Diesel + Road + Darkness = Off into the scenery

rich666 · Post by **rich666** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:36 am

Well it had to happen sooner or later.

My usual commute to work has a lovely stretch of back road for about a mile with a lovely smooth tarmacced "s" bend in it. In the dry you can rail round it at 40mph easily, in the damp I take my time - Even more so after yesterday - A local recovery truck kindly left a couple of gallons of diesel on the right hand bend and I found it!

I ended up gracefully(read frantically

) slamming my right foor into the tarmac to keep the bike up as it slid and countersteering wide round the bend and onto the verge - the Hawthorn hedge is lovely at this time of year all spiky and such!

Luckily there was no damage to me or the PCX - just some dented pride with a big mental helping of don't do it again.

Fiah · Post by **Fiah** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:24 pm

Sorry to hear that man, glad you're ok!

Woolley · Post by **Woolley** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:19 pm

Sounds like a close one. Good to hear there's no damage. (to you or bike).

mac65 · Post by **mac65** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:33 pm

That is not an experience I would want to try. Had enough with the black ice. Good to hear you and the PCX are both well and unmarked.

Esdain · Post by **Esdain** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 6:56 am

ouch man, i did a similar thing a few years ago on my old Tanco 125. came round a lovely sweeping bend i go around weekly, really nice bend to take between 40 and 50 but in the half light i missed the huge pile of frozen horse shit, bounced me onto the verge and i ended up in the field, i was ok at the time but then got a severe infection in my leg, nearly lost my foot to it, but thats a different story. bike wasn't too happy but a few cable ties and it was alright. glad to hear you are alright, there eis that moment where you think "oh shit" nothing worse

edscoot · Post by **edscoot** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 3:00 pm

Glad to hear you're OK.

With all the diesel, mud, glass, pot holes etc. let alone those on four wheels, I'm surprised we don't all crash every day several times. On the dark ride home from work it is impossible to see all the hazards.

Fiah · Post by **Fiah** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 4:31 pm

edscoot wrote:Glad to hear you're OK.

With all the diesel, mud, glass, pot holes etc. let alone those on four wheels, I'm surprised we don't all crash every day several times. On the dark ride home from work it is impossible to see all the hazards.

Yeah, I try not to think about it and just take it easy as if I was driving on horse shit and diesel already. Anyone hugging my real wheel in frustration can go bumper-hug a tree instead

Scottish · Post by **Scottish** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:49 pm

I had to do nearly the exact same thing recently, at night, road narrowing where the S bend was, oncoming car giving me bugger all room, went left as much as i could until the tarmac sheered off into gravel (terrible road)...slammed my right foot down as hard as i could and JUST managed to get back onto tarmac and keep going...got a fright allright...felt like it was the roads fault for being so crappy lol

rich666 · Post by **rich666** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 2:16 pm

Well on the way home tonight same stretch of road plashed down for over 400 yards with diesel everywhere.

Have figured out it's one of 3 things:
1. Local recovery lorry overfilling and leaving the depot in a hurry.
2. Said lorry returning with a knackered write off leaking diesel.
3. One the farmers tractors has a leak.

Problem is it's not all the time just every so often.

Made my mind up tonight to use a different route to and from work until it's decent weather again.

edscoot · Post by **edscoot** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:33 pm

Are you OK?

The roads need a good long dose of heavy rain to wash all the crap off them just now.

woozy-uk · Post by **woozy-uk** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:40 pm

i wish the tyres were wider im sure that would improve traction

gn2 · Post by **gn2** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:51 pm

When the road surface coefficient of friction is significantly reduced by the likes of diesel or black ice, contact patch size makes little or no difference.
Even in the dry wide tyres don't always mean more grip, much depends on the properties of the tyre compound.
The main reason modern bike tyres are so wide is fashion.

EddieC · Post by **EddieC** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 5:32 pm

+1 to gn2's post. Completely agree.

rich666 · Post by **rich666** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 3:48 am

I'm fine, it was dayliht so could see clearlyso reduced speed and rode appropriately for the conditions.

I agree with GN2 as well, width and pattern play a small part towards grip, compound is the main factor. On a scoot or bike you want the best compromise of all round grip and longevity. You could have the widest grippiest set of tyres ever, but if they only last a 1000 miles whats the point?

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