Slippery manhole covers.

Dannyboy95

Hey guys em this is probably a silly question but how dangerous are wet manhole covers?. Because i've never slipped on one before. Im sure someone has slipped on one so if you could give me your experiences that would be great.

JonS123

If you are going round a corner & leaning, they are as bad as black ice.

I nearly wiped out on a very small water meter size one which I had'nt spoted once, luckally there was enough space from the kerb to recover

so be careful

optimisticbiker

Very if you catch them at the wrong angle..... you'll know when it happens...

kurako

Straight line.. no probs. On a bend...see ya!!!!

Same can be said for white lines. Especially the big thick ones they use to mark out cycle and bus lanes. I have had some pretty hairy moments going round corners where the back wheel suddenly kicks out due to road 'decoration'.

Best thing you can do is stick to the tarmac at all costs. Also worth slowing for corners unless you're totally sure the road is free of metal/ paint/ oil/ other crap.

andrewlwood

I took a spill on a white line last week going round a corner. Avoid them and manhole covers on corners, esp when they're wet (rain, dew, mist); you don't stand a chance on road tyres.

jamesco

Kurako wrote:

Straight line.. no probs.

Even in a straight line they can be a right pain, either when you're starting off and putting the power down or when you're braking. A few times I've spun the rear wheel and ended up straddling the crossbar with tears in my eyes... :shock:

Headhuunter

I always avoid manhole covers, even if I'm not turning... They are literally like ice. Even when going straight I often end up wheelspinning on them which throws me off balance....

aripallaris

theyre stupidly slippery. central london is covered in them and almost impossible to avoid them all. cant even count the amount of times ive almost taken a dive

Dannyboy95

Wow guys thanks some good experiences there lets hope i dont go down skidding on my nose.

nation

Normally I say that in slippery conditions roadies need to perfect the art of standing upright through the bends and dabbing their inside foot MTB-style, but with manhole covers you don't even get that chance unless you have the reflexes of spiderman.

"Treacherous" is the word.

riggsy81

I always try and avoid as there not a lot of a fun when your putting some power down when you go over one..

road markings, drain covers and diesel on wet roads are the devil... oh and so is ice and snow LOL

beverick

Wet manhole covers are only marginally more dangerous than dry ones.

The raised patterns on the surface can bring you down as can hitting the edges of them.
Many are either raised above or sunken below the surface which also presents a risk.

It's been fixed now but one on a major junction I sometimes use used to wobble as you went across it. The displacement was about 2-3 inches which was more than enough to bring you down.

They may as well plant land mines.....

Bob

andrewlwood

Dannyboy95 wrote:

Wow guys thanks some good experiences there lets hope i dont go down skidding on my nose.

Wear a helmet. Not to start another helmet debate, but slipping on wet manhole covers is exactly the kind of accident they CAN protect your head from.

nwallace

Take a car to Skye, head out the road to Carbost. Where the road changes from Single Carriageway to Single Track there is a Cattle Grid on the corner. Keep going, go to the Ship Inn and get something to eat, look around the area and generally forget about the Cattle Grid.

Now head back towards Sligachan, make sure it's clear and then take the cattle grid flat out on the corner.

If it is wet the fright you will get from your car sliding will tell you just how slippy metal is when wet.
If it is dry the slide you will get off the cattle grid will also tell you just how slippy metal can be even when dry.

Now get out of car, put bike on road and go and do it on the bike.
You won't even dream of crossing the grid with any sort of lean on the bike.

If Skye isn't within range, just follow a motorcyclist oin a drizzly day where you know there are cundies (manhole covers) on line in corners.

After seeing a motorcycle jump from secondary to primary on a cundie you should also get the idea.

Failing that try it for yourself on your human powered 2 wheeler.