[WinginHunk]

Brian asked wasn't my slide & wipe out on Metzler tires? Yes it was, but the tires had nothing to do with it. The state had applied liquid de-icer on the roadway surface, making it extremely slippery. De-icer is suppose to be applied just before the road surface freezes and there is a small window of opportunity to apply it. In my case it was 49 degrees (F) outside, way too warm to have applied it.
After the bike and I came to a stop I first did a self inspection and decided other than being a little sore (hey, I'm 59), my next thought was to get the bike upright and out of the traffic lane. I next started taking pictures. I almost always have a digital camera with me. I was taking pictures of the road conditions, the oily substance pattern on the road when I was approached by another motorist who wanted to know if I had just had a accident because of the slippery stuff on the roadway. He explained that himself and two other driver's (car drivers) had just spun out in the same place. One car had just crossed the bridge and started to slow for the turn and did a 180 degree spin out but didn't hit anything. About two seconds later two more cars come along and spun out and these two collide with each other. Less than five minutes later along I come and join the party. I got all three of their names as witness's to the street conditions, more photo's of the road, their cars and damage. I took about 50 digital photographs. We called for the State Patrol and filled out collision reports to document the incident. This de-icer will start to evaporate fairly quickly in too warm of weather, but I got my evidence.
That's the rest of the story.

 

[Closetchef]

Glad you're ok, and it sounds as if this stuff should be banned. The techies they have driving the application trucks might scare anyone.

 

[wingnutzz]

Amazing!!!

Appreciate you telling us the details -- may help keep one of us from going down in similar circumstances. You were very fortunate and we are all glad for that. Looks like they are starting to put that stuff down everywhere these days. I guess it must be "easier" than using an end-loader to put gravel in a truck. Here in Colorado, they have gotten carried away with this idea. Putting big tanks in dumb-trucks, and in one case, actually spreading the "mag-chloride" from a tractor-trailer-tanker. If they even think it is going to snow, they start spreading the stuff, and it really makes the roads slick. Add a little moisture, and it is disaster waiting to happen. And, it may not be normal salt (sodium chloride), but it is still a salt and is not good for bikes or cars.

Had a good friend and his wife go down in September on US-285 west of Denver and just east of Kenosha Pass because of fresh mag chloride. Unfortunately, they had to use flight for life to fly him to Denver in order to save his foot. Fortunately, after some recuperation they both recovered, but mag chloride almost cost him one of his feet. As for the State, they said he was going too fast for conditions -- well, he was not riding too fast for a normal road and did not know that the state crews had just taken steps to make it very slippery!!!!!

 

[Andy M]

Glad you're OK, the soreness will go away I'm sure. The magnesium chloride is very good at keeping ice off the roadways and is also used as a dust suppressant for dirt roads in rural areas. However, you experienced first hand how dangerous it can be. It is extremely slippery when first applied. Sounds like the local road crews got out there way too early. I know it's a tough call for them because of the application timing requirements, but putting it on at 49F is ridiculous. One thing to keep in mind for all riders that live in areas where mag-chloride is used is that it attracts moisture after the fact. When the roads have cleared of snow and ice and the relative humidity is high, you'll notice a "wet" road where there shouldn't be one. This is the result of the mag attracting available moisture. This situation too, can be hazardous. Be careful out there!

 

[Tony in AZ]

Glad things ended up with only sore spots on your body.

This is interesting stuff to me.

Since I am an Arizona native and never lived in the snow areas I am unfamilar with ice and cold related stuff for roads.

Here in AZ you have to worry more on the dirt and small pebbles on the roads, usually in the turns at intersections

 

[Tom Finch]

Winginhunk

Glad you were not hurt. Much bike damage? Do you have ABS?

I had a similar experience a couple of years ago. I exited on to Ralph Fair Road from I -10 Westbound as I had done every workday for a couple of years, on the way home from work. It is a parallel access road with access trafic required to yield. It was raining. I slowed down more that usual exit speed of 70 (S turn) to about 50.

About a quarter mile ahead along the mild curve is a four way stop sign. As always, I was pulling a trailer. As I started to slow down for the right yield, the engine just quit turning and the bike started to skid. I let up on the brakes and the engine started and so I knew I was in for a bad ride. Thank God and Honda for a good horn. I just blew the horn as I slid and released until I came to a stop on the far side of the intersection.

Probably a fuel spill. The next evening, as I exited at 70 in the dry, I saw all the swirling skid marks and damaged guardrails on both sides of the access road. Obviously, multiple cars had not done so well on whatever made the road slick. I was really lucky, expecially because I did not have ABS, a factor that would later put me down at 70 and total the bike.

I do not have a beautiful Pearl Blue Bike anymore, but I do have ABS. I am currently trying the AVON Venoms. Next, I will try the Valkyrie Dunlop Elite 70 series on the back. I have a 70 series Avon now. It is a little soft in the sidewalls. Wonderful cornering. Not enough rain experience to judge yet.

I was on mixed black ice three weeks ago and do not want to do that again. The risk/reward ratio was poor. The black ice patches were totally without traction. Fortunately they were about the size of a car. Most had some snow on it, only a little was black. I pulled in and had coffee 20 miles down the road and just waited for a thaw which took about two hours.

 

[Jeff in Ferndale WA]

Thanks for posting this again Will.I remember the first time you posted this,and it's always good to have a refresher.

I saw this stuff a couple of times after your incident last fall.
I don't know if I did anything different when I saw it,but at least I was aware of a potential problem,where I wouldn't have had a clue before.

 

[WinginHunk]

Tom asked if I have ABS, yes I do. But I never used the brakes at all. I had just crossed the bridge and my speed was less than 25 MPH. This can be a very congested area and I was just letting the engine slow the bike down even more as I approached the turn onto Purdy Dr.

Here in western Washington it looks like another beautiful day and I can't ride . My bike sits in the garage with it's new front tire & fender still off (new rear tire installed). I am applying the fender brace from Bushtec, and have to allow the tape to set up. Since my wife has to work today, maybe I can charge up the battery on her 1500 :lol:

 

[WTRedneck (AmarilloTx)]

GWRRA or AMA?

Which one of these groups can we talk to about this Mag Chloride. This junk sounds dangerous! They have just installed this de-icing agent in my area and from time to time during non-icing conditions and above freezing temps the stuff is leaking out onto the side of the roads and is being picked up and spread by 4wheel vehicles.

Around here we have an automated system that sprays it on bridges and overpasses during times that it is needed, but like I said the the thing is leaking!

 

[WTRedneck (AmarilloTx)]

Another request

I have just done some web searchs for magnesium chloride and all I can find is information concerning what a wonderful de-icing agent that it is. Does anyone know of a web site with information about the side effects (ie slippery roads) if not applied correctly? Just wanting to get the facts and see if this is a known side-effect.

TIA!

 

[Sid Moen]

Last Christmas I had a compression slide while decelerating on a high sped off ramp. There was no ice treatment that I know of on the road, no sign of oil, water or anything else. I was very cold out and when I downshifted the engine compression slowed the back tire down real fast. It was like my old dirt bike days but the slide suprised me on the Wing. On unusual looking conditions like dust, sand and dark surfaces where dry should be, the only thing I can suggest is really neutral inputs to all the controls. Hard to practice when it sneaks up on you like it did to WinginHunk. Like they said on that old cop show "Be careful out there."
:22yikes: