Glass Bead Reflectors- Life Flight Ride

[ST13Fred]

I was negotiating a sharp R/H downhill turn, when I saw what looked like paint over spray of the inside white roadway line and was immediately body slammed onto my right shoulder.
My next memory was looking up from a seated position, at a girl calling 911 w/my bike wedged under the guardrail (opposite lane) against the post. 2 men rolled up next and helped me right the bike.
I felt very weak, took off my helmet /jacket and sat on the guardrail. My next memory getting an IV and being put on a flat board and life flighted 20 minutes to the WVU trama center and overnight observation.
I'm home now nursing knee/knuckle road rash (shorts/cut resistant (only) gloves.) But wearing good helmet/jacket. Givi engine guards and handle bar guards did a good job. There is a slight abrasion on the DCT oil filter cover.

The culprit was reflective bead (blast) medium that is diffused onto still wet paint after DOT paint striping. That local road was painted that same day. I'm going to collect some of it as a momento and make a few phone calls.

 

[Torgo]

Sorry to hear that. I hope you heal quickly. Thanks for posting this. It is a reminder, for me at least, to wear the gear and to watch the road surface.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[dduelin]

I'm glad it wasn't worse. Heal well and heal soon.

 

[Therapy]

Glad you made it out of it all OK.

I never thought of collecting the loose stuff left by the road crew that caused my tank slapper. What a neat idea.

I was busy scrubbing road rash with scrub brush that night.

 

[L.B.S.]

Jeez, glad to hear you survived that one, Fred!

Hope all is well soon!

 

[bamamate]

Glad you are relatively OK. Hadn't heard of the reflective material before.

 

[showkey]

Glass beads in highway paint

 

[itlives]

Glad you're ok Fred.

I'm supposing one phone call will be to a lawyer?

 

[Fuzzy]

Hope you heal quick and get back on the NC soon.

Around here the concern is chip seal patches. They put a light coat of tire on the road and spread pea gravel on it. For a while that means loose gravel. Found some in middle of curve one time and although I didn't go down it was close enough that I needed a change of pants.

 

[silverhound]

Also glad you can write about this and wish you a speedy recovery.

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

Glad you're still going! And thanks for posting this. The road that I commute on was recently chip sealed and the company had signs with the company name and phone number. This was for contacting them for cracked windshields and the like. I would assume that if a bike went down because of the loose gravel, they may be liable for that also.

 

[kjang]

glad you are ok.
I get leary when I am near painted surfaces like cross walks, words on the road, etc....

speed recovery,
Ken

 

[tew47]

I remember the first time I slid across a broad white line about a foot wide in an off ramp and both tires broke loose. i some how managed to upright the bike a made it. I to bit the seat. Scared the stew out of me.

 

[670cc]

Glass beads? Well that's a new one I never thought of. Thanks for posting your story.

I'm very sad that you got hurt. I hope you recover quickly.

 

[ST13Fred]

I have read about and ridden bikes for 50 years (this year). This is a new one for me. The road is so steep in this turn that I go down to 3rd gear, w/heavy engine braking and a light touch of the front brake before hitting the apex.
I went there today (2 days later) and saw immediately why I went down so violently; the beads were still there. I travel this road almost daily and knew something had changed in that turn and that I had entered (the turn) the same as I had done many times before.

I've contacted a lawyer and Rider magazine w/my story and only want the word to get out about this practice, which probably won't change. My low side was more violent than a normal high side get off...I could have been killed in this one and that angers me.
When I hit on my right shoulder, it threw me over and downhill onto my left side. My left hand is swollen and have a strained wrist. I also have deep tissue hemorrhage to my right upper forearm. My right knee is also swollen. I feel blind sided by WV DOT.

 

[MZ5]

Sorry to hear of it, Fred. Thanks for posting the heads-up. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

 

[potter0o]

Thanks for sharing. Road debris/gravel on corners freaks me out. Wishing you a speedy recover.

 

[johnakay]

hope you recover soon Fred and back into bikes.

 

[Old Can Ride]

Any type of paint on the roadway can be a PROBLEM. I do not know the answer, but welcome to THE CLUB. You are now a member of the "Down to Earth" club. The others will be joining us shortly.

 

[ST13Fred]

Any type of paint on the roadway can be a PROBLEM. I do not know the answer, but welcome to THE CLUB. You are now a member of the "Down to Earth" club. The others will be joining us shortly.

I'm in a new DTE club, however, not related to paint. I've never gone down because of paint; I stay clear of that. These dxxx glass beads are a whole new animal, much more dangerous for us than even dry paint.