How to deal with lawn clippings on the roadway.
Grass on the roadway can be a non- issue or an extremely slippery condition. If possible,slow down using clear pavement ahead of the covered are.
I’ve Got A Grass – Fed Beef, And based on recent conversations, with other riders I am not alone on this issue. We see this all to much while out on the road enjoying a nice ride. Homeowners mowing their lawns and throwing abundant grass clippings onto the roadway can create a special kind of threat to motorcyclist.
Dry grass will typically blow away as vehicles pass through or a nice breeze sweeps it off the roadway. But if grass is wet,it will cling to the surface and can be like grease under your motorcycle tires. If possible, when confronted with grass- covered pavement leading up to the grassy area. Keep your eyes up, look well ahead to increase stability. To maximize your traction, minimize steering,braking and throttle inputs and coast through the grass patches. If the equivalent of one of these Chia Pet patches of pavement appears in a corner,you should minimize your lean angle and look to the exit,not down at the grass or toward the edge of the road.
Remember that grass will stay wet longer than the pavement will. So after a rain shower or in the morning when dew blankets the landscape with moisture, the road surface may be dry, but the grass clippings may still be wet and slippery.
The best way to avoid this problem is ride only as fast as you can see and anticipate the possibility before you encounter it. Slow down and if there is any clear pavement in your lane ride on that instead of over the grass clippings.
If you see homes with lawns especially on the weekends when homeowners are most active doing yard work. There is a good chance someone will be mowing. Larger lawns like those found in rural areas where we like to ride, are often maintained with large tractors that process large amounts of grass and throw it greater distances. While discharging grass onto roadways is illegal in many areas, it remains a big threat to us riders. Anticipating the condition and riding smoothly and calmly through it will reduce the likelihood that grass on the road will clip you.
Keep the contact patch between the lines
Michael Theodore
National Road Captain
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