Tar Snakes...

[Biff]

...they're out to get you. Glistening with the sheen of recent hail and rains.

Not one - but dozens, everywhere - no way of avoiding them, on the apex of a corner.

"Slide on me", they call.

Like a moth, drawn.....then "FUCK ME, where did my front wheel just go?"

Twitches galore today. Then I was bombarded by enourmous chunks of ice (ok - big hail stones). Each one stinging like fk for about half a second. Quite nice actually. I think I'm going to ask ms Biff to get out the nipple clamps tonight.

The joys of communting.

[Holy Roller]

Funny you mention them, I was just thinking the other day how they dont affect me as much as they used to on the old bike must be the extra weight. I can ride along them with out the "you are coming with me feel". There are not many around here as most of the roads have been resealed including the Rotoma's with a great layer of hot mix much better than than the chip seal that used be on there.

[Motu]

They have never been a concern to me,my bikes have never been effected - but then I don't use street tyres and would be going much slower than all the guys on expensive bikes.

[NordieBoy]

They have never been a concern to me,my bikes have never been effected - but then I don't use street tyres and would be going much slower than all the guys on expensive bikes.
And they don't do tar-snakes on gravel :ride:

[Oakie]

'Tar snakes'. Ok, thanks. Now I know what to call them. Worse than white paint IMHO as they're so much harder to see when they're wet and they're just as slippery.

[Postie]

Bugjuice was saying a little while back that he saw some guys doing road works and when they put the tar snakes down, one guy was chucking sand on top of them, quite a nice idea, if only they did it to all the tar snakes.

[Grahameeboy]

Bugjuice was saying a little while back that he saw some guys doing road works and when they put the tar snakes down, one guy was chucking sand on top of them, quite a nice idea, if only they did it to all the tar snakes.

Nah he was feeding the snakes silly!!!

[tl_tub]

Mmm, they put sand down on all of them them so when the cars roll over it while its still fresh it doesnt pick up one end of it and wrap around the tyre :rolleyes:

[nudemetalz]

Bugjuice was saying a little while back that he saw some guys doing road works and when they put the tar snakes down, one guy was chucking sand on top of them, quite a nice idea, if only they did it to all the tar snakes.

The actual technical term for that is called sand sealing and the "tar snakes" are called crack sealing. There's a particularily bad road for that down here in Wellington which is currently being looked at. Signs have gone up and it's really up to the rider to exercise caution more than anything else.

[dangerous]

I dont think they are so much as slippery (in dry) as they are funny feeling, ie: its when the bike rides up on them and down again (like a boat in high seas) and this gives the false feeling of the loss of grip.
However in the heat of the day they seem to melt easy causing a loss of traction.

Tar Snakes...
Nothing like a trouser snake right Biff?

[Pixie]

Are they like the vindscreen vipers I had on my volkswagen?

[Oakie]

Are they like the vindscreen vipers I had on my volkswagen?

Dat just a road of old cobras...

[Pixie]

Kiss my asp

[Blackbird]

...they're out to get you. Glistening with the sheen of recent hail and rains......

Hi Rhod - Happy New Year. You and me both mate. Went to pass a car towing a boat on a back road. Got half way past and ran over a tar snake on the other side of the road. I wasn't feeding in a lot of power but the rear wheel spun up and stepped out, then suddenly gripped and gave me an almighty tank-slapper. I thought I was a goner, but she sorted herself out without my intervention. Didn't quite soil my leathers, but the car driver just about went off the road!

Safe riding:ride:

Geoff

[Oakie]

Kiss my asp

LOL. Good come-back. I'll have to re-mamba that one. :rofl:

[Aaron]

However in the heat of the day they seem to melt easy causing a loss of traction.
Agree with that, nearly found out the hard way that they are seemingly worse on a hot nor wester than in the rain. Worst patch in Christchurch that I'm aware of is around the river, just after, (as you approach it head on) the speed camera on Fitzgerald Ave, freak'n dangerous.

Slight OT, but still on the topic of losing the rear end, is bloody cycle lanes. The maroon paint isn't as bad as the white lines/arrows, but is found in larger quanties on corners and IMO is just as likely to put you down without too much effort.

[TonyB]

Slight OT, but still on the topic of losing the rear end, is bloody cycle lanes. The maroon paint isn't as bad as the white lines/arrows, but is found in larger quanties on corners and IMO is just as likely to put you down without too much effort.
What a brilliant idea-
"lets make special cycle lanes so cyclists will be safe!"
"Yes! And we can paint the with some paint!"
"Excellent idea!"
"Erm- won't the paint be slippery??"
"Sorry? What do you mean? It doesn't trouble my Audi"
"Nor my Range Rover"

[**R1**]

What a brilliant idea-
"lets make special cycle lanes so cyclists will be safe!"
"Yes! And we can paint the with some paint!"
"Excellent idea!"
"Erm- won't the paint be slippery??"
"Sorry? What do you mean? It doesn't trouble my Audi"
"Nor my Range Rover"Na that paints fine, i have done stoppies on it, if anything i think it has more grip than the road....

[**R1**]

However in the heat of the day they seem to melt easy causing a loss of traction.

they aint slippery, they just move, feels like a slide tho..

[Cibby]

i never had any problems with them until they were pointed out to me.

now..

they are coming to get me.ah....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ignorance is bliss..

[myvice]

Its all part of a plot to try and kill us!

[miSTa]

I would have to say that I've never had a problem with painted cycle lanes, especially when they have saw cuts through them. As for tar snakes drift yes, slip no.

[Skyryder]

...they're out to get you. Glistening with the sheen of recent hail and rains.

Not one - but dozens, everywhere - no way of avoiding them, on the apex of a corner.

"Slide on me", they call.

Like a moth, drawn.....then "FUCK ME, where did my front wheel just go?"

Twitches galore today. Then I was bombarded by enourmous chunks of ice (ok - big hail stones). Each one stinging like fk for about half a second. Quite nice actually. I think I'm going to ask ms Biff to get out the nipple clamps tonight.

The joys of communting.


I call them Ashphelt Bloomers. Loose and slippery and easy to fall down.

Skyryder

[Pixie]

LOL. Good come-back. I'll have to re-mamba that one. :rofl:
Adder boy!

[N4CR]

Sad thing is that these are over 3-4 'lines' wide on scenic. Almost droppped the friggen bike doing 60-70 last weekend :/

I like the little occasional twitch but not the sliding and falling feeling that comes with a wide swath of superheated tar.

FIX THE ROADS. Without speeding tax...

[Sniper]

These the ones on Wairaki Rd? Terrible things they are

[myvice]

Would the LTSA or whoever looks after our roads be upset if someone accidentally spilt 20 litres of silicone over their lobby floor?
They don’t give a rats ass about our traction, so having 1/2 there staff off with broken wrists might change there perspective.
In Germany they add quartz with the pant to help with traction and it also reflects light better.
Maybe if they did the job right the fist time and used better chip and seal they wouldn’t have to put patches everywhere and stop the "snail trails" from taking over.
They did Rosscomman Rd (main road in Manurewa) last year and now are doing it again as it was in worse shape than befor they started!
After putting down roads for the past 3000+ years you would think they would have it right by now!
Considering some of the old Roman roads are still in relativity good shape.

[Biff]

Happy New Year.

Thanks Geoff - and to you and yours.

[DogBreath]

...
In Germany they add quartz with the pant to help with traction and it also reflects light better....
They used to put glass beads in our yellow paint, dunno if they still do or not. It had better grip than the white back then, and was also to reflect the light, not for grip for the m/c crowd.
I vote for the silicone on the floor, a graphic demo could be in order.

[scumdog]

Adder boy!

All this snake talk can be Boa - ing

[Pixie]

Would the LTSA or whoever looks after our roads be upset if someone accidentally spilt 20 litres of silicone over their lobby floor?
They don’t give a rats ass about our traction, so having 1/2 there staff off with broken wrists might change there perspective.
In Germany they add quartz with the pant to help with traction and it also reflects light better.
Maybe if they did the job right the fist time and used better chip and seal they wouldn’t have to put patches everywhere and stop the "snail trails" from taking over.
They did Rosscomman Rd (main road in Manurewa) last year and now are doing it again as it was in worse shape than befor they started!
After putting down roads for the past 3000+ years you would think they would have it right by now!
Considering some of the old Roman roads are still in relativity good shape.
The rest of the developed world knows how to build roads.Here in Mickey Mouse land they build goat tracks.
Until they start using concrete they are just blowing smoke up our arses

[Mr. Peanut]

Excuse me? The LTSA doesn't know what a motorcycles are.

"Individuality? Whats that?.... Does this mean we have to greet you in maori?" :blink:

Stupid PC wankers! :mad:

[Oakie]

Adder boy!

Arghh too clever!. No wonder you have so many green rep - tiles

[Gremlin]

Tamaki Drive heading into the city was a very bad spot for tar snakes, add in rain and some howling wind and it was an interesting ride. Wouldn't have said there was one square metre anywhere that didn't have some snakes.

Late last year they ripped it all and replaced it with some of the gorgeous hot mix... very nice. Soo smooth... almost makes you want to take the corner at full tilt... cept 50km/h doesn't exactly help out.

Worst tar snakes are those that run parallel with your direction of travel. Had one (tristan following) heading into clevedon in the wet, the was a hump in part of the road, and I hit the edge of it. Bike suddenly slid slideways (down the side of the hump) and I carried on :doh:

[Pixie]

Arghh too clever!. No wonder you have so many green rep - tiles
Better reptiles than Herpes