are there and leave a little in reserve as backup in case everything else fails.


Large diesel spills are really slippery despite what one particular BCF bell end will profess to the contrary.

[Rogerborg]

[MarJay]

[neatbik]

I have found bus's to be the worst culprits for this. I have lost count of the number of times i've 'followed' a diesel trail only to catch up with the offending bus a few miles further on whilst its still merrily pissing derv all over the road.

And yes, i did contact the bus company to report it, but it seems to make no never mind.

[Hetzer]

[Rebel]

Filthy stuff. Me and a mate once hit a spill at traffic lights so big we went straight through the crossroads at red, feet down doing 360's.
Near the top of my list of reasons why I prefer to ride in daylight, along with plastic bags, leaf mulch, mud from builders or farmers, manhole covers, missing manhole covers etc etc.

[DrDonnyBrago]

[Blau Zedong]

[Hetzer]

[Moo.]

Went round Chowns Mill roundabout in rushden the day i passed my full test. Was a went day, and was greeted with a massive patch of multicolour rainbow danger while going round needless to say, my cg125 tyres weren't upto the task and i hit the deck luckily everyone stopped before i became a donor

Tradgic stuff! Its always buses and white vans
____________________
A2 Passed 18/6/10

[Llama-Farmer]

[Lupine Lacuna]

Is petrol actually less slippering then?

Thanks for this.

The thing is, even nowhere near limits or riding normally, I still don't understand how you can avoid it around a relatively blind bend.

I know the motorcyclists handbook says you must always be able to stop before your vanishing point but on some national speed limit roads that would involve having a car up your arse I would think.

[DrDonnyBrago]

Petrol evaporates pretty quickly so doesn't hang around long enough to be an issue. It is also very thin and watery whereas diesel is like a fine oil.

Petrol and diesel spills both contribute towards dissolving the tar in the road surface though which can lead to pot holes and cracks.


As for blind bends and stopping within the distance you can see to be clear. There are clues to a lot of the bad stuff you will find around a bend but unless you can stop in the space you can see is clear there will always be the possibility of being caught out. Good road positioning drastically improves how much you can see too, allowing you to ride faster in relative safety.


As for cars getting annoyed, fuck em.

[snikks]

[Rogerborg]

[Llama-Farmer]

[dodgydog]

[Rogerborg]

[LeNoir]

As soon as you come across Diesel, phone the council. As soon as it has been reported it becomes the responsibility and liability of the council. If someone then has a spill the council are responsible.

Whilst it might seem like an effort to report a diesel patch, the more we do it the bigger statistical problem and cost it becomes for councils and this will lead to legislation on the sealing of diesel tanks.

If you see a vehicle sloshing diesel, report it here
https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/WhereYouLive/RoadsAndStreets/DG_10029816

[Lupine Lacuna]

Interesting, thanks for sharing

[Llama-Farmer]