Va. DOT(Vdot), has been working on repaving roads, and that's how you get a lane of pavement about an inch and a half to two inches higher or lower then the lane you're riding in..... So we all know that crossing these things without getting some major angle will result in a downer...... Well, there has been three separate times in the past week that a bike has gone down in this area, and one death out of the three............ There were no signs until the 2nd one went down...... My point is , do we need them to put up signs, or can we look after ourselves? Well from what I see, three of us thought we could, but apparently can't. Please watch your surfaces.
Signs don't tell you how to cross it, just that it's there. Kind of like when we were kids and were told, "Watch the lights when you cross"........ Well, Mom's Mabley said "F*&@ the lights, the lights never killed NO-BODY, watch the cars"..........
They're repaving the road in front of my neighborhood. I'm kind of glad that my bike is currently out of commission because I'm waiting on new tires/chain/sprockets. There are some nasty pavement changes that would sure to jostle the bike around. Not to mention the loose gravel and crazy grooves they leave before they put down new road.
They really need signs up and DOT needs a clear understanding that other vehicles besides cars and semis use the roads.
Sure you may see the uneven road and be a smart enough rider to negotiate it....but these ill prepared constuction zones really piss me off.
Its a major hazard now add that to night time limited visibility and maybe its also raining out, then you have a big curb thats going diagonal in your lane...it gets tricky, even for a seasoned rider.
A noob thats tense and has a low skill set then theres problems.
Its just like a puddle of diesel at a toll booth...think you can out-ride it? maybe. But imo it should not be there.
Motorcycles get treated as secondary. DOT needs to put motorcycle safety as a higher priority than they do as of now.
Definately need signs as well as awareness. Any time you enter a construction zone beware of pavement drop offs and steel plates. It pays to slow down. Signs only work if people are paying attention. We had several fatal accidents on a big freeway project I was working on. If I had to guess it always involved someone who wasn't paying attention and driving too fast to adjust.
Proper warning of upcoming hazards is good for all, not just motorcycles.
But the length of time that the hazards persist could and should be reduced. How long was that condition allowed to exist to get three motorcycles down?
I've heard that in Germany, they schedule all the equipment at once, so you don't have cut up/partially paved highways for extended periods of time. Around Boston, I think they age grooved pavement like a fine wine.
I always assume that every cart driver is a psychopath intent on murdering me. Now I'll have to add the DOT conspiracy to kill us all. Well, they mostly drive carts, so I guess it makes sense.
In Orlando, they are cutting sections of I-4 out and replacing it with new chunks of concrete. Well, a few months back they forgot to replace one of the holes they cut out resulting in something like 15 cars having all 4 tires blow out and severe wheel damage. Could only imagine if a motorcycle would have came up on that at the posted 55mpg but average traveled of 70+mph. Way to go FL DOT!
Some years back here in Washington state, the local motorcycle activists managed to get the powers that be to require additional signage for construction zones. Yellow diamond signs reading "Motorcycles Use Extreme Caution" are a regular and welcomed occurrence here. Maybe the same can be legislated elsewhere as well???