[bartlaski]

About half way through a 3 hour ride yesterday I pulled out to pass on a two-lane road. I didn't see that there were rumble strips under the solid and dashed painted center lines. After pulling out to pass I felt them while crossing over into the other lane and was surprised but continued the pass as I had been behind the other vehicle for a few miles. I passed the other vehicle with much room to spare before the lines became double yellow again and a corner with good visibility and no cars approaching came upwards.

It didn't feel right to lean the bike as crossing back over the rumble strips, so I stayed in the other lane longer than I felt comfortable, and there were still no cars approaching. Had there been cars approaching I would have had to either lean the bike while crossing back over the strips, or would have been in some trouble if an approaching car hadn't pulled over.

Wondering know how others handle passing with rumble strips. I didn't see them under the painted lines and will certainly look more closely. Some of the earlier rider safety books were written before the rumble strips became poplular with traffic engineers. These were the kind that look like a caterpillar track would on unseasoned asphalt, but smaller and tighter. I've seen the machines grinding these out before and leaning the bike over on uncertain surfaces never feels right, and the instinct is too keep the bike upright.

Any other experiences or suggestions about rumble strips? It was a spooky moment and could have been much worse.

 

[Pooch]

I get over them and back as quick as I can. I don't like them but the wing handles them okay. YMMV

 

[Steve F]

While the "pucker factor" is high, I'd much prefer to ride on those than tar snakes. Just no quick moves, and you'd be fine.

 

[zaT111]

Unless your riding in wet conditions or extreme lean angles (for a Wing ) you should not have any issues. There were some motorcyclist concerns when Michigan started putting them in a number of years ago. After riding on and over them, I find the worry is much ado about not much. It will just be a surprise when you run over them if you don't see them.

 

[bartlaski]

I appreciate the replies. Its humbling to see there was a hazard I hadn't considered at all. At over 100K of street/highway 2 wheeled miles its easy to think there aren't hazards that I hadn't considered yet. Learned not so long ago to be aware of painted lines on the road when its wet as well, in addition to shifting loads on trucks, oil from leaking vehicles, etc.

Then there are cars with brake lites that have smoke colored covers on them.......guess there's always something new I hadn't considered. Yes, the pucker factor was high when the handlebars started vibrating during a pass - I'll certainly look more closely at the painted lines than just whether its a passing zone or not.

 

[cgent]

I'm confused ...

"I didn't see that there were rumble strips under the solid and dashed painted center lines."

In Indiana rumble strips are only at the edge of the roads. And a solid center line indicates a NO PASSING zone.

:shrug:

 

[jasnmar]

Some states have started introducing rumble strips to centerlines as well. See https://www.dot.ny.gov/programs/rumblestrips/centerrumblestrips for an example.

Could be that the dashed line is on "my" side of the road and the solid is on the "other" side of the road, indicating that it's OK for me to pass...

 

[techdude2000]

Yep, those are being installed to get the text'rs to look up as they cross into your path so they get a good look at the guy they're going to kill in 2 milliseconds. :shock: :evil: :nojoke:

 

[Monk]

Yep, those are being installed to get the text'rs to look up as they cross into your path so they get a good look at the guy they're going to kill in 2 milliseconds. :shock: :evil: :nojoke:

Have wondered about their purpose. Thank you for the explanation! :yes1:

We have them on the northern section of hwy 7 in Arkansas. Absolutely hate them!!!!

 

[David Wells]

On several roads in Washington State the centerline rumble strips exist in passing zones as well. No biggie - just cross 'em like you mean it and you'll be fine.

 

[Bullshwinkle]

INDOT is starting to use them on new asphalt surfaces.......I've had no problem moving accross them but they do get your attention.........what they are for I guess...

 

[bartlaski]

Yes, the rumble strips are in the center of the road as well as at the edge of the shoulders in Colorado on some roads now. You have to stay entirely in your lane to avoid them - which is a good idea anyway- and being late on a corner apex's will give you a strong reminder of it, I'm sure.

In my case, the solid line was for passing in the other direction, and the dashed line was for my side, which meant it was alright to pass.

I also like being on a bigger bike now when going across sections that are being resurfaced by grinding off the old asphalt. On the 750 I used to ride the handlebars got jerked around alot in areas being resurfaced. Don't miss that aspect of riding a small bike, and sometimes you are warned of the grooved asphalt ahead, and sometimes not.

 

[jschiner]

In Texas they usually leave a small opening in the middle for us bikers to ride through them. Thoughtful design. The ones that drive me nutso are the speed bumps!

 

[shnev]

Those strips are a good place for debris to be contained in. Beware of the area you are riding in. If you have a lot of home building in the area there will be a potential for those strips to hold nails and screws.

 

[cycledude]

rumble strips down the centerline are very dangerous for motorcycles ! the only place i ever recall seeing them is in Arkansas and i think they may have stopped putting them in because of motorcycle accidents

 

[SteveU]

rumble strips down the centerline are very dangerous for motorcycles ! the only place i ever recall seeing them is in Arkansas and i think they may have stopped putting them in because of motorcycle accidents

They have them on M-60 in Michigan, I try to aim for the gap between the painted lines when crossing them to pass someone as they get your attention, especially when wet. First time I got the Michelin to break loose on pavement was accelerating across these when wet to pass a guy who had been doing 10 under on a side road, couldn't take following his oil burning vehicle anymore.

 

[pidjones]

I welcome them in Tennessee, where the only place that I have seen them used is double-yellow areas. I'd like to see more of them since many drivers here don't like the sound of their tires running over them, and tend to stay in their own lane better. Without them, they tend to drive in the oncoming lane half the time.

 

[Monk]

I welcome them in Tennessee, where the only place that I have seen them used is double-yellow areas. I'd like to see more of them since many drivers here don't like the sound of their tires running over them, and tend to stay in their own lane better. Without them, they tend to drive in the oncoming lane half the time.

I would agree with this! :agree:

On the northern section of Arkansas 7, they put them solid all the way to Jasper. It is a little better since some resurfacing has been done, and the rumble strips have not been replaced in those areas.

 

[Sailor_]

Yep, those are being installed to get the text'rs to look up as they cross into your path so they get a good look at the guy they're going to kill in 2 milliseconds. :shock: :evil: :nojoke:

What's the deal with that? You're trying to tap out a message and get interrupted by those
strips. :x BTW anyone remember in the 60's when they came out with Bot's dots? They were
those rounded bumps put in the centerline.

 

[Richard Clem]

road size

A couple of years ago, they put them in on a Wednesday on M-66. The next day our Thur night Ride-to-eat group had just started down that road, I was 3rd or 4th in our staggered formation. The road goes up and down over small rises and consists of 35-45 suggested mph sweepers. About 5 minutes into the ride, over a slight rise, comes the preverbial pick-up truck not paying attention. I look and instantly calculate, that I can and do have room to get over right w/o having to use the gravel shoulder. About that time the guy hits the newly installed rumble strip and snaps out of his stupor. Big wide eyes as he went by me. Nobody knows if he would have become aware of what he was about to do in time to avoid it, but there were at least a half-dozen bikes behind me that were glad that those strips were there that day. I'm ok with them causing me to ride with some awareness of them.

Richard