Evil road grooves!

[wantser]

Damn those road maintenance guys!!!

As a biker there are many things you have to look out for. But as night closes certain things become hard to see. So as I was on my home last night I started to find myself being guided into the hedge by one of those grooves left behind from poor road surfacing. As I tried to get my front wheel out of the damn thing my back wheel started bobbing around and I eventually almost hide sided off over the hedge......! I was not impressed. And not least with the state of my underwear.

Surely road people sould have some comprehention of the dangers of these grooves for us bikers. Its not like there is any such danger for cars!! They dont leave great big ditches across tarmac for them! Why cant they smooth the adjacent ones for us too!!

Just thought I'd have a rant and see what your opion is......
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An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field

[McJamweasel]

Check your tyre pressures - sometimes if they're off they can make them worse.

It is annoying though, although the only thing you can really do is slow down.
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[killa]

I think Cheltenham have spent about 30 quid on roads in the last year.
I have to remember the roads and surfaces so i miss out that stuff, but i know what you mean. Sometimes at night i think its ice
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[dapthechap]

There is a lovely one of those on the M4. As the roads bends to the right so does the groove but it doesn't follow the same line as the curve it cuts right accross the lanes, luckily I haven't gone it and no make sure when filtering I'm nowhere near it.

[instigator]

There was a piece on the news on gmtv a while back that some councils really can't afford to fix up the roads due to the amount of people claiming compensation after crashing due to pooor road maintenance....its cheaper to pay out than to fix apparently.

[zx636]

One horrendous place for grooves with added road markings is crossing Vauxhall bridge and turning right to go down towards West end.

As you turn right after slipping on the diesel spills you are faced with thick zig zag white lines lines, uneven surface, road banding and 3 yes 3 big red and white painted congestion signs. When it rains its like riding on ice. I have seen 2 or 3 accidents there and one poor guy on a scoot slipped and was caught by car.

Now if you are reading this KEN, pull ya finger out. I know you want to cut congestion but trying to kill bikers is just not fair. Maybe thats why he doesnt charge us bikes to come into the "ZONE". Thinks if he allows bad enough roads will ill placed markings he will catch us all and solve the problem.

[dapthechap]

[headlamp]

I agree with McJamWeasel, correct tyre pressures do improve performance over these grooves.

What you can do, I discovered recently is that if you complain about a stretch of road looked after by a Borough council then they are obliged to send an inspector out in 24 hours! I put this to the test as there is an appalling stretch of road on Chiswick High Road. I found the email for the highways department, and copied in a couple of councillors who had responsibility for the ward & transport. I got a reply a couple of days later saying that the road had been added to the 'priority list' and that it would be resurfaced in March!
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[atom]

I've never seen one of these "evil road grooves" what should I be looking out for?
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[BubblesZX69]

I know exactly wot ya mean, the roads in Kent are ridiculous!

To make this worst they have started to resurface roads now..... but with that gritty stuff that is supposed to compact with the force of traffic and it always seems to be on the approach to roundabouts!
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[dapthechap]

A groove in the road that looks evil.


Correct me if I'm wrong but its basically where they have done repairs to a road and it dips where the tar meets like so

EDIT: Got to love paintbrush

[wantser]

Yea...like above. You get your wheel in it and its like being on rails. You have to be really careful to get out of it. Have any of you noticed also that when you make an effort to miss them.......you end up in them. Subconcious thing me thinks! Or maybe its just me.....
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An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field

[dapthechap]

The one I was on about on the M4 is like this

[map]

Don't know about the road grooves.
Worst thing I find is when they're resurfacing and have taken off the top layer of tarmac.
It leaves a smooth, greyish surface with lots of little ripples - IMO feels like riding on ice (not that I do that ).

Doesn't bother cars much but I've never felt ok with it on any bike.
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[atom]

I recognize them now, theres loads around here, take you off course. They also seem to have a strange magnetic pull on my front tyre.
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[Danny]

Dapthechap, where on the M4 is this?

[cliff]

Imagine riding through amsterdamn, those tram rails can be lethal.
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[dapthechap]

I think it's between Junction 4b and 5, I've been told about a different way to go home so I won't be on it tonight but next time I'll check for sure

[Key67]

I got caught out by a groove not long after passing my test. On a roundabout (A650 Gildersome), on my way home from work.

I couldn't believe it, I was scared shi*less! I had visions of me going round and round the roundabout! I was really worried when I went to break out of it, the bike wobbled all over the place! The groove was right in the middle of the outer most lane - not even where the two lanes had been joined, next to the white lines!

A valuable lesson learned tho'!
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[atom]

[Bomberman]

[atom]

glistening lines of terror and evil road grooves



what next ?
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[wantser]

nasty divits of fear?
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An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field

[mchaggis]

The gravel of doom?
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[neon]

just makes you wonder where our road tax goes?!?!?!