They Must be Crazy or just don't care.

I've been noticing workman along a stretch of interstate for a few months (I-12 in Louisiana). It's looked the were building a sidewalk in the median (which is about 50 feet wide on this highway system) the paved area wasn't in the center (about 15 feet from where the lane ends) and it switched sides for some unknown reason. It stretched for miles. Low and behold, they installed POLES (about 3 feet high) with 4 strands of heavy duty cable strung across.

Are these people nutz ? If a motorcycle ever loses control lord knows what kind of injuries this stuff will cause. I guess it was installed to stop vehicles from crossing over but what about safety? WOW !! They should have just put up razor wire instead. Maybe they'll call it the eviscerator. Sad, because the potential is there for serious injuries.

 

Yep, it sucks. I've also seen it used here in FL and other places, and always thought the same thing.

 

Yup they are called cable barriers. Cheaper than K or Jersey barriers...VERY bad news to motorcyclist. I contacted the local guy when I saw them in Washington State and was told essentially we don't care.

 

They put those in up here in Utah as well. When it snows hard and the cars start to slide off the highway it looks like a tuna net full of fish.

 

Have them in GA on the way to Road Atlanta as well. Considering what they do to the cars I have seen I hope nobody ever hits one on a motorcycle.

 

People have and it generally isn't pretty.

 

After years of cars crossing over and hitting oncoming traffic, they install one on a hugh stretch of hwy 75 from Cincinnati to Dayton.

I've seen a few cars tangled up in that new net..

It does alot of damage to cars but I've yet to see a car get into oncoming traffic.

Motorcycle should avoid or prepare to jump off.

 

When you run off the track (on street tires) how far to you have to go in the grass to bleed momentum and get control enough to steer the bike in any meaningful direction? There isn't enough room on the near side of the barrier. Just remember the 5 ways to avoid being hit in dodge ball..... Dodge, dip, duck, dive and dodge.

Pehaps they should give a scenario on the motorcycle endorsement test inlcuding the optimum impact angle for survivability. Then again Goldwings have those airbags.

 

They've got it here in Lexington on the loop around the city. Looks pretty rough, even for a car.

 

they are in michigan too. scares me. look s like there adding more wtf. concrete walls cant cost that much more.

 

A friend of mine hit one of those on his bike a number of yrs back and sadly he didn't survive. He was only 19.

 

I know we've all done it, but wouldn't the answer (in the majority of cases) be to not ride like a tater head on the highway?

 

*he he* Not around here, where the impact is usually preceded by a 100 MPH wheelie.

 

This is one reason why I decided to stop street riding:tut:

 

Ya, me too.

Keep in mind that without full gear concrete doesn't make it that much better. You won't be turned into little pieces, but hamburger. Saw the aftermath in OH once - he had a helmet, but it didn't matter. Gives me chills every time I see somebody without gloves on.

 

We've got the same stuff here in Tennessee.

As far as interstate accidents go, we had a couple here killed on a Goldwing because they hit a bear that ran into the interstate. We're not exactly overrun with bears here either. Of course, I do see plenty of wheelies too. I cant leave out the guys who think their 96 Katana can outrun the police radio.

 

It's all over I-270 and parts of I-71 in Columbus too. I'm certain I'd get torn up if I hit the cables at freeway speeds on a bike, but I think this is far less likely to happen than a car from the other side crossing over and hitting me head on.

 

All over Texas as well. Pluses and minuses. When it's your time, it's your time.