Cattle grid accident..advice always appreciated.

[Drago]

I know its bleeding obvious to us, but was there no signage warning of it fringe slippery or hazardous?

I'm thinking kkkkeeeerrrccchhhiiinnnggggggggg!

 

[Globalti]

It doesn't matter if you cross a cattle grid at an angle; what you must NOT do is cross it with any side-load on the tyres, in other words the bike must be upright with steering straight ahead. If moving slowly, aim your wheels for the bracing bars that join the main bars to smooth out the bumps. If you can go fast, sprint for the grid at full speed then bunny hop it, as Rob3rt writes above you can easily clear a cattle grid at a decent speed.

 

[black'n'yellow]

It doesn't matter if you cross a cattle grid at an angle;

You haven't thought this through - of course it matters. In any case, crossing it at 90deg is usually the shortest route across.

 

[Globalti]

No it doesn't matter, what I wrote was that you need to keep the bike upright and not be steering and side-loading your grip, which will cause the tyres to skid on wet metal. If you find yourself heading for a cattle grid on a corner you need to get your steering done and get lined up and vertical before you hit the grid, then you can cross it obliquely but you need to be confident that you've got room to get some more steering done on the other side. We have plenty of cattle grids here in the Ribble Valley and Bowland fells and not many of them are on nice straight bits of road.

 

[Herbie]

I thought I would share my story about a recent accident involving cattle grids. I have ridden over these things quite a few times since they were installed locally in sussex a few months ago. I find it is best to get some speed up, otherwise the vibrations feel as though they could do damage to both the bike and the person riding it, although I wouldn't say I go at silly speeds, I would guess about 12mph on this particular day.
However, last Saturday morning, it was drizzling with rain, and the bike just skidded from under me going over the cattle grid, and I ended up lying in the road trapped underneath my bike.
I ended up in a & e, luckily nothing was broken, but I am now on crutches, unable to walk, awaiting an mri scan. I reported this to the local council, who advise they have been testing the surfaces on this particular grid. My father's friend also skidded about a foot a couple of days ago over one of these locally in his van.
I wanted to warn people of the dangers of these things, but would also be grateful for advice from cattle grid bike pros!! Surely any road user on wheels should be able to cross these things safely. Otherwise there are a lot of gates to stop and open!

Sorry to hear about your tumble.When i come across these things i always dismount and push my bike across.I know its a pain to stop but also a pain when you fall off as you found out...get well soon

 

[black'n'yellow]

No it doesn't matter, what I wrote was that you need to keep the bike upright and not be steering and side-loading your grip, which will cause the tyres to skid on wet metal.

Perhaps you could explain what might happen then if you rode, at an angle, over a grid with tubular bars..? (I'll give you a clue - automatic side loading and a probable accident)

Even on a grid with box section bars, going over it at an angle would effectively be increasing the distance between the bars - so either way, it's a pretty daft thing to do.

 

[Globalti]

I'm talking about an angle of a few degrees off 90 here, not 45 degrees! I'm aware that wet tubular bars could provoke a sideways skid if you hit them at a big angle but I'd be willing to bet you would get away with 10 or even 20 degrees.

 

[black'n'yellow]

I'm talking about an angle of a few degrees off 90 here, not 45 degrees! I'm aware that wet tubular bars could provoke a sideways skid if you hit them at a big angle but I'd be willing to bet you would get away with 10 or even 20 degrees.

You're starting to talk rubbish now. There is no 'safe' angle over a tubular grid, apart from 90deg.

 

[Moodyman]

I walk over them. I've ridden over them in the past and never liked the jarring ride.

 

[Sellyb]

Thanks for the kind words and advice. They have now found a fracture to my pelvis so CT scan next.

 

[ianrauk]

Thanks for the kind words and advice. They have now found a fracture to my pelvis so CT scan next.

Ouch... sorry to hear that.

 

[cyberknight]

Bunny hop a small sewer grid yes , i cant see anyone bunny hopping a full cattle grid.

Not me personally, member of my CC does it , i manage to jump up enough to unweight the bike and maybe get enough air to clear 3-4 foot.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Super ouch, huge GWS

FWIW there's only one cattle grid I encounter with any regularity, it's HERE on Sheep House Lane in Rivington.

Now if I'm going up Sheep House and the gate to the right is open I will go around it that way, if not it's dead straight and a steady pace.

If I'm coming down then speed would be in the region of 25-30 mph, and after years of doing it I've decided that speed is the best way to tackle this particular one.

TBH though it always makes my balloon knot go 1p.....50p.....1p.....50p.....1p.....50p.....1p.....50p, every time I do it

Although I doubt after your experience you'll be hitting many cattle grids at speed!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Thanks for the kind words and advice. They have now found a fracture to my pelvis so CT scan next.

bad news: sorry to hear them.

 

[MrJamie]

Ouch, get well soon Selly.

It's making me rethink one that i sometimes take at over 35mph downhill on a bend out of a deer park (at Woburn). I swing out wide then cut in so i take it at as close to 90 degrees as possible, but its probably still a bit silly.