Road Surfaces and Motorcycle Safety

Derek

Derek

Elite Member
Subscriber
I received the following message via the BADmcc email this afternoon. On the basis of the more the merrier, I don't see why any of you shouldn't add your comments if you like. His email is at the bottom.

Hi there

I have been asked by the Department for Transport to give a short presentation later this month at a seminar on Motorcycles and why they should be treated as Vulnerable Road Users. Apart form the obvious statistics, I will be concentrating on the effect that the road enviornment has on the safety of motorcyclists.

I have been in discussion with some biker friends of mine and have drawn up a list of issues which, in no particular order, are the features that present the greatest danger to motorcyclists -

1. Pot holes
2. Manhole covers when wet
3. Rutting due to heavy goods vehicles
4. Loose chippings
5. Carriageway markings (when wet)
6. Poor surfacing joints (when wet)
7. Surface changes, e.g. from anti-skid to other
8. Alignment of bends
9. Adverse camber - as found in locations on roundabouts
10. Scarified surface, i.e. when planed off for re-surfacing
11. Crash Barriers
12. Other structures, e.g. signs, bridge abutments

The last 2 are only a problem if you are already on your ass floating down the road…..

I have deliberately omitted oil and/or fuel spills and other debris as these are the result of the passage of other vehicles and not inherent in the road infrastructure.

However, in order to spread the "research" further afield I am contacting you and your motorcycle club to see if I have left out anything and you have any comments on the above list

I would be grateful for any comments you have that I can add to the presentation but will need these by the end of the week. If you are unable to canvass all your members fully I would grateful for any comments from a select few or even just the committee if wider communication proves difficult or time-consuming.

I am aware that the voice of the biker needs to be heard when the Government is discussing motorcycle safety and how to improve it.

Cheers

Lance Fogg
Managing Consultant
Highways & Transportation
ATKINS
Bank Chambers, Faulkner Street, Manchester M1 4EH
( +44 (0)161 245 3442 (direct)
( +44 (0)161 245 3400 (s/board)
+ +44 (0)161 245 3500
È +44 (0)7802 730133
:: lance.fogg@atkinsglobal.com
 
only thing I would 'question' (and can think of at the moment) in my local area is a raised (like a speed bump) mini roundabout
I dislike going up and down the gradient part of it lent over (though my definition of lent over is perhaps just off bolt upright :o )
 
Is complaining about the quality of the burger vans in lay by's allowed?

I had a right bad burger experience in of all places......Windygates! :eek:
 
Research??

Regarding items 11/12 - they may become issues prior to 'sliding down the road' in terms of location/placement - obscuring visibility etc..;)
 
Speed bumps

Hi,
Whilst driving to work this morning on my bike - several bloody plastic speed bumps!. It's icy and the bumps are made of hard plastic - very slippery. The bits in-between to avoid them still very icy. Front and rear end sliding in all direction and that was in the gaps - great fun!!! In these conditions your met with a solid line of ice basically.

Geoff
 
Poorly marked/lit kerbs and central reservations.
As highlighted:
here

For anyone familiar with the run towards Manchester Ducati from the A556 there's a lovely set of bends (less than 200yds end to end) but the last one is a left and the kerb is totally unmarked - so in the dark anyone unfamiliar would no doubt be riding on the verge before realising it (ho hum..)
 
umm i would but, (I'm shy and), sheerly you should observe these 'hazards' and ride accordingly

what I would like to see is
less paint on the road and
I would like to see more cats eyes on unlit sections of road

maybe I should email him that then again what does one opinion actually mean a minority of a minority couldn't possibly change the world
 
Bus cushions particularly in the dark. I am a Civil and Structural Engineer and when designing road schemes I first think of the most vunerable; pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. For 99% of urban highways the existing set up is absolutely appalling and a shame on our profession. Considering that we've had finite element analysis for structures for over 50 years and Ducati are only just using it to lighten their crankcases it's beyond me why the streets are cluttered with unecessary signs and why we can't stop manholes from sinking. The Department for Environment and Transport need to look at the whole picture then assign individuals to address the detail remembering that the Devil is in the detail. Lancashire County Council have proposed a road scheme near me and to save money by not kerbing and re-surfacing they propose to use only road paint. Furthermore they have not considered local residents or the fact that the main highway is very busy during match days. All because someone has designed the scheme on an Ordnance Survey Plan without leaving the office.
 
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