My letter to the DOT:
On Tuesday September fourth at approximately 7:45 PM I was entering the turn lane from East bound University Ave/Hwy 163 onto North Hickory Ave in Pleasant Hill when I ran over a “repair” in the turn lane. This “repair,” colloquially known as a Tar Snake, was applied down the center of the lane along the direction of travel. The temperature at the time was about ninety degrees and the tar snake was incredibly slick.
As I slowed for the turn my front tire slid out from under my motorcycle and I was thrown to the pavement injuring my right shoulder, thigh and ankle. Thankfully I was wearing my leather motorcycle jacket, gloves and helmet, as well as very heavy jeans, or this incident may have been much more serious. My motorcycle sustained substantial damage on the right side but remained ridable.
This form of road repair is notorious as an extreme hazard to motorcycle traffic even when properly applied. I believe the most recent application through Pleasant Hill was unnecessarily heavy, thick and wide and presents an unacceptable risk to two wheeled traffic.
It is the general feeling among motorcyclists that the DOT, and other entities responsible for road maintenance and repair, are oblivious to the dangers their practices and techniques pose to motorcyclists. That, as a matter of course, the safety of those on motorcycles is never considered by these agencies. The current situation in Pleasant Hill certainly does nothing to counter that opinion.
