Safe Speed Forums

Last winter, the biking press was full of stories from bikers coming across a new type of road grit- whitish instead of pink, and making the road very slippery. It was discovered that this new grit had been treated in some way with molasses, in a bid to reduce the amount flung up onto (and causing corrosion of) cars.
Many councils have recently announced that there will be a widespread adoption of this white grit this winter- so watch out.

Just been announced on radio that roads in Warwickshire will be "safer" this year as this grit coated in sugar will be spread --so bikers in Warwickshire beware.

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

I can see this "White Grit" making a right mess of your cars/bikes, not only is it going to stick to the roads but it will also stick to everything else. At least with ordinary road salt you could wash most of it off with cold water.

I wonder if it's being properly tested?

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

Probably to the same rigorous standard as the good old LTI20-20

Thats the reason I don't like riding my bike in the winter - all the shite spread on the roads

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"Are you sh**ing me?"
"John Spartan, you are fined one credit for a violation of the verbal morality statute."

So you're not just a fair weather biker then Blademansw?

I have to agree TBH - there's no fun in it when the roads are covered in crap and you've got next to no traction. Oh and the old favourite - smeers all over your visor....maybe I'll invent a helmet mounted washer system...

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

Nah, I ride all year round. I just try to avoid it when salt is plastered all over the road as that destroys the bike PDQ! I think its especially bad in Swindon when they plaster crap all over the road over the top of all the lovely white paint and shellgrip everywhere

Windscreen wipers for your lid would be a good idea though!

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"Are you sh**ing me?"
"John Spartan, you are fined one credit for a violation of the verbal morality statute."

It might be an "urban legend" because I cannot find any web references, but in a chat about it yesterday, I was told that sheep in the Warwickshire area have decided that the mix of sugar and salt is very appetising, and that if they escaped from their fields they would stand in the road licking the grit up rather than the more normal grazing of the verges. Something which isn't exactly conducive to road safety!

Most definitely not an urban legend, the MCN articles were real enough.
The molasses/sugar content is supposed to stop the stuff sticking to vehicles, but the residue it leaves is almost as bad as an oil spill.

Hmm...not too sure I'd want to use them with the open face though

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

I meant the sheep licking it off the roads, not the problems it gives to motorcycles.

DOH !!!!!!

SHUSH, don't tell everybody, they don't get proper meal breaks in Leek Wooten

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on