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Post by Aerostudent on May 31, 2008 16:26:19 GMT -5
The following is a true story, but it is not the recomended way of traveling on a scooter..... It all started when I was riding to school... I was in a construction zone, and I didn't notice one of those metal plates that they use to cover small trenches, etc, that was sitting a good 3 inches above the ground. Well, the construction crew's idea of smoothing it out was to put a little asphault around it, basically making it a small ramp (the asphault made just about a 45* angle between the road and the plate, turning it into a small funbox type jump). Well, to make a long-ish story slightly less long, I hit this "ramp" at about 50 mph and got full foot or so of air (plus I came off the seat about 2 more feet). I was like WAAHHHHHHH!!!!  luckilly I used to jump my bike all the time when I was younger, as well as doing 12 years of competitive gymnastics, so flying through the air is nothing new to me. I felt that I had control the whole situation. I landed it picture-perfect and kept riding like nothing had happened, the only thing I really thought about was "man, I wonder if the guy behind me saw that!!" though it DID hit me just how bad this could have turned out. I am still contemplating complaining to the city about the construction-that-literallly-almost-killed-me, but so far I have been a bit too busy to figure out how to go about that. The moral of the story, watch out for crap in the road, especially around construction sites!!! Aero ;D |
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Post by scooterollie on May 31, 2008 20:19:52 GMT -5
On our twisty winding back roads I have found a few little rises that will do the same thing if you don't know about them. Glad you made it back to earth safely! Someone behind you probably thought you were just showing off. You know how those young kids are!! (LOL)
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Post by 90GTVert on May 31, 2008 20:55:56 GMT -5
There is a back road around me with a section with bumps one after another that will get you bouncing off the ground and off the seat. I actually enjoy it, although unsafe. Cracks me up... and yes I understand it won't be so funny when I get literally cracked up. They should repave it before some Harley hits the moon.
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Post by griff10 on Jun 1, 2008 2:56:03 GMT -5
The following is a true story, but it is not the recomended way of traveling on a scooter..... It all started when I was riding to school... I was in a construction zone, and I didn't notice one of those metal plates that they use to cover small trenches, etc, that was sitting a good 3 inches above the ground. Well, the construction crew's idea of smoothing it out was to put a little asphault around it, basically making it a small ramp (the asphault made just about a 45* angle between the road and the plate, turning it into a small funbox type jump). Well, to make a long-ish story slightly less long, I hit this "ramp" at about 50 mph and got full foot or so of air (plus I came off the seat about 2 more feet). I was like WAAHHHHHHH!!!! luckilly I used to jump my bike all the time when I was younger, as well as doing 12 years of competitive gymnastics, so flying through the air is nothing new to me. I felt that I had control the whole situation. I landed it picture-perfect and kept riding like nothing had happened, the only thing I really thought about was "man, I wonder if the guy behind me saw that!!" though it DID hit me just how bad this could have turned out. I am still contemplating complaining to the city about the construction-that-literallly-almost-killed-me, but so far I have been a bit too busy to figure out how to go about that. The moral of the story, watch out for crap in the road, especially around construction sites!!! Aero ;D You'll learn to slow WAY down in construction areas. Those steel plates are even worse wet, just like ice. And you can't tell if they are wet until you're nearly on top of them. All sorts of nasty surprises with road construction. Worst one was a stretch of freeway that they were paving, had about a 3" vertical lip between one lane and the next and it was tapering to the edge of the road. Only option? Pull off the road, wait for a hole in the traffic and cross that lip at right angles. Hitting it at an angle would have put me on the ground. Bill H. |
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Post by scootingranny on Jun 1, 2008 19:13:36 GMT -5
On the main road on my way to work, there is a horizontal strip of darker looking pavement about 8-10 inches wide. No a problem since it's horizontal, right? Well...kinda sorta. It appears that the road had separated and since a huge construction project on this road is already underway and that particular part of the road will be redone at some future date (like maybe 2012?), the powers that control such things just did a patch job. However, the side of the horizontal strip that you drive over first is quite a bit higher than the other side, which results in a jolt and a "no rear end touching the seat" phenomenon. The first time I hit that area at 40 mph, it surprised and scared me as it's a very difficult drop to see, especially since that part of the road is shaded by trees. I never felt that bump when driving the cage.
Everybody be safe out there. All things are not as they seem.
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Post by Aerostudent on Jun 1, 2008 20:30:28 GMT -5
I'm not too concerned about hitting the metal when wet. I didn't even touch the metal ;D but it has taught me to be MUCH more aware of what COULD be in the road, not just of what APEARS to be in the road.
Aero
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Post by griff10 on Jun 3, 2008 3:12:50 GMT -5
Btw, as it's getting warmer outside, be very careful of the tar strips you see as crack patches on blacktop roads. In the heat these things are very slippery, avoid them like the plague.
Bill H.
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Post by xmirage2kx on Jun 3, 2008 18:21:11 GMT -5
for the most part ANYTHING on/in the road besides smooth dry pavement should be avoided if at all possible
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