Slippery man hole covers - has anyone tried a petition?

[nmalcolm]

Hey guys,

I'm really annoyed at the amount of steel man hole covers in Wellington (and maybe New Zealand - you tell me!).

Now that it's getting into wet and windy winter, the roads are getting really slippery. I have had a friend fall off her scooter coming up Salamanca Rd in the wet on one of those man hole covers, and I've had a few heart-in-my-throat moments. Especially when they're on corners and you're leaning.

Before I get on a high horse and start a petition (Wellington City Council ePetition) I was wondering if this has already been tried and what the result was?

I saw bikers in the UK have made GetAGripUK.org, they have some really good information on solutions.

I can whip up a Facebook page, or even a website, if there's a big enough group, but I think the latter might be overkill.

I just made a collaborative Google Map to show slippery spots in NZ:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...ea35e3d5558515.
You can put any problem areas of your own on there if you want. Feel free to add horror stories in the descriptions :P The more stories we have, the more compelling case we can make

Any interest, tips, hints, lawyers, council-people out there?

[jaffaonajappa]

Hey guys,

I'm really annoyed at the amount of steel man hole covers in Wellington (and maybe New Zealand - you tell me!).

-------edit-------

Any interest, tips, hints, lawyers, council-people out there?

One Tip. Dont ride over them - they can be slippery and/or bumpy.

[nmalcolm]

Haha yea, that's always the goal. But it shouldn't have to be. Having to look out for manholes in any condition, much less wet ones where you can hardly see anything, and then dodging them takes away concentration from other potential hazards and is, IMO, putting bikers at an unnecessary risk.

[EJK]

One Tip. Dont ride over them - they can be slippery and/or bumpy.

+1

[jaffaonajappa]

ok. im proly going to get burned here, but.

The country is going broke.
Years ago people used to take care of what the road surface was like, and adjust speed and position to suit road / situation.
I can think of better ways to go spending my tax money than fixing manhole covers.........but fully endorse Wellington ratepayers giving it a crack

Im hoping no one who has lost a friend, or knows someone Seriously injured, resulting from a manhole cover accident, reads this post. But thats my 5 cents.

[Metastable]

We have the same problem. I have seen some interesting solutions in some places.

The best one is to have the manhole cover just off to the side of the road or off the road completely. Like that if they have to service them, they aren't in the middle of the roadway.... plus they are out of our way.

Another one I have seen for existing covers, is to have the majority of the cover coated with asphalt. One would still have access to it and it would be far less slippery than a wet metal. Maybe suggest some solutions for existing covers and future roadwork planning... it might make the petition a bit more "interesting". Good Luck.

[Paul in NZ]

Probably cheaper to ban motorcycles in the long run....

[Eyegasm]

Another one I have seen for existing covers, is to have the majority of the cover coated with asphalt.

There ya go... Get a mixer and cover the fuckers up (At night preferably when no one is watching.)

Or make a submission www.motonz.org.nz

Hell, it's what we are paying money for innit?

[oneofsix]

I the two big square ones down Aotea Quay, left lane. I try not to change into that lane until I've passed then as their offset means they take over the whole lane. The late change into the motorway lane really pisses the cages off I reckon as most of them do it to queue jump.
Most of the round ones have tops that are designed to be partly asphalted but why should the councils etc pay for that when ACC can pick up the tab?
Motorcyclists are aware of what caused the skid most car drivers aren't and accept that it was their fault or an 'unavoidable accident'
You could also submit it to the http://motonz.org.nz/

[Banditbandit]

Hey guys,

I'm really annoyed at the amount of steel man hole covers in Wellington (and maybe New Zealand - you tell me!).


Before I get on a high horse and start a petition

Petitions don't work. It's hard to get them to stay on the manhole covers - and they don't make them any less slippery ...

I just don't ride on them

(PS I know what you mean - used to live in Wellington and didn't think the roads there were that bad until I was back on my BMW and couldn't believe how bad the roads were ... Not sure if it was because the roads had deteriorated (doubt it) or that I had just got used to them because I lived there)

[avgas]

Any interest, tips, hints, lawyers, council-people out there?

Yep - if your that concerned about it, go fix it yourself.
Complaining to others to fix a problem you have is a bit limp don't you think?

[Murray]

get them to remove all road markings at the same time, they can be slippery when wet as well!!!

[neels]

Pop through Timaru some time, they have steel manhole covers that are slippery and also sit a couple of inches below the road surface for extra entertainment

[bogan]

get them to remove all road markings at the same time, they can be slippery when wet as well!!!

Road marking by design are a bit easier to see though.

I say go for it, it can't hurt to give it a go. In palmy I've noticed a few with asphalt covering on top, rest without, most have a decent bump up or down when riding over the manhole covers anyway so I try to avoid them.

[unstuck]

We dont even have traffic lights and only 4 roundabouts. I would suggest you try to use them as defensive driving practice or something because i dont think they will move all of the sewage and telecom lines just so people can avoid a bit of wobble on a bike.How many accidents have been caused by manhole covers?Good luck though,I,m all for people making changes in their lives.