Metal hole covers on the road.

Jumpy

Is there any health and safety law against having these on the road?

It seems every utility company and his dog has one now all over the place.

Its no bother for a car, but I assume both cyclists and motorcyclists would have issues in the wet with these.

They are simply like glass when wet, and its not even a case of slowing down, braking on them when wet guarantees a slide and dodging them can put you in line with cars.

The only thing I ever saw in Sydney was grates, and only then on the side of the road.

Lumen

The road with 200 manhole covers per mile

Lumen

Plastic manhole covers

Solution: start stealing the metal ones. Eventually they'll get replaced with plastic ones. Unintended consequences may arise.

Jumpy

Why dont they cover them with that sandpaper covering they use now before roundabouts?
Its quite thin.

kona

Front end went on me on wednesday morning on one of these, as Mr.Taxi driver was as per usual sitting right on my shoulder, luckily I recoverd, but if i lost it, i would have been under some toyota carina.
**** happens

Lumen

Lumen wrote: »

The road with 200 manhole covers per mile

Actually, what are they moaning about? Look at the quality of workmanship compared to what we get in Dublin:

silvo

Pearse Street has a row of four or five large metal covers in a row that they recently put over the road. They are as wide as the bus lane and are unbelievably slippy.

I had a lot of fun on Windy Thursday balancing the wind, the slippy metal covers and having two 'youths' trying to push me off my bike. I also got called a buckethead, which I found mildly amusing.

Ryaner

I do a bit of cycling through Blanch industrial park but the road to it has sections of 2x2x2 manhole covers for the ducts. The road is in pretty bad shape too so you have to hit right between them or risk going splat into the on coming trucks.

An aside, up north they have worse things happen with the man holes. Quite a few reports of them being burnt out. Some of them are now locked in place.

mockler007

do i really have to say this again, ???????

maxxis ignitors lads :rolleyes:
its about that time of year for the legends at highnoon,,,,

Jumpy

Still wont stop you sliding on a cover. Traction is gained from both sides. Changing only one side doesnt stop the other side from being almost frictionless.

funkyjebus

silvo wrote: »

Pearse Street has a row of four or five large metal covers in a row that they recently put over the road. They are as wide as the bus lane and are unbelievably slippy.

I had a lot of fun on Windy Thursday balancing the wind, the slippy metal covers and having two 'youths' trying to push me off my bike. I also got called a buckethead, which I found mildly amusing.

Plus there is a 6 or 7 inch mini ramp/ bump of tarmac just before and after each one so you have to bunny hop on to the slippery metal:eek:

Thursday was fun indeed.

ED E

I ride up Earlsfort Terrace every evening on my way home(Do it three times at least one day/week). The road itself is a mess but where it merges with Adelaide heading for the Luas tracks(never had an issue with them there, almost perpendicular) on Harcourt is a complete death trap in the wet. Right where you are merging with rush our traffic are 5 smooth flat manholes that act like an ice rink. To add insult to injury there are no street lights illuminating that section of road. Oh yeah, and its a bus corridor. Not pleasant at all. Will be changing my route now the weather has changed.

jimm

In addition to permanent manhole covers, a further hazard to cyclists are the temporary steel road plates covering excavations at night. In Dublin City Council administrative area, there are regulations governing their use.

4.6 Availability and Use of Steel Plates

Steel plates must be available on site or alternatively steel plates must be capable of being delivered to the site within 30 minutes in sufficient quantity to cover the excavation in its entirety. Where plates are used they must comply with the following conditions.

• The plate/plates must be set in flush with the road surface. They should be fixed to the road surface (to prevent dislodgement) by means of countersunk holding down bolts. A groove is required to be made around each excavation into which the plate shall sit and be fixed.

• They must have an anti-skid surface.

• Consideration should be given to accidental wheel loading, where appropriate.

• The utility/operator will be responsible for the structural adequacy and safety of any such plates.

• Each plate should be clearly marked with the full name of the Utility/Network Operator so they may be easily identified, and

• The maximum period a steel plate can remain in place is 4 days.


Although in my experience I've come across many without the anti-skid surface, and most are not sunk flush with the road but have a small ramp of tar-chippings on either side.

Ryaner

Can't say I've ever seen those plates with anti skid surface on them. Or even flat into the ground. They always have the tarmac around the edges.

Actually two have been put into my commute route and have been there over a week now. Raised and completely flat plain steel. Even more annoying is the fact that this road was completely resurfaced two months ago.

Paparazzo

I can safely say I've seen plenty of companies break the rules in Jimms post. In fact, I've never seen one with an anti skid surface and flush with the road. Time to start complaining to the council

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

I ride up Earlsfort Terrace every evening on my way home(Do it three times at least one day/week). The road itself is a mess but where it merges with Adelaide heading for the Luas tracks(never had an issue with them there, almost perpendicular) on Harcourt is a complete death trap in the wet. Right where you are merging with rush our traffic are 5 smooth flat manholes that act like an ice rink. To add insult to injury there are no street lights illuminating that section of road. Oh yeah, and its a bus corridor. Not pleasant at all. Will be changing my route now the weather has changed.

They were resurfacing from Lenard's Corner right down. Today they were doing the junction at Camden Street. So expect those to be 2 inches lower than the rest of the road soon, just to make it that bit worse.

M1XR

a personal favorite of mine is dawson street ...the amount pure crap stuck into the road surface, the amount of bumps and dips and the amount of bloody taximen.....i am sure you know what i mean, its a nightmare

Paparazzo

Lower Mount Street has a surface like the moon. On the side heading to the canal its just horrendous.