Odd responsibility question, perhaps our illustrious legal team can answer

On a stretch of road I've been driving to a current job, the Indiana DOT has done a "seal-chip" procedure. It consists of pouring tar onto the road followed directly by dumping rock chips into it, therefore creating a new, cheap road surface. The problem is, I now have tiny tar speckles all over my white work van. I guess I'd like to know if it's possible to bill the state for cleaning all of this tar off of my vehicle, or will they tell me to pound sand?

I don't really expect much, other than to suck it up and get to cleaning.

 

Breath.

 

texas does that garbage too...

Heck that is how they "repaved" my neighborhood.

 

It depends. It's city by city, state by state if they're on the hook for damage to your vehicle. You'll have to check and see if they have a damage claim procedure. Most likely they'll laugh you right out of the building.

 

I crashed turning into that shit once...

 

Contact your DOT. In PA you can get an estimate and repaired/clean at their expense(i have done it without an attorney)... I hate that stuff. In PA on back roads they are famous for that and plowing out the sides (ditch areas) of the roads and then the road has mud and debris on it forever. The state or township can be held liable but as with any lawsuit it comes down to getting a lawyer to represent you and how much its worth to you and him...

Ride safe,
AAron

 

Get them to stop chip sealing roads in the first place. That stuff is unrideable (bike-wise) until cars smooth it out some. So many back roads in IN are like this now.

 

what Aaron said

 

you can clean that stuff right off with castle 2 way solvent, pretty much will wipe off, takes off polish too

 

They do this around WI also. Real fun to come over a hill at around 60 and hit a 2" deep pea gravel covering right over the crest of the hill.

 

Just had that fun experience yesterday on Route 412 entering Hellertown, PA. I almost wrapped my old Beemer around the "Tar and Sealcoat paving ahead" sign.

 

At least you get a sign. WI just does it and "SUPRISE" you're fuc!ed!!

 

Where in WI are you guys running into this shit? I'm in southeast WI too and I can't ever recall seeing it. But, I don't really ride on the street anymore so I may not be noticing it.

 

Sounds fun, like how Va. puts gravel on the roads. In the mountains. Great for motorcycles.

 

Naptha will take the tar right off.

 

Cars will definitely smooth out the straights, but the corners get fubared. The weight of the cars push the chip seal around in the curves and makes it very wavy. You can usually see it in the wavy paint lines of the lane divider.

Texas loves this stuff. I've seen them ruin perfectly good roads with this crap.

 

Have seen this in my area, Mid-central WI, Green Bay to Wausau i've seen it done, normally on not well traveled back roads where its cheaper and probably a lot more cost effective to do it this way. It works pretty well too, but like said for bikes its crappy untill the pebbles work their way off which takes forever in the middle and center of each lane.

 

I have no idea.

My bill for legal services is in the mail.

 

Reread the title. I was waiting for Doyle......

 

I know they do this in Waupaca and Outagamie counties for sure.