This might be a repeat for some members but we have allot of new members now and I posted this in our old website a few years ago. I bring this up while reading a new members blog last month. So here you guys go.

TAR SNAKES

You’ve seen tar snakes out on the road countless times, but probably never paid too much attention to them in your car. But when riding your motorcycle, it’s a whole different story. With only two tiny patches of rubber keeping you upright on a bike, you have to be a lot more wary about road surface imperfections, and tar snakes are among the most sinister ones you’ll find.

What are Tar Snakes?

As roads age, they develop cracks in the surface. As the road gets abused and traffic and weather take their toll, those cracks get bigger and bigger, and cause the road surface to degrade quickly. As a temporary fix, road crews will fill the cracks with sealant – usually a soft, tar-based substance – to fill the cracks and keep them from expanding. The result? A road covered in random, windy black lines that resemble snakes; hence the term, “tar snakes.”

Why Are Tar Snakes a Hazard to Motorcyclists?

Asphalt sealer, or tar snakes, are hazardous to riders because they can compromise your traction in three ways:

• They have a very different texture than asphalt, and your tires will respond differently to them than to the road
• They create a bumpy road surface that can unsettle your suspension
• They can become softer or slicker in hot weather, or when wet

Tar snakes are generally a lot softer than asphalt, so they can easily get foreign objects embedded into them and they can even come dislodged and stick to your tires! Again, none of this would be an issue in a four-wheeled vehicle (which is why they are used), but on a motorcycle, they pose a unique hazard.

What Will Happen If You Hit A Tar Snake?

If you’ve ever ridden over painted lines in the roadway, you may have noticed a change in traction from your tires; this is because paint lines tend to be more slippery than asphalt, and should be avoided.

Tar snakes are similar, but a lot more tricky; because unlike paint lines, you never know where they will be! They are applied on the road wherever damage occurs, so you can hit a patch of them very unexpectedly, and some of these patches can be pretty nasty.

Most of the time, when you ride over tar snakes, you won’t notice much more than a bumpy road. The trouble starts when you’re leaned over; hitting a tar snake can cause you to lose traction momentarily, causing your bike to slide.

Often, you’ll regain traction quickly and won’t experience more than a “puckering moment,” but in a worst-case scenario, you can go down. This has happened to many riders – even motorcycle cops in several cases across the country.

So what do you do when you encounter these dangerous snakes?

How to Handle Tar Snakes on your Motorcycle

Remember, tar snakes are only applied to roads that are damaged, so you’re already riding on a road surface that’s less than ideal. The tar snakes on the road make the surface better for most vehicles, but worse for us riders, so you have to be doubly cautious when riding over them. Here are a few steps you can take to deal with them:

Overall, tar snakes are hazardous to motorcycles because they are simply not designed with us riders in mind. Transportation departments and road crews slap them all over aging roads across the country because they are perfectly acceptable road repairs for those in four-wheeled vehicles – the handful of us that ride on two.Just know to look out for them, be prepared, and keep the rubber side down…where it belongs!

Touring Tip: Helping a Stranded Rider

In the earlier days of motorcycling, when bikes were less reliable, riders frequently became stranded by a mechanical malfunction. Back then, motorcyclists were often as handy with a wrench as they were with the throttle. If they couldn’t fix their own bike, other riders invariably stopped to help out. The bonds among fellow bikers were never stronger.

Today, we’re living in much different times. Modern motorcycles are less prone to breaking down. Crime is more prevalent. Many times a stopped bike along the roadside is due to something other than a mechanical malfunction. The rider may be taking a bio break in the bushes, extracting refreshments from the saddlebags, or some other plausible reason for stopping that doesn’t require assistance. It’s easier nowadays for other riders to rationalize not stopping to ask if help is needed.

In the event an actual mechanical problem is encountered, many, if not most, riders have roadside assistance and carry a cell phone to procure help. I recall an instance when a fellow member of ASR who shall remain nameless—simply ran out of gas. I’ve personally been surprised to find a nail in my rear tire on several occasions.And remember when the spring on my kickstand broke off. Or my headlights went out.So unexpected breakdowns still do happen out on the road!

But let’s suppose a single rider is stranded. How does a passing motorist know if the rider needs help? The universal signal for a car driver needing help is a raised hood. Last time I checked, motorcycles don’t have hoods. So, is there a universal SOS signal for motorcyclists seeking help from passersby?

The Ministry of Transportation in Ontario, Canada, advises that riders who need help should “… place your helmet on the ground near the road.” (Another good reason to wear a helmet, even if it’s not required.) One of the more common hand gestures, used in some locations, is for the passing rider to give a thumbs-up signal, to which the stranded rider would return a thumbs down gesture if help is needed or a thumbs-up if it’s not needed. The stranded rider can also try to get help by waving emphatically. I remember doing this once and the passing motorist just gave a friendly wave back. Of course, most of us would simply pull over and ask if they need help—not too complicated.

What do you do if a rider is stranded? As indicated earlier, we live in a riskier world than our forefathers. Here are several questions to consider:

• Do I have the tools and expertise to help someone repair their motorcycle?
• Is it too risky to stop after dark to offer help? Should I offer it only during daylight hours?
• If a group of riders is stopped, how much can I really add to fixing any problem?
• Is it safe to stop and offer help to strangers on the road?
• Does the situation feel OK or do I sense that something isn’t right?
• Should a single female rider ever stop to help a male rider(s)?

There aren’t any easy, universal answers to these questions. Each rider has to assess the particular circumstances of each situation. My personal experience has shown, though, that riders are often likely to offer help to other riders because of the overarching camaraderie and goodwill among motorcyclists. Do You stop for a stranded rider?

Defensive Riding Techniques –

1. ONCOMING, LEFT TURNING VEHICLE: This is probably the most common cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of an oncoming vehicle doesn’t see a motorcyclist and makes a quick left turn directly in the rider’s path, leaving little or no time to avoid hitting the car.
   -Avoidance Strategy: First, it’s always helpful for riders and their bikes to be as conspicuous as possible, which is helped by auxiliary lights ride with your high beam on and high visibility riding gear. Second, look for indications that the oncoming driver may not see you: no eye contact, hands turning the steering wheel, or movement of left front wheel or just plain out on their phone. Third, ride at a safe speed in traffic congested areas, because higher speed equals longer stopping distances. Some riders, however, slow to a crawl when they see a left turning vehicle, but this is an invitation for that driver to turn in front of you! I always move to the farthest part left in my lane makes me a little more visible and gives me more room in case I need to make a fast move. I always have eye contact on that driver. And it is also a great time to use your horn let them know you are there.
2. ANIMALS IN THE ROAD: I’ve personally experienced running into and over some ground hogs to other rodents in the road. Besides an owl and Vulture. I have the scratch marks on my helmet from that big Vulture. And it doesn’t necessarily take a large critter to take a two-wheeler down.
   -Avoidance Strategy: Constantly scan the road and surrounding terrain ahead for animals, particularly when undergrowth and trees are close to the pavement. Also, those “deer warning signs” are usually present for a reason. Be especially alert when riding in the early morning or evening, when animals are the most active. Adjust your speed and cover clutch and brake levers in high-risk areas so emergency stopping distances are appropriate for those conditions. And, of course, it never hurts to periodically practice emergency stops and swerves in a parking lot.
3. GRAVEL ON BLIND CURVES: Riding through gravel with the bike leaned over at speed is almost certain to result in a crash. The situation worsens if the sliding motorcycle and rider cross the yellow line into the path of an oncoming vehicle—crunch!
   -Avoidance Strategy: Gravel on roadways is more likely after heavy rains, near construction sites, and at gravel driveways in rural areas. If riders assume there will be gravel around a blind curve, they are more likely to adjust their entry speed accordingly. It’s also possible to use some light braking in a curve, even with the bike leaned over, especially if the motorcycle has anti lock brakes. But the best technique is usually to avoid the gravel, stand the bike up, and apply maximum braking. Maximizing sight lines is also an important strategy for avoiding all types of hazards on blind curves.
4. CARS CHANGING LANES: At on ramps or while riding on crowded multi-lane urban roads, an adjacent motorist may suddenly pull directly into your path, leaving little or no time for evasive action.
   -Avoidance Strategy: Rule number one is to stay out of the blind spots of other drivers. It’s also important to maximize the space cushion between the rider and other vehicles. Rush hour traffic on multi-lane highways presents the highest risk for other vehicles changing lanes into a rider. If riding at this time can’t be avoided, I’ve found the best strategy is riding in the far left lane so traffic on only the right side must be monitored.
5. EXCESSIVE SPEED IN A CURVE: A rider suddenly realizes mid-curve that the turn is tighter than expected ( a decreasing radius curve) and panics. Instead of increasing the bike’s lean angle, the rider stops looking through the curve, stiffens his or her arms, and goes straight off the roadway. This often results in the motorcyclist crashing into a stationary object (guardrail, tree, building, etc.) or flying off their bike or road.
   -Avoidance Strategy: Pay attention to that little voice in your head when it says, “I’m riding above my skill level.” Of course, the easiest way to avoid crashing on a curve is to do what’s taught in the basic MSF course: slow the bike before entering a curve and accelerate out of it. Even a highly skilled rider always should keep some of his bike’s lean angle in reserve in case it’s needed. Remember it is ok to scrap you pegs/running boards.

Safe riding practices help motorcyclists avoid accidents and bodily injury, and they also build rider confidence and enjoyment.

Michael Theodore

National Road Captain

Adjusting Your Riding Style