Tar snakes!

[clogan]

Can somebody tell me where these things come from!!!!
Seems like they just spontaneously pop up over night! I can't believe a highway crewman trails along on foot dripping tar out of a drip can...Or do they?

I'm convinced that tar snakes are sort of like crop circles; they just randomly appear out of nowhere.
Anybody ever see them being formed? Got pics? I've been driving for almost 50 years, and have never happened upon a tar snake being created.

Anyhow, it's the time of year when we need to start being very careful.  Those things can cause a get off in no time flat.

[twowheeladdict]

Must be a northern thing. 

I have seen them being created.  They are supposed to have some grit in there, but I think they cut costs or are just lazy.

[2talltim]

Here are them critters at work.

[gPink]

Looks like government work to me. Probably two in the truck, driver and spotter. The three on the road. And two in the chase vehicle, driver and cameraman. All to make life miserable for others. 

[tomp]

They are all over Texas.  During the summer, they have to be as dangerous as black ice is in the winters up north.  I have set more than one bike sideways after coming into contact with them in sweepers.  Dodging them in the curves is almost like a solemn event.  My  worst time was on a KLR650, WITH DIRT TIRES.  Absolutely no grip... Scary.  tp

[UhOh]

Can somebody tell me where these things come from!!!!

In my understanding they are to seal cracks in - usually - asphalt pavement so ground water doesn't seep down,
 freeze and destroy the pavement well beyond the original crack 1/2" width.

In non-freezing climates, Texas?, I don't understand the function except guess maybe to deny plants the moisture needed to sprout in middle of road.

Common in NW USA.

[tomp]

In my understanding they are to seal cracks in - usually - asphalt pavement so ground water doesn't seep down,
 freeze and destroy the pavement well beyond the original crack 1/2" width.

In non-freezing climates, Texas?, I don't understand the function except guess maybe to deny plants the moisture needed to sprout in middle of road.

Common in NW USA.

They are placed all over Texas to simply screw with motorcyclists. Seriously, especially in the coastal regions, the ground beneath the roads shifts so much, that possibly the tar helps keep the areas surrounding the cracks from separating further.  Getting onto areas where the separation and shifting has happened, is even scarier than tar snakes.  Very common occurrence around here. 

[Deziner]

Saw them doing that on Friday. Must be expecting a cold winter here in Phoenix.

[pb]

ya'll are funny...    We get them here in bama. But clearly not as bad. What I just luv is when the tar seeps up and pools from the tar and gravel roads in long thick strips. Usually right where the cages wheels trek.  These are so much fun in a drizzle... or hot 100 deg day...

[C14lvr]

Shortly after buying me C14, I took a 3000 mile trip across several states with some friends out to Zion National Park in Springdale, Utah. After staying there a few days, we went on to Bryce Canyon, and then across the Grand Staircase Escalante. The trip went great... until we started down the Staircase.

 At the bottom, there's a sharp hairpin curve... about 120 degrees worth.
Halfway into the curve, they had filled hundreds of cracks with tar... no chat, no aggregate... just oily tar! Those sorry stock BT-016 Bridgestones are terrible on them! Yikes!

I came very close to dropping my new bike 3 times on that curve! Felt like the front end moved 6" at warp 10, Sulu! Then, even after recovering, going slow and upright...for the next 10 miles I could feel it slip every time I went across them... and they were everywhere!

Freaked me out! I now watch out for them.

I've also noticed the Michelin PR2's don't do that on them as bad. Way better tires!

I hate those tar snakes. They suck, and I agree that the DOT must do it to sabotage bikers, and hide in the bushes laughing when we crash!

Lol...

[tomp]

When riding on gravel or even sand based roads, you know what to expect and ride accordingly.  With tar snakes, you just don't which one, when, or why, it will cause the bike to do a real number on you.  Another month form now, the afternoon heat will create some real hazards for riders around here. 

[jimmymac]

Shortly after buying me C14, I took a 3000 mile trip across several states with some friends out to Zion National Park in Springdale, Utah. After staying there a few days, we went on to Bryce Canyon, and then across the Grand Staircase Escalante. The trip went great... until we started down the Staircase.

 At the bottom, there's a sharp hairpin curve... about 120 degrees worth.
Halfway into the curve, they had filled hundreds of cracks with tar... no chat, no aggregate... just oily tar! Those sorry stock BT-016 Bridgestones are terrible on them! Yikes!

I came very close to dropping my new bike 3 times on that curve! Felt like the front end moved 6" at warp 10, Sulu! Then, even after recovering, going slow and upright...for the next 10 miles I could feel it slip every time I went across them... and they were everywhere!

Freaked me out! I now watch out for them.

I've also noticed the Michelin PR2's don't do that on them as bad. Way better tires!

I hate those tar snakes. They suck, and I agree that the DOT must do it to sabotage bikers, and hide in the bushes laughing when we crash!

Lol...

I had to read your entire post in a pirate voice after that.

[maxtog]

Must be a northern thing. 

They are a mid-atlantic thing too, since they are all over Virginia roads.

[VirginiaJim]

They are in my subdivision now.  What's worse, though, is when they resurfaced some of the streets and used this tar and just throw sand all over the place method  .  Took a year or more for that to clear out.

[twowheeladdict]

I had the front tire slip while riding up Beartooth pass on my Versys.  Had only one hand on the bars at the time because I was hitting a button on the GPS.  Man, my thighs almost put a dent in the fuel tank that day!   

[C14lvr]

I had to read your entire post in a pirate voice after that.

Haha! Sorry 'bout that Matey!