Look out for algae!

[dentheman]

I dropped my bike for the first time. There is this road that has a small stream flowing OVER it. The stream is about 30 feet wide and maybe 1 inch deep. I approached it very slowly since I didn't want to get myself or my bike wet. I nearly made it across when the front wheel slipped out. The road under the water was coated with extremely slippery algae! It took me a couple tries to get up, the stuff was so slippery. Several gentlemen came to see if I was OK and help lift the bike, but some of them went down as well. Luckily nothing was broken, dented, or scratched on them, me, or my bike. But we did get wet.

That stuff is slipperier than ice, and something else to be aware of!

[mrlmd1]

You got lucky, glad you and the bike are OK.
That must have looked like something out of a Keystone Cops movie, too bad no one got it on video. :)
The only way to survive something like that is to go straight ahead, no turning the wheel if you can help it.
Why is a situation like that allowed to exist? Complain to the local police and highway dept.
Oh, forgot, you live in Texas. :poke2:

[dentheman]

You got lucky, glad you and the bike are OK.
That must have looked like something out of a Keystone Cops movie, too bad no one got it on video. :)
The only way to survive something like that is to go straight ahead, no turning the wheel if you can help it.
Why is a situation like that allowed to exist? Complain to the local police and highway dept.
Oh, forgot, you live in Texas. :poke2:
Actually, it was designed that way. I was riding in the hoity-toity area of multi-million dollar homes built on the cliffs and into the hills, with hilly, winding narrow roads. The stream feeds their man-made lake; I'm not sure why it was designed like that, but that is the way they wanted it.

Maybe to keep motorcycles out.

I will ignore your jibe at Texas, since my family and I enjoyed our 4 years on the Space Coast and have nothing bad to say about your state. Except for the hurricane scares. And the Palmetto bugs (giant flying cockroaches that smack into the side of your head). But overall, it was a bit of paradise where we lived.

[Skunkhome]

Is that one of those low water bridges? Basically a concrete slab used to ford small streams. I've never seen them in Texas but used to be quite common in Arkansas.

[Water Warrior 2]

Time to put a sidecar on the bike.

[dentheman]

Is that one of those low water bridges? Basically a concrete slab used to ford small streams. I've never seen them in Texas but used to be quite common in Arkansas.
It is a road that dips down slightly so the water can run over it, then rises back up a bit on the other side. That might be the same as you are describing. Like a spillway, but there is no dam under it. There should be signs there to warn motorcyles and bicycles.
There is another one at a nearby state park, but it stays dry unless it has rained, so algae doesn't have a chance to grow. Yeah, a low water bridge, I think so.

Now my right ankle and hip are starting to mildly ache, I will be sore tomorrow. Forty years ago this wouldn't have bothered me.

[mrlmd1]

There should be a culvert or something underneath the roadway to keep the water off the road. What happens in a major rainstorm, how deep does the water get, is it ever impassable? That's still a slippery hazard with an accident waiting to happen, even for cars, and sounds like either a poor design or an attempt to save money when the road was built.
The jab at Texas was a gentle jab, a joke, not personal - you saw the poke I put in there. I could add plenty of them for here in Florida. I don't think that kind of construction would be allowed or tolerated in other areas.

[dentheman]

There should be a culvert or something underneath the roadway to keep the water off the road. What happens in a major rainstorm, how deep does the water get, is it ever impassable? That's still a slippery hazard with an accident waiting to happen, even for cars, and sounds like either a poor design or an attempt to save money when the road was built.
The jab at Texas was a gentle jab, a joke, not personal - you saw the poke I put in there. I could add plenty of them for here in Florida. I don't think that kind of construction would be allowed or tolerated in other areas.
I know the jibe was a joke, so was the Palmetto bugs...well, sort of, after a few flew into my daughter's hair she was a little afraid to go outside. But that occassional hurricane thing was stressfull, knowing two weeks in advance that a hurricane was headed in the general direction. Here we have the tornado threat, but that only causes concern for up to a couple hours before it is gone.
When there is a major storm they close those low areas. That is not a problem since you couldn't get to those areas anyway, due to other road closures. We don't have drainage grates along the streets.
The design is done on purpose, maybe it is less expensive, and I think some people think it is picturesque since flowing water is a rarity here. What they call a 'river' here would be some unnamed little runoff trickle in Wisconsin where I grew up.

I did learn something about the Shadow: In a very low-speed tip, she won't go completely over on her side. Instead, she sits on the sides of the tires and the footpeg mounting bracket. The brackets stick out far enough to be mini enginge guards. A good design.

[mrlmd1]

The footpegs are spring loaded and designed to angle up when hitting the ground at any reasonable speed, so you got lucky by it just falling over and not sliding. The engine guard protects the bike (and your legs) a lot better because it's not supposed to fold up. Think about getting one if you decide to keep the bike longterm. When I started riding, I think it was the first thing I added to my GZ.

[Water Warrior 2]

A good solid engine guard/crash bar is a must on many bikes. Alantf swears by them for good reason. When Lynda bought her M-50 she had to wait one day to ride it until some crash bars were installed. They work very well too. I managed to drop the bike 2 times while servicing it. Stuff happens when you least expect it. Crash bars are good insurance against the possibility of injury or bike damage.

[Skunkhome]

The low water bridges that I know of date back to the model T ford. Even in the 60's they were still being used on some of the tertiary roads in the Ozarks and Arkansas mountains. If the creek was up you just didn't cross just as it had always been. Back then people just took that as a part of traveling. The only ones I know still in existence today are on private roads. I can't imagine someone building a creek crossing (ford) in that manner today but there are many communities out there with private access roads that do not have to and often do not meet what we consider standard on public roads. Having been involved in the freight industry I know that there are many privately maintained roads and causeways that do not meet the standard 13'6" overhead clearance we all are accustomed to in the states. If you drive on these roads and hit an overhead obstruction you are the one at fault.

[dentheman]

The footpegs are spring loaded and designed to angle up when hitting the ground at any reasonable speed, so you got lucky by it just falling over and not sliding. The engine guard protects the bike (and your legs) a lot better because it's not supposed to fold up. Think about getting one if you decide to keep the bike longterm. When I started riding, I think it was the first thing I added to my GZ.
The footpeg did fold up, it was that very solid bracket that the footpeg attaches to that I am refering to. It sticks out further than sides of the engine covers, mufflers, etc. It worked like a little sidestand to keep the bike from laying on the mufflers and side covers. The only other thing that hit was the mirror, which I had to readjust. But it might have been my hand that hit the mirror since I see no way that the mirror could have hit the ground without the grip endcap hitting, which was untouched. This is on my Shadow, I don't know if this design applies to other bikes.

This was a very slow speed drop, less than 10 mph I would guess; higher speed would defeat the bracket acting as a sidestand I'm sure.

LATER: I went to take another look at the brackets. If the bike had rolled over even more, past the bracket, the footpeg would have come into play as a last resort to keep her from laying completely down. When folded up, the footpegs only go to about a 45 degree angle, so they stick further out to the sides above the brackets. The footpeg may have come into play in my situation, I just don't know. The designers/engineers did their homework on this bike IMO.

[Water Warrior 2]

Having a solid wide crash bar will make the bike easier to pick up if it rolls right over on the handlebar. Don't ask me how I know.

[greatmaul]

wow, that just sounds like a horrible road design. I guess it's a case of fashion before form. I mean, I've been on algae covered rocks before (on foot) and they really are slicker than spit on glass. I can't imagine they'd want their fancy cars to get all splashed up.

er... sorry for the rant. any chance of getting a pic? I'd like to see how the fancy class live.

Oh, and p.s. sorry that happened to you! Aches and pains and falls are never fun. Maybe you should sue them. I mean, really, seriously.