Steel strips on bridges?

[The Little Gixxer]

So I cross the Tauranga bridge everyday about 245am and the steel strips are quite slippery. Has anyone experienced this or do you have some advice about efficient riding across such bridges.

Currently I slow down, get as upright as possible and keep steady on the throttle. This works but wondering if their is a better way.

[george formby]

So I cross the Tauranga bridge everyday about 245am and the steel strips are quite slippery. Has anyone experienced this or do you have some advice about efficient riding across such bridges.

Currently I slow down, get as upright as possible and keep steady on the throttle. This works but wondering if their is a better way.

Nah, your onto it. Keep the bike straight up. We have a railway track running through town which has to be crossed on an angle. Quite a few bikes have gone down in the wet. Slick as an eel. The council have put up a wee sign as you enter town advising caution. Big of them.

[Maha]

There's a round-a-bout in Napier with a massive steel plate in the road that needs avoiding.

[Smifffy]

Yeah, the ones on that bridge are mongrels, with the way the bridge curves. I was heading to the mount, from Tau side, and needed to get out of my lane before it ended. Unfortunately a Big Rig had just gone past with diesel slopping out of his tank, running along the steel. Got across without any dramas but was a little sphincter clenchy for a moment.

[Tazz]

About all you can do, but also if you must lean a little to turn don't lean with the bike like you normally would, still keep your body upright, and keeping speed can help too.

Railway tracks at an angle as mentioned (where having a bit of speed helps) and crossing over wet plastic piping is always also loads of fun :laugh:

[Smifffy]

Having said all that, don't let 'em rattle you.

[Mike.Gayner]

Think about the physics involved, those little steel strips can't do any harm under normal conditions. Even if you lose traction on them while leaning, worst case is the bike skips out a little. As soon as you're back on blacktop (which is basically immediately) you're good again. It's worth while getting used to the feeling of the bike moving under you - it's not going to do any harm.

[nodrog]

So I cross the Tauranga bridge everyday about 245am ....

WTF? is that a real time?


.... do you have some advice about efficient riding across such bridges.

Currently I slow down, get as upright as possible and keep steady on the throttle. This works but wondering if their is a better way.

forget about the ones on the straight bits they do nothing, its the foot wide ones on the curves you should be cautious of, especially in the wet.

Don't slow down, just make sure you are going straight over them (i.e. not leant over on the side on the tyre), especially the one right in the middle of the corner heading to the mount.

being in the outside lane makes it abit easier to straighten them out.

[Laava]

Get some magnetic tyres.

[SVboy]

So I cross the Tauranga bridge everyday about 245kmh and the steel strips are quite slippery. Has anyone experienced this or do you have some advice about efficient riding across such bridges.

Currently I slow down, get as upright as possible and keep steady on the throttle. This works but wondering if their is a better way.

Edited for excitement!

[Hawk]

there is a set of railway crossing just south of Waiouru on a corner in a open road area, try that one on in the middle of winter.

[george formby]

- it's not going to do any harm.

Tell that to the bloke who went down on his VFR 1200. Poor bugger must have been gutted.

But, yeah, nah. I straighten the bike up and cross the tracks steady. Always have a wee twitch if it's wet but as you say nothing more. The same tracks cross the road at the edge of a 90o corner as you head to Paihia, again no dramas if your not leaning. But. I can't resist getting the van sideways if it's raining and nobody is looking. Puts me in a good mood for work.:laugh:

[EJK]

So I cross the Tauranga bridge everyday about 245am and the steel strips are quite slippery. Has anyone experienced this or do you have some advice about efficient riding across such bridges.

Currently I slow down, get as upright as possible and keep steady on the throttle. This works but wondering if their is a better way.

When in doubt, throttle out.

[SVboy]

The road/rail bridge just north of Greymouth. All bets are off crossing that when it is wet....

[MarkH]

245am

Yeah, I'm often riding to work at that time. At least the roads are quiet, but it can be a bit cold on the frosty mornings.

[The Little Gixxer]

Think about the physics involved, those little steel strips can't do any harm under normal conditions. Even if you lose traction on them while leaning, worst case is the bike skips out a little. As soon as you're back on blacktop (which is basically immediately) you're good again. It's worth while getting used to the feeling of the bike moving under you - it's not going to do any harm.

Wish they were little steel strips they are actually about 2 feet across so make some hard work. Seems to be more cars than bikes that lose it though as bikers tend to be a bit more in touch with the road...

Thanks for the advice people.

[pete-blen]

Theres a round-a-bout in Blenheim with rail tracks right though the centre.....
can get real interesting in the wet...

[FJRider]

The road/rail bridge just north of Greymouth. All bets are off crossing that when it is wet....

That one has got a few bikers (never got me though) ... there WAS another nasty one just north of Hokitika ... but was it replaced with a new two lane road traffic only bridge.

[Mike.Gayner]

Wish they were little steel strips they are actually about 2 feet across so make some hard work. Seems to be more cars than bikes that lose it though as bikers tend to be a bit more in touch with the road...

Thanks for the advice people.

I ride along the bridge all the time, none of the expansion joints are anywhere near two feet.

[The Little Gixxer]

Ill stop and measure them if you want but they are the ones on the overpass before the main bridge that goes over the water. The large steel strips that have the big signs about slippery when wet installed because of them.

[bogan]

I ride along the bridge all the time, none of the expansion joints are anywhere near two feet.

They might have expanded :shifty:

[Smifffy]

I ride along the bridge all the time, none of the expansion joints are anywhere near two feet.

Do you stand on only one leg to measure them then???

:lol: :hitcher:

[caspernz]

I ride along the bridge all the time, none of the expansion joints are anywhere near two feet.

If you're well endowed you don't need to exaggerate other measurements in life huh?

[rustic101]

Can I make a suggestion.

if the bridge expansion joints, or any other road fault is on the state highway network call NZTA on 0800 4 HIGHWAYS and get them to log a job. That will be sent to one of the transport operations centres who will call out a contractor or capture the fault for minor improvements. You can also tweet or face book them.

If they are on a local road call the Council and log your concern.

These can be treated. One example is SH1 on the flyover above the Ferry terminal.

Railway lines, well that's just about riding safely.

[nodrog]

Can I make a suggestion.

if the bridge expansion joints, or any other road fault is on the state highway network call NZTA on 0800 4 HIGHWAYS and get them to log a job. That will be sent to one of the transport operations centres who will call out a contractor or capture the fault for minor improvements. You can also tweet or face book them.

If they are on a local road call the Council and log your concern.

These can be treated. One example is SH1 on the flyover above the Ferry terminal.

Railway lines, well that's just about riding safely.

What are they going to do? They arent broken or faulty.

[G4L4XY]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAm1msxnMfo

[Old Steve]

I remember those strips from when I lived in TGA, nasty buggers.

I tried to cross them more at right angles which meant that I had to be riding on the outside of the lane, slow and turn tighter across to the inside of the lane so I'd cross them at more of a right angle, then straighten up so I crossed them upright. Then I'd have to ease out to the outside of the lane for the next one. Gave a rather dubious passage across the bridge, "But Officer, I'm not drunk, I'm just crossing the expansion strips."

They might not drop you when they're wet but they do give you an uneasy feeling as the tyres skitter.

[FROSTY]

There used to be a similar steel plate on L1 of the Auckland harbour bridge.
My advice is to relax. the more tense you are the worse the effects of hitting the joint will be

[R650R]

Hell you wont like trying to get on and off the interislander after a wet crossing....
Seat on the GSXR still has clench marks from when my throttle hand slipped and I went full lock sideways splitting past a dozen cars getting off the boat....

BTW that napier roundabout if by Gull, plate has gone, roadworks finished. Saw a few bikes crossing it in rain one day not pretty....

[awa355]

This is Te A's contribution to 'wee moments'. On the left hand corner by the Z stn, heading south. Ok if you are expecting it, (most local riders know of it) but still can be a bit dicey in the winter.

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/awa355/plate.jpg

[husaberg]

The road/rail bridge just north of Greymouth. All bets are off crossing that when it is wet....

The bridge would be south of Greymouth. It takes out a heap of cyclists.
Taramakau Bridge

[Gremlin]

The road/rail bridge just north of Greymouth. All bets are off crossing that when it is wet....
There was one around Whakatane from memory, you had to pick which third of the bridge you wanted, and you were stuck with that until the end... got very patchy in various places but I think it was re-sealed a year or two ago and the rail portion removed.

[ellipsis]

This is Te A's contribution to 'wee moments'. On the left hand corner by the Z stn, heading south. Ok if you are expecting it, (most local riders know of it) but still can be a bit dicey in the winter.

slippery steel thing

...looks very much like last turn at Methven before getting back on the straight...

[J.A.W.]

Working in Melbourne, commuting by bike - the wet bloody tram lines are a must learn..

Do it the hard way, lose the front, under brakes - low side.. & the rear, under power, nearly caught it, then - high side.. bugger, ok - got it..

[varminter]

There was one around Whakatane from memory, you had to pick which third of the bridge you wanted, and you were stuck with that until the end... got very patchy in various places but I think it was re-sealed a year or two ago and the rail portion removed.

Pekatahi Bridge, nah, still got the lines on it, go down the middle.

[Berries]

Forget about steel strips on bridges, what about steel bridges? (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-37207487)

Close call, probably trying to keep up.

[MrMarko]

Just go over it faster :eek:

[husaberg]

Just go over it faster :eek:

Don't worry it would never happen here:facepalm:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/80635517/Chinese-steel-fails-strength-test
Or at least the Chinese wouldn't let us talk about it, if it did:shutup:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/82092018/China-threatens-reprisals-on-NZ-dairy-wool-and-kiwifruit-if-government-doesn-t-back-off-cheap-steel-inquiry

[mulletman]

The bridge would be south of Greymouth. It takes out a heap of cyclists.
Taramakau Bridge

Stay to the left of the left rail so you dont have to cross over at the other end (when its wet.)

I too have seen many cyclists come to grief on this bridge , same with the tram lines in CHCH.

[MrMarko]

Don't worry it would never happen here:facepalm:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/80635517/Chinese-steel-fails-strength-test
Or at least the Chinese wouldn't let us talk about it, if it did:shutup:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/82092018/China-threatens-reprisals-on-NZ-dairy-wool-and-kiwifruit-if-government-doesn-t-back-off-cheap-steel-inquiry

Don't even get me started on chinese steel lol

[mulletman]

Invercargill has some round man hole covers on a couple of their roundabouts in town :eek5:

[husaberg]

Stay to the left of the left rail so you dont have to cross over at the other end (when its wet.)

I too have seen many cyclists come to grief on this bridge , same with the tram lines in CHCH.

The cyclists are sorted now as they have a "cycle only" bridge clip on now.
The bridge decking has also been repaired and the new bridge construction is likely to start in the next 12 months, so the cars and bikes will have their own bridge.


Don't even get me started on Chinese steel lol
Yeah, if its good enough for woks, who really are we to argue.:niceone:

[Swoop]

Just go over it faster :eek:

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