Safe Speed Forums

I live near Southampton where it hasn't rained for some time and tonight it's 10degC. The roads seem slippery at the moment and my traction control light flashes in places it shouldn't. I stopped to check my tyres as I am understeering more than expected.

Anyone else noticed this - or is it just me?

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

That's curious.

Have you noticed any de-icing or gritting activity? I'm wondering if anything has been applied to the roads?

The road are gritted around here (despite the temperature being well above freezing for a fortnight) but grip levels are normal.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Some salt/gritting was done quite a few days ago when overnight temperatures did drop below zero (well, this is the deep south you know).

There does seem to be some residue left on the surfaces and the absence of rain may just mean that it has stayed around longer than expected.

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

We have had a very dry November. Also December is usualy the wettest month of the year and it has been very dry so far. I think there are 2 things at work.

1) The it is dry for long periods diesel, 2 stroke oil, engine oil mist is deposited on the road. When it gets damp through condensation the surface can be lethal. It takes a goood heavy rain fall to clear the roads.

2) There is a lot of mud deposited on the road from farm tractors. This can be spread over great distances. Also needs to be washed away by heavy rain.

If you think its bad in a car you should try in on a motorbike...

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Speed camera policy Kills

Both June and I have noticed a remarkably poor traction in the last couple of weeks too. Last weekend I drove June's car (also an Accord auto, but an X reg 1.8 and a hatchback) - and on one roundabout I had to lift off and pay on substantially more lock than I expected to to maintain the chosen line. The road was very slightly damp - and it felt like the tyres were almost spent (but they're not, they're almost new). I was thinking of getting suspension geometry checked out on her car to make sure there was no alignment or shocker problem.

Slightly off topic, in my own car (Accord 2.4 on 17" alloys shod with Michelin Pilots) I've noticed the car steering to the camber, particularly when braking, far more than it used to and far more than any other, and particularly at low (ish) speed. It seems to be vague about the straight-ahead position. I did not notice this until comparatively recently either. Pressures are correct. I was wondering (seriously) if speed bumps etc had altered camber angles to cause this strange feeling?

I'd give the local cops a ring. If there are unusual low grip conditions, then they may well already know about them. If they don't know, then they should be informed.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I don't think it's really rained in Hampshire at all this month, and I have been aware of possible slipperyness while driving. Last Friday an older Celica spun off and hit a sign at a perfectly straight bit of d/c near my office, and assume he over cooked it and the car kept going.

Gareth

Lots of very slippery roads around here (Chesterfield) too. both the Peugeot and the TVR have been sliding around at modest speeds with decent tyres (i.e. plenty of tread).

I would have, but this was way out of my normal patch - and it is just possible a well-known skating rink.

This is all sounding very strange - widespread low grip conditions, with no apparent cause.

I'm very sensitive to grip levels, and I don't recall ever hearing about or experiencing widespread (i.e. multi-county) low grip. There were liquid de-icer experiments in Essex (Chelmsford area at least) in about 1988 that caused very low grip. We had a chat with the local cops about it and they agreed it really was very slippery.

Grip levels are definitely normal here in North Scotland.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I travel in Norfolk and Suffolk, and my car is sliding all over the place.

It isnt cold enough to be ice, but the roads seem to have that greasy film that is typical after a long dry spell.

Doesnt matter to me though, as I know I shall be perfectly safe if I adhere to the posted limits.

And the news from Cumbria is that it's "gay slape" round here too, to use the local vernacular.

I think it's just general winter snottiness - grit residue, diesel etc - that the low rainfall has allowed to accumulate way beyond normal levels. As if to underline this we had a positive deluge of rain yesterday and things felt decidedly more secure when I went out this afternoon.

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CSCP Latin for beginners...
Ticketo ergo sum : I scam therefore I am!

Very slippy here in sunny southend. The roads could do with a good wash. The Mighty Civic is entertaining me with a little lift of over steer at times yee ha.

The yard a work is fun too. the fork lift is having a nice slither