Steel plates in the middle of the road

[savedkiwi1]

When it was summer it didn't matter. It's not summer now and I am totally aware of every metal plate on the road. It only took one close call comming down the hill outside Victoria university took the right handed turn at the bottom and CRIKEY that was close.

How come they have to put them in the middle of the road, and if they have to put them on the road, does it have to be on a corner :-( No consideration man!!!!

where are the knarly ones?

[Elysium]

I like those older maintianance access covers that got covered over with bitzman but still can be removed, no problems riding over those.

Anyway that time of the year where we have to nanner those turns and braking when you have road markings and maintainance access covers that are wet.

[Ocean1]

It's not summer now and I am totally aware of every metal plate on the road.

It's not a winter thing, dude. Being aware of "not asphalt" and choosing an appropriate line is a good way to stay alive all year round.


man holes being wet.

<_<

[Hitcher]

In this modern age they're supposed to be referred to as "personnel access hatch covers".

[The Pastor]

its brought to you by gene o kleen!

[Badger8]

Cant be sexist nowadays... They need to be renamed "Person-Holes" :lol:
Hit one heading up the harbour bridge when they were doing some roadworks. Slight incline in the wet, even with a steady throttle holding about 70k made it spin up for a second. Luckily it was only a metre or two long, or things might have got interesting quickly :crazy:

[YellowDog]

I thought they were not supposed to put them on bends anymore and they were replacing the lids on the bend placed ones with the grippy lid ones?

Wasn't there a successful campaign years ago?

[Badger8]

I like some of the old man-hole

:shifty: :buggerd:

[gatch]

Theres a spot just out of Tokomaru with 2 man hole covers in the middle of the road just leading into an easy left hand corner, not much fun for noobs...

[Hitcher]

Theres a spot just out of Tokomaru with 2 man hole covers in the middle of the road just leading into an easy left hand corner, not much fun for noobs...

Despite knowing that corner well, it always catches me out.

[gatch]

My first ride from Levin to Palmy.. My buddy says to me before we leave "coming out of Tokomaru.. Manholes.. etc". Going past the school I thought "what manholes", then waaaaahhhhh hello, I'm in the wrong lane..

Nurse ! New undies ! Stat !

[Deano]

Some of them are dangerous in a car, like just before a stop sign, or on a round about. I blame the gubbmint.

[Exzackery]

i think it's Checker plate i think "they" think that gives grip... at least it looks like it could.. metal checker-plate.

[hayd3n]

in theory if one lost control and crashed totally the manholes fault could one ask council for repair/replacement
im so used to the covers now that i avoid them without even realizing

[gatch]

in theory if one lost control and crashed totally the manholes fault could one ask council for repair/replacement
im so used to the covers now that i avoid them without even realizing

I don't think you could entirely blame the man holes for stacking your bike, unless there was a line of manhole covers across the whole lane..

[p.dath]

I like some of the old man-hole covers that got covered over with bitzman but still can be removed, no problems riding over thoses.

Anyway that time of the year where we have to nanner those turns and braking when you have road markings and man holes being wet.

And surely this would be quite cheap to do. Has anyone actually made this suggestion to the council?

Perhaps the problem is the air gap between us and those that make the decision.

[Ixion]

Yes. Oh YESSSS . Oh you ANIMAL!

[PirateJafa]

in theory if one lost control and crashed totally the manholes fault could one ask council for repair/replacement
im so used to the covers now that i avoid them without even realizing

They'd just say you weren't riding to the conditions, then tell you to take a hike.

[BMWST?]

be aware then of the metal expansion strips of the bridges that go across the motorway(in welly),there metal strips that go across the whole road,and the on ramp at molesworth there is a WIDE metal strip across the whole lane,and you will be leaned overI think they have some grippy stuff on that one

[Squiggles]

And surely this would be quite cheap to do. Has anyone actually made this suggestion to the council?

Perhaps the problem is the air gap between us and those that make the decision.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=100117 (For aucklanders at least)

In regards to the patch ones that dont have a rippled surface, i've had this response from the Auckland city council:


The Code of Practice for Working in the Road, Part 6.4.2.11 requires the following. Whilst we endeavour to audit as many sites as possible, resources do not allow us to do so. Can I suggest that any sites that are of concern are reported via the Call Centre phone 379 2020 request for service process and given a "Critical" priority. We will audit within 4 working hours.


6.4.2.1 Use of Temporary Steel Plates during Construction

1. Where temporary steel plates exist in the carriageway an ‘UNEVEN SURFACE’ supplementary plate and a separate ‘SLIPPERY SURFACE’ (TW-4) warning sign/s must be displayed to warn traffic. Permanent resurfacing is required within 7 days of a temporary seal being placed, unless as otherwise agreed, by the RCA.
2. Steel plates may be used in carriageways provided they are skid resistant, secured, and cushioned with rubber matting to prevent rocking, moving or noise. They must be of sufficient strength and quality to support imposed traffic loading.
3. Should steel plates be used "uneven surface" road works signs and "slippery surface"(TW-17) warning sign/s must be displayed to warn traffic of the potential hazards.
4. When steel plates are used, a ramp with hotmix must be formed and filleted to ensure safe pedestrian and vehicular access. The ramps must be adequately secured to the surface and maintained for the duration of the work.
5. Temporary road markings and all other necessary traffic measures must be in place to ensure that hazards are eliminated and parking restrictions are maintained.

[savedkiwi1]

There is another one right on the corner as you turn onto the down ramp to the motorway when leaving the terrace.

[Laxi]

When it was summer it didn't matter. It's not summer now and I am totally aware of every metal plate on the road. It only took one close call comming down the hill outside Victoria university took the right handed turn at the bottom and CRIKEY that was close.

How come they have to put them in the middle of the road, and if they have to put them on the road, does it have to be on a corner :-( No consideration man!!!!

where are the knarly ones?

my fav is the corner coming up from tinakori to the bridge, between all the steel and bus lane lines its like the minefield ad on tv

[savedkiwi1]

When the lights are green gotta watch tis one right out side the hotel on the corner

[celticbhoy]

I hate the bloody ones as you go around the basin then as you turn left to start Buckle st!! Several placed so nearly any line you take you are going to get at least one of them!

[16silver]

there's one on a corner at pleasant rd, straight after the mansion at 77 pleasant road traveling toward west coast road, and it on the right of the corner so u gotta go wide to miss it and risk crashing into the dickweed who park his car on the corner, im going to take a pic of it now (apologies in advance for the poor quality of the pix i only have a camera phone and its not a very good one)

[gwigs]

Would help if they painted them flouro colour so you could see them easier ,especially on a wet night.

[16silver]

heres the 2 pix i took, and you can clearly see that the water has filled the hole and turned into a layer of ice

[sunhuntin]

one road i used to take had 15 odd covers in a distance of about 2k. fucking nuts! and they were all on corners, in the middle of the road.

[Big Zappa]

there's a neat one-two when it comes to those covers coming down Bowen St every morning, should I got inside or outside? Oh decisions... the one further down by the cenotaph almost caught me out couple of weeks ago though...

The worst ones I find are the at the hairpin on Glenmore St going up to the Kelburn Viaduct/Karori Tunnel intersection. Theres a couple of them and I have to take them on the right to get the right line through the corner. Couple of days ago when it was wet there was a truck coming down the hill, so I gave it a wide line and clipped one of them with my back wheel causing the bike to shimmy around a bit.

I blame Prendergast

[firefighter]

On Trig Rd heading towards massey from whenuapai, the left-hand corner has two massive ones about 15 feet apart, and it's a busy narrow 100km rd, fucken dangerous in nice weather, then at the intersection of trig and hobby there's another one right across the whole lane where you turn left to merge into the traffic, to avoid it you have to be to the far right of the lane, right up close to the traffic going past, it's fucked

[davebullet]

Faaarrk - you guys are tough, covering your man holes with bitumen. A good set of leathers would be a more comfortable option.

[MarkH]

Here's one that I regularly ride past:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=cameron&sll=-36.915822,174.786542&sspn=0.001776,0.004109&ie=UTF8&radius=0.11&rq=1&ll=-36.914541,174.786319&spn=0,359.995891&z=19&iwloc=C&layer=c&cbll=-36.91445,174.786307&panoid=v1KnvRN9zzAjTn61uFx9og&cbp=12,41.89,,0,25.27

I don't like this one - it is a rectangular steel hatch, less grip than the road in the dry, potentially the primary cause of an accident in the wet. The location is just right to ride over it while leant over if you turn on to cameron street from Mt Smart road (from either direction). I know it is there and modify my line to not ride over it, but what if someone that didn't know the road came around that corner in the rain and didn't see it in time? I often see the metal covers in bad places and I think it is poor road safety to have such slippery surfaces on the roads.

[MSTRS]

The procession of steel plates leading north out of Dannevegas is a trial. Not for slip, but they are all raised or recessed. I don't like the 'bump', and of course they are not on a single line.
The one that really gets me is just into Taradale Rd when heading north and turning left off the expressway in Napier. There is a large square plate (probably a metre on a side) right on whatever line one takes. Of course, one is leaned over and ... there it is!!

[YellowDog]

If you ride fast enough, you hardly notice the tyre slip before gripping again.

[jono035]

If you ride fast enough, you hardly notice the tyre slip before gripping again.

That counts for steel plates hit while cornering? Especially if they're raised or recessed?

[MSTRS]

If you ride fast enough, you hardly notice the tyre slip before gripping again.

If the (sudden) grip is great enough, you will highside.

[MarkH]

If the (sudden) grip is great enough, you will highside.

Yeah, straight line is one thing - but when you are leant over cornering you don't really want to find some huge metal plate on your line. Low side or high side is not what you want! These slippery metal plates should be illegal!

[Ixion]

Nice lineup, going down Q St, right outside the Citadel, downhill , left lane. Three metal plates nicely spaced across the whole lane. Just where you have to brake hard if the cages at the lights go stupid. There is just room to navigate etween them. If you know they are there.