Damned pea metal: Again!

[Woodman]

Well I guess if you ride what features in your Avatar you might think like that Woodie. I too could sound like a clever clogged smart arse if I rode a trail/adventure bike over light gravel. Having said that - I have put my (now sold) trusty old CB750 over some solid lengthy areas of gravel on back roads at speed and know well how to get out the other end and have a good time of it.
But those of us with new road touring bikes with hard bags and pillion attached think differently and know better than you for sure what our bike to road limitations are.

Yeah-na, hitting unexpected pea gravel on a dual purpose bike when you are cranked over in a corner on the tar is just the same as on a tourer/sportsbike/cruiser. Scary.

[FJRider]

A HUGE +1 on that! Over this way the contractors stopped coming back with road sweepers after dubious reseal jobs quite some time ago, and we don't have groups of KB riding legends to sweep the road for us. I've certainly lost the front and rear ends at 75 kph and below, hell I've had the front slip on me at half that speed on one particular corner. Sounds like it's back to riding skool for me

Nothing mentioned in the original post about road works.

[sugilite:Me]

Nothing mentioned in the original post about road works.

Huh? I was quoting and responding to a post from Mom at that point.

[FJRider]

Huh? I was quoting and responding to a post from Mom at that point.

Taking the thread off topic again then ..

Interestingly ... the lack of rain over a large part of the country for some time ... means more shit (pea gravel included) has been left on the road

But still the fault of the local contractors .. for not sweeping the road prior to the OP's ride ... right .. ???

Maybe if he made a few phone calls (to the council offices in the areas he'll pass through) a week or so before his next ride ...

[sugilite:Me]

Taking the thread off topic again then ..

Haha, conditioner should sort that split hair problem right out.

[sugilite:Me]

A timely article on Stuff on just this subject. Seems it is getting quite serious. Maybe if more people actually reported this sort of thing, then lives could be saved. Again, awesome post Mom and a healthy dose of vindication for the OP imo.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8465...t-the-roadside

[FJRider]

A timely article on Stuff on just this subject. Seems it is getting quite serious. Maybe if more people actually reported this sort of thing, then lives could be saved. Again, awesome post Mom and a healthy dose of vindication for the OP imo.

The article was about the gravel on the edge of the road. Nothing about gravel on the edge of the wheel tracks on a two lane (for overtaking) portion of highway. Nor was it referring to/about (shoddy) roadworks. It referred to leaving the road and going into the gravel at the edge of the road. All the accidents causing death in the article were caused by this.

But as usual ... the gravel was only a factor in the accidents. Speed was another ... funny that ... (but also off topic ... right)

No mention in the original post ... on how fast the OP was traveling at the time he found pea gravel ... but I'm guessing more than the recommended 75 km/hr.

[sugilite:Me]

The article was about the gravel on the edge of the road. Nothing about gravel on the edge of the wheel tracks on a two lane (for overtaking) portion of highway. Nor was it referring to/about (shoddy) roadworks. It referred to leaving the road and going into the gravel at the edge of the road. All the accidents causing death in the article were caused by this.

But as usual ... the gravel was only a factor in the accidents. Speed was another ... funny that ... (but also off topic ... right)

No mention in the original post ... on how fast the OP was traveling at the time he found pea gravel ... but I'm guessing more than the recommended 75 km/hr.

Weak sauce, all of it. You really need a huge bottle of conditioner.

[Smifffy]

It's all good, according to ACC & Moto NZ the bigger threat is from DUNG!

[Grizzo]

The article was about the gravel on the edge of the road. Nothing about gravel on the edge of the wheel tracks on a two lane (for overtaking) portion of highway. Nor was it referring to/about (shoddy) roadworks. It referred to leaving the road and going into the gravel at the edge of the road. All the accidents causing death in the article were caused by this.

But as usual ... the gravel was only a factor in the accidents. Speed was another ... funny that ... (but also off topic ... right)

No mention in the original post ... on how fast the OP was traveling at the time he found pea gravel ... but I'm guessing more than the recommended 75 km/hr.

Jesarse Christ, you are a relentless fucker.
I reckon you just like to disagree for the sake of it rather than proving a point.

For fucks sake... chill Winston!

[Madness]

Nothing mentioned in the original post about road works.

Maybe the words "Road Works" were not used implicitly but I thought this spelled it out rather well.

They spray shit on the surface and wait for vehicles to squish it down!

The OP wasn't referring to Mr Whippy, surely?

I reckon you just like to disagree for the sake of it rather than proving a point.

That's our FJ!

[Trade_nancy]

No mention in the original post ... on how fast the OP was traveling at the time he found pea gravel ... but I'm guessing more than the recommended 75 km/hr.

FJRider: Nah,...I was taking it fairly old womanish really and took all the corners at signed speeds..and this one possibly even less than 75...I'm not out to prove anything about my masculinity (with a pillion)- I just enjoy the ride - so tend to ride twisties such as Paraparas/Rimutakas etc fairly lamely. Got passed by a 4 x 4 on this ride! Gotta ride to enjoy scenery when you have another body on the back.
I am happy to give it some on the open roads and more "secure" twisties where there seems less chance of shit on the road. This corner looked OK, was a right hander and as I put on the throttle as I hit the apex point - to pull through the close of the turn,...puddles of gravel appeared under me. I went into this ride a bit "pre-warned" - as one of our club riders put down his HD on a corner in January hereabouts for this same reason. I had voted to go the Gentle Annie to Napier..but the wife voted for the Paraparas. Tui billboard.

[ellipsis]

...i think people need to realise that the powers that be, whether they are govt, local govt, contractors etc , do not give two fucks about you or their responsibilities to the populace...it is all about the, "bottom line"...not your arse on the pavement...things have changed...we as sheep , allow it...and anyone that can honestly say they are not numbered amongst the (however many) number of voting sheep in this fucked up little cuntry are full of shit...nice scenery though...and, 'Oh, so green!'...

[SILVER SUZI]

Well when it comes to "road works", out here in the Ardmore, Clevedon, Hunua (that's south east Auckland for those of you who don't know) area it as mentioned above.
They put out signs, do the resealing, then a couple of days later take away all the signage. It doesn't seem to matter if it's just a repair or a whole road re-seal.
So if you happen to come along two or three days after the fact then you are probably going to try to inhale your seat through your ass.
As the days pass the traffic tends to push the gravel into nice little piles between the lanes, down the middle of each lane, and on the side of each lane.
They even re-do the road markings straight onto the piles of gravel.
Now I don't need to try and "ride like Rossi" to want to use all of the lane, but that's fraught with danger, as you have to cross through the piles of loose grave.

[Trade_nancy]

Yep Silver - it's the same down here. Long sections of highway are repaired - you can see it as u approach - a "whiter" shade and as you enter you can hear a rumble over the rougher surface and small chips spitting out from your tyres. Small and slowly building mounds of stones to the left or right of the lane.
I sent a complaint to LTSA via their website. They are responsible for state highways..not local roads. As much as venting my spleen.. I really do believe it is necessary for us to squeal over this issue. Cagers are not affected - being one myself - you can cruise through that crap no probs. Text of my email is below (sorry - it's long,...I started sobbing too..).

Good Evening - not sure who to direct this to and the generic "info" email contact seemed to be the only option I could find.

I'm writing to express concern regarding the surface condition of many of the state highways in the North Island (cannot speak of the South - but I'm sure it's at least as bad). My wife and I are eager middle-aged motorcyclists - she's pillion. Some call us fools and others refer to us as "Temporary NZ'ers".
We are on the roads most sunny weekends and over holidays. Been riding off and on since 1972.

WHAT IS UP WITH OUR ROAD REPAIRS? Patches of roughly cobbled together broths of rock, stone and dust are left scattered over the highways for vehicles to complete the inadequate stuff-ups "completed" by your roading contractors. In many cases, this surface debris remains for beyond a year since the original repairs...without signage. What became of road sweeping after resurfacing and why are seal repairs now rough, lumpy and irregular patches - when once these were finished to a much better quality. Money i guess? Not just SH's - also local council and regional council roads are being done this way. So it appears to be a widespread standard.

We completed a trip back in early February from Palmerston North up to Auckland to see classic bike racing at Hampton Downs; across to the Bay of Plenty; Gisborne; down to Hawkes Bay and home - over 4 days. We had 3 (that I remember) scares - good enough to cause my pillion to need to have a stop and relax afterwards. All these caused by loss of rear wheel traction while negotiating sweeping bends - to find fields of dusty pea metal debris in front of us. If you brake - you may die....so we hold our line and speed, but the rear still skids out. It's a percentage game - most of the time you regain traction. The most dangerous and outrageously incompetent example was found on a 75kph double lane RH sweeper on the Desert Road. We hit this while overtaking a slow truck. It was very scary and I did think it was all over for us that time.
Who does not understand? Unswept debris left after "repairs" is DANGEROUS to motorists - especially bikes.

Last week - a day trip to Wellie, over the Rimutakas to Wairarapa and back to Palmy. Same thing. Loose crap on a bend - but downhill approaching a 35kph tight turn = very nasty and rear wheel hopped and skidded. Phew. Wife must have really been scared by that one. I was! What's worse - we are slow riders,...most bikers and many cars overtake us!

Today - we had a day trip to Wanganui, over the Paraparas and on to Ohakune and back home. Nearly came off in the middle of the Paras..again it was road debris on a 75kph RH bend. No signs. Too late to brake.In January, one of our club riders crashed his new bike on this section. I had some pre-warning knowing he'd crashed somewhere nearby....and was only doing 60kph as I got to the corner, yet still lost some rear wheel traction. Most riders would approach this at 90kph...what the hell would happen? Maybe they'd be safer - surf at speed through it- I dunno.

Really I have had a gutsful. There are enough people in 4 wheeled vehicles trying to kill bikers without your reckless approach to road repair being added to the available weapons list. Time to up your game before more riders are injured by this less than adequate pretense for road (re)surfacing. Perhaps Higgins and the likes have to make budgets to get your contracts? They leave their sweeper in the shed at home now? Does anyone inspect these works afterwards? Why are warning signs removed when loose stones remain? Why are white lines resprayed on top of loose debris? Why are motorways exempt from this - they all seem to be nice, smooth and safe? Are regional roads (motorists) of less value?

If you detect a little anger in my tone - you'd be right. I'm pretty bloody angry right now. My life is being threatened by someone else's reckless approach to their work. I would appreciate having a reasoned response from someone. Better still - could someone just take me seriously, listen and DO SOMETHING please?