Beware of Tar Snakes

[ADVonZERO]

With summer in full swing, new riders need to be aware of road/crack repair techniques, affectionately called 'tar snakes'. While fine on straight aways, these are seriously dangerous to 2 wheels on turns! You can easily feel the rear end slip out on a turn if it's hot outside when going over these tar lines. It's usually best to avoid these routes if possible.

Be safe!

 

[Hippo-Drones]

Good tip

 

[Moto Mengy]

Wow that road had the crap tarred out of it!

 

[R-Rated]

Wow that road had the crap tarred out of it!

Funny part is someone spent the money to repaint the lines after the snakes were placed.

 

[tjthresh]

I've seen way too many roads that look like that.

 

[Drakhen99]

Looks like half the roads around here.

SMH.

-John

 

[Ponkster]

We have an equally dangerous "shortcut" used to repair the roads round here called 'TopDressing'- in basically is tar poured on the road and then tons of gravel poured onto it spread out and then left four a couple of weeks, after which the road crew are supposed to come back and sweep up all the gravel that didn't stick to the tar. For bikers this stuff is lethal - if you hit it at spread you will wash out and at slow speed it can be like riding through deep snow.Other dangers are cars passing at high speed showering you in gravel chips. There are suposed to be warning signs put out but on many of the twisty country roads where this is mostly done signs if used at all are usually too close to the road works an you usually see them way too late!

 

[R-Rated]

We have an equally dangerous "shortcut" used to repair the roads round here called 'TopDressing'- in basically is tar poured on the road and then tons of gravel poured onto it spread out and then left four a couple of weeks, after which the road crew are supposed to come back and sweep up all the gravel that didn't stick to the tar. For bikers this stuff is lethal - if you hit it at spread you will wash out and at slow speed it can be like riding through deep snow.Other dangers are cars passing at high speed showering you in gravel chips. There are suposed to be warning signs put out but on many of the twisty country roads where this is mostly done signs if used at all are usually too close to the road works an you usually see them way too late!

Were I live there are a several backroads (below tertiary) that use that method. I have heard it called "tar and chip". It is indeed challenging to ride on a some spots are loose and others can be worn to a shine. All with varying grip depending on temperature and weather. I recently rediscovered one of the local roads with this. Plus side it was an improvement over when it was just gravel about 20 years ago. It would have a washboard effect causing the rear of the patrol car to slide out.

 

[Baldbiker]

wow, when it gets to that point why not just repave it!

 

[AlanSmith7]

I have never seen this before. Thanks for sharing this. Please tell us the details about it.

 

[Moose M]

Bizarre. As a rider from New Zealand I’ve never seen these ‘tar snakes’ to such a degree (the occasional solitary squiggle yes but this…). The biggest hazard I frequently run into (not literally) are potholes. Been a few I’ve avoided lately that resemble craters on the moon!

 

[LimeyRider]

jeeeze, never seen this over in the UK thankfully, but then I do have to navigate what looks like minefields on most routes where our roads are so full of pot holes it looks like the Taliban have been digging in IED's every 5 meters..