Biker Safety Signs
17. Nov, 2008 
3 Comments
An attorney in Wisconsin wants that state to require highway construction contractors to place warning signs for motorcyclists near their construction sites. These signs would be to inform the riders that there may be loose gravel on the road or uneven pavement due to roadway construction, both highly hazardous to riders. These would be in addition to the construction warning signs already mandated. Of course riders should slow down and use caution in any construction zone.
As of now the Federal highway Administration, which regulates the signage requirements, doesn’t mandate specific warning signs for motorcyclists. It is considering signs with the silhouette of a motorcycle and warnings for grooved pavement and open grate bridges. I would have liked to have more warning for the sign I saw going down a mountain in a New England state that said “Bikers Beware, Pavement Ends”. The pavement ended about ten feet past the sign.
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“Bridge Out” is one of my favs. The best example that I can remember was the sign posted about 4 miles past the last possible intersection where a rider might want to take another route. And the bridge in question was a couple miles past the sign.
As a biker with some experience, just seeing the first orange barrel is enough to know that any dang thing might happen. As long as the contractors are good about that “End Construction” sign, I feel that an orange barrel is warning enough. But it is icing on the cake when “Grade Change” signs are posted. I hate it when I find out that the asphalt is 2″ higher in the next lane only at the moment of a lane change…in the dark…in the rain.
“Pavement Ends” is helpful. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a sign thereafter that read “Pavement Ends HERE”. “Pavement Ends” is like that box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. One time I got a 100′ of rain slimed wooden planks that scared me to death. The mud at the end of the planks never looked so good.
I know what you mean Quesy. That “Bikers Beware, Pavement Ends” sign was right before the pavement ended with a drop off into loose gravel.
The sign I really hate to see is “Road To Be Tar And Chipped”. That means there’s going to be both oil and loose gravel on the road.
I was quite pleasingly surprised to see special motorcycle caution signs near construction sites along highways in Tennessee and Oklahoma. Not that they were really needed, but it felt nice to know others were thinking of us motorcyclists.