First and foremost, grass is 85% water content which makes it highly slippery. "Grass clippings on the roadside and lawn debris are a major safety threat to motorcyclists with a deadly effect. He had this to say about grass clippings in the roadway: To learn more we reached out to Andrew Mwanik with who is a motorcycling expert and avid motorcyclist, Needless to say, the motorcyclists who are aware of the dangers of blades of grass in the road aren’t happy about the situation. We spoke to a few motorcyclists who gave us their thoughts on the situation at hand. What Do Motorcyclists Have to Say About the Issue?Īs you can imagine, of all the folks who may be impacted by grass clippings in the road, the motorcyclists get the brunt of it. It's simple, the problem is the best days to go out and do yard work like mowing the lawn, are often the best days to take a motorcycle out for a drive. This only raises the likelihood that motorcyclists and grass in the road will meet in an unfortunate event. Worst of all, lawn mowing and motorcycle riding both coincide with perfect spring and summer weather. Warm Weather Invites Both Lawn Care And Motorcycle Riding Organizations like NAMIL try and preach safety tips such as this when we meet and speak at motorcycle clubs, rallys and events.
“Rider's simply need to be aware of this, especially in the spring and summer riding seasons. It is not as bad on long straight roads, but on turns where the rider may be leaning into the turn to steer the motorcycle, the bike can easily come out from underneath the rider due to the grass clippings.” “Grass clipping on the road essentially place an additional layer between the bike tire and the road. Until they learn the hard way.Īnd, just as many homeowners and lawn care professionals seem to be unaware as well. Obstacles like grass clippings are unlikely to strike them as dangerous. Here’s the deal, riders often forget or are simply unaware of the dangers that motorcyclists face on the road. The moment the rider decides to go on the secondary roads, he or she needs to be thinking and looking out for grass.”
“Rider's don't think about it because the rider is often on pavement or other city roads where this is really not an issue. In our area we often see this on the back country rural roads.” Rider's are taught about potential *gravel* on the road but far too often forget about the dangers of grass. “Grass clippings in the roadway can be extremely hazardous to the rider and even deadly. He told us that part of the problem has to do with the fact that most motorcycle riders are often not aware of the dangers of grass in the roadway. To learn more we spoke with Justin Lovely, Motorcycle injury lawyer and President-elect of The National Academy of Motorcycle Injury. The main reason that grass is so dangerous is that it can reduce the traction a bikes tires have on the roadway. Just like sand, gravel, dirt or oil in the roadway Grass is an obstacle that needs to be avoided by motorcyclists. Grass on the Road, A Serious Hazard for Motorcyclists Whether it’s a Harley, a Yamaha or a Ducati, motorcycle riders are most at risk when it comes to losing control on grass blown into the roadway. Well, if you weren’t aware there are a number of reasons that grass clippings in the roadway can be a real danger to motorcyclists. Why Are Piles of Grass in the Road So Dangerous to Bikers? Wheelchairs and 2-wheeled vehicles such as bicycles, dirt bikes, mopeds, and motorcycles, may experience real safety issues from grass negligently left in the roadway. It’s true, grass in the roadway is unlikely to affect the handling of 4- wheeled vehicles (though it can happen). Unfortunately, most people aren’t aware of the dangers of leaving lawn debris in the roadway, specifically grass clippings. Not only does it look terrible in the streets, there is an even bigger problem with dispensing your clippings in the road. The Dangers of Leaving Grass Clippings in the Roadįirst of all, what's the big deal? It’s just grass clippings, right? It's time to expose the hidden risk that all motorcyclists have to deal with.
It’s true, especially for unsuspecting motorcyclists who hit a patch of grass in the road. Grass is a serious road hazard for motorcyclists.ĭischarging grass into the road may seem innocent enough, but it can have real consequences.
Most people don’t know this but, blowing lawn clippings into the roadways is dangerous! Your mowing the lawn, and your blow grass clippings straight into the road. Look, at some point, you have probably done it.