Road Positioning and Safety

[Kriswithak]

So around where I live I've noticed ALOT of the main roads are particularly bad, especially the pacific highway, and wanted some opinions on road positioning. There is the whole 'stay in the wheel' tracks concept which is meant to reduce the chance of being on slippery and dangerous areas of the road/buffering, but the problem I'm seeing is that the wheel tracks on large areas of the road I use are actually grooved in, and collect all the runoff, not to mention being very bumpy, and not flat at all, there is almost a 'lip' that you fall into the groove from.
I'm wondering how much safer it is in these situations (ie just after light rain/drizzle) to be in this grooves than being on the road centre, or off centre so I'm not in the groove. At the 5 ways at crowsnest in particular the grooves are really deep at probably well over 10cm and quite wide (car tyre width)

I noticed this when I started trying to clean up my riding techniques, and found the bike really bumpy when I first started riding and on specific trips. It took me a while to realise it was just terrible road surface when traveling in the common wheel track areas.

I'm interested to see what other people think for this kind of situation, because in my mind I'm seeing both options as being equally dangerous due to the mid area being where oil etc drips, and the grooves being where it accumulates if the rain is anything heavier than a fine mist (ie the runoff travels into those grooves)

 

[privateryan2]

Up where I live in PA the roads also reflect this same condition in the rain in many areas. I often just find myself in the middle where I know I am not supposed to be, but this is the safest i can think of aside from pulling over and waiting it out for awhile. Left side = other cars and paint lines and right side anywhere in the poconos = pot holes. I'm about six months into motorcycle riding now but my whole life with dirtbikes and what not, and trying to keep them safe on the roads and staying away from morons in hummers and what not seems to be my biggest challenge on two wheels yet.

 

[shuckle]

As always, use your discretion. Do what you think is safest.

However; the official line is to keep to the left of center (when you have only one land in your direction) to be in a blocking position. This makes a cager less likely to pull out in front of you and give you somewhere to go if they do.

I don't recall any roads as bad as the ones you're describing, but when I do get a bad wheel groove, I'll get closer to the center line. The cars usually leave about a foot of space from the line. Just be very watchful for cars drifting toward you.

 

[Wolfman]

There's a few things i do consciously & sub conciously on the road, when riding my bike, to try and stay safe.....i have made a list of ten...yes i am bored!

1. Never tailgate!
2. Never sit in a car's blind spot....either get past, or sit far enough back so i can react to any sudden unannounced crazy driving going on in front of me, or emergency situation presenting itself!
3. Always looking closely at road surface, for surface changes, road zits, potholes, oil, dirt, stones, rocks, road kill, etc
4. Try to remember, or motivate mnyself to check tyre pressure regularly...
5. Dont ride on worn out tyres....
6. Try and keep to the smoothest line on the road, if it's in the wheel tracks, then great, if it's near the shoulder, all good, if it's hugging the centre line...i will deal with the bumps, and, or corrugations, furthr away from the centre of the road.
7. Try to resist feeble attempts at emulating the "Ghost Rider"!!!
8. A new one....when following Cars on twisty roads, where you cant overtake safely, and they are leading you through a series of blind corners....STAY WELL BACK....it is not uncommon for them to make a sudden stop on the other side of a blind corner...cause they spotted a nice house!!!! Then you are presented with a wall to get around!
8. Stay away from 4 wheel Drives!!! Seriously!
9. Always wear decent riding gear!
10. Never ride at more than 7/10's on the road!

Just my 2 cents...

:rockon:

 

[ozzieboy]

If you're riding cruddy roads like these in the wet, just take it easy and try your best to stay off the negative camber side of ruts. In the dry, with good tires it doesn't really matter as much.

In the wet....no more than 50%


In the dry I'll limit myself to about 75%

Dry Track day I reckon around 90-95%



Cheers
Mike

 

[privateryan2]

Wolfman, number 8. agreed 4wds are the worst ive seen yet.

 

[Wolfman]

Wolfman, number 8. agreed 4wds are the worst ive seen yet.

Yep....they have got 2 of us in the last 12 months!!!

 

[Kriswithak]

Thanks for the replies guys. I've been trying to avoid staying in the ruts at the lights because they are often so deep its hard to get out of them, and they funnel you as you take off.
Whats the 7/10s and percentages mean though? Excuse my noobiness.

+1 on the 4wd's though, I had one today when I went out to Ikea to take a look at some furniture block me for about 5k's.
He literally left a front buffer between him and anything else of maybe 300m, but was happy to sit right along side other drivers (in the right lane 10km below the speed limit)
He wouldn't move over despite being a slow driver, and blocked me when I attempted to undertake him when I got a nice safe clear opportunity. Just sat behind him after that.

Never mind speeding, can we see some police out there keeping an eye on responsible driving????

 

[Wolfman]

Thanks for the replies guys. I've been trying to avoid staying in the ruts at the lights because they are often so deep its hard to get out of them, and they funnel you as you take off.
Whats the 7/10s and percentages mean though? Excuse my noobiness.

+1 on the 4wd's though, I had one today when I went out to Ikea to take a look at some furniture block me for about 5k's.
He literally left a front buffer between him and anything else of maybe 300m, but was happy to sit right along side other drivers (in the right lane 10km below the speed limit)
He wouldn't move over despite being a slow driver, and blocked me when I attempted to undertake him when I got a nice safe clear opportunity. Just sat behind him after that.

Never mind speeding, can we see some police out there keeping an eye on responsible driving????

7/1Oth's means just that, ride with 30% of your commitment in your back pocket, give yourself room to move if tings get scary...if you are riding at 10/10th's, or 100% on the road...your going too hard! If an emergency presents itself, you will have little opportunity to get out of it!!!

Give yourself leeway to brake harder if necessary, etc, etc...sit further back from the car in front of you, than you realy need to for safety...

:thumbup:

 

[Kriswithak]

Ohhh ok cool, I gotcha!