Safe Speed (UK) Press Release

[m99dws]

I found this on another forum, seems it might offer an explanation into a few biker-offs!

PR287: URGENT WARNING: Very low road grip widely reported

news: for immediate release

The Safe Speed road safety campaign today issued an urgent warning to all road users of unusual low grip conditions. All road users need to take special care because of a greatly increased risk of skidding.

This follows anecdotal reports from all over the country of dangerous and unusual road conditions. New de-icer compounds may be to blame. Low rainfall may have contributed.

Drivers and cyclists are reporting that road grip levels are far below norms and expectations even where roads appear to be dry and temperatures are well above freezing. Cyclists have reported falling off and motorists have reported unexpected skidding.

The unusual low grip conditions are suspected to be due to the use of de-icer compounds that include molasses to stabilise the treatment layer. This innovation is intended to reduce costs and reduce the need for repeated treatments.

To make matters worse, reports suggest that grip levels are variable as well as low. This is the worst possible case because it can and will 'catch us out'.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "It looks as if a very large and dangerous mistake may have been made. The use of mollases in de-icer compounds must be suspended immediately pending testing and investigation. Lives may well depend on it. All road users need to take special care. Braking distances may be greatly increased, and cornering may cause skidding at unusually low speeds. Wheel spin may result from acceleration even in higher gears."

"If the reports are correct - and we have no reason to doubt them - we must have a public investigation concerning how this situation came about. If the de-icer compounds are responsible we must test such innovations much more carefully in the future."

[Bob]

Safe Speed have issued a follow-up:

"Molasses eliminated, but low road grip remains a mystery

news: for immediate release

The mystery of low - probably dangerously low - road grip levels continues.

Investigations reveal that widespread reported low road grip CANNOT be caused by molasses added to de-icer treatments. However reports of low road grip continue and concern remains high.

At this stage the evidence is largely anecdotal, although one report received
confidentially points to the lowest dry grip ever recorded (in one specific
location).

Rainfall has been reported to increase grip levels and more changeable weather in the past week has apparently increased grip in a number of areas.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "Widespread reports of low grip conditions remain a serious issue of public safety. Recent information means that we can
effectively eliminate molasses, but the cause remains a mystery. It is both
urgent and important that an investigation is carried out to determine the
true cause of exceptional and dangerous conditions."

Mark Dutton, Managing Director of Safecote Limited (www.safecote.com) kindly provided the following statement: "Safecote is NOT used as a neat product anywhere in the UK. It is used as an additive to de-icing salt at the rate of only 3% by weight. This type of de-icing product is being used on less than 5% of the UK's highways and the Transport Research Laboratory has fully tested the skid resistance properties of normal rock salt versus rock salt with 3% of Safecote and no difference was detected. This report is downloadable on our web site."

What we do know:

* Exceptionally low road grip has been reported in many areas

* The only molasses treatment is 'Safecote', and Safecote has been applied to less than 5% of roads this winter.

* Widespread reports of low grip CANNOT be caused by the use of molasses
because low grip has been reported in many areas where molasses hasn't been used.

* Reports suggest that grip improves after rain.

* There is an apparent association between the low grip reports and a long dry spell."

It looks like Safe Speed (who do a good job, btw) leapt on a bit of a bandwagon here - this smacks of retraction to me.

[scumdog]

Meh, strikes me that it's just the old 'slippery after a long dry spell' syndrome.
I have the same problem, 400+hp on a wet road can provoke this type of situation!!