Diesel Droppers

[Kiwifruit]

Still chasing intermittent running issues so after having a play with a couple of things l decided late in the day to go visit my dad. Its a 160km round trip. The sky was pretty grey so l knew there was a strong possibility of rain.
Get to dads and he is settling in to watch the Austrian Moto GP coverage from last weekend.
So its time to head home and now its pissing down and the light is fading.
Its really difficult to see, even with the pinlock visor its fogging around the edges with only a small clear area in the centre. I decided to follow a car that had a good pair of large wide bright taillamps. I followed this car for about 30kms.
At a major intersection there is a stop sign.
I'm stopped behind my right turning pilot vehicle, it pulls away, l move up and stop at the line. I pull away and roll the throttle on as l want to catch up and sit behind my chosen car again. Well to my surprise the rear tyre spun up. Got off the gas and fed the throttle on again this time the bike got real sideways....l can smell diesel !!
By now its been dark for a while and l'm thinking this won't be a fun ride from here on in as its obvious the diesel dropper and l are going in the same direction for the next 40 odd kms.
Now my pilot vehicle is gone, its pitch black and the rain is coming down in sheets.
Long story made short...... l got home ok but it was a trying, nervous trip.
So why is it that people drop bloody diesel by the bucketful. I once rode home in the rain during the day and could see fuel spilled on the road for miles. A mate went down on a diesel spill.
I just wish people would take responsibility for making sure their vehicles don't drop fuel or oil. It's so dangerous, especially to us motorcyclists.

[steve porter]

You would have to think that the ones dropping it aren't paying for it out of their own pocket, bastards

[GSXKING]

Glad you made it home safe. You must have gathered up all your riding skills to gather it up and get home Col 

[Kiwifruit]

Also think l got a bit lucky Chris.

[Eric GSX1400K3]

Glad you made it home safe, I drive a diesel fuelled vehicle and ride motor bikes too. I am OCD about any leaks or any issues on my vehicles, and a big fan of preventative maintenance.

Its very frustrating that some people just dont seem to care about other road users.

[Kiwifruit]

As motorcyclists there are some things we take more care with. Like tying things on to a trailer or the back of a ute.
Many years ago l had snaffled mums MGBGT for the day to go watch my mates race their TZ's at Baypark Raceway, l was probably 20.
Not long after leaving the track l was following a car towing a trailer along the expressway when off that trailer came a contractors metal wheelbarrow. Luckily if flew straight over the roof of mummies MG.
I've followed  a vehicle with a sofa on the back which shed all its cushions, more recently a metal rake came off a Landscapers truck.
But by far the best effort was a car that hurried out of a sideroad and was tuning right when the left rear door flew open and a toddler came flying out. The father stopped, trotted back, picked the kid up by the arm and flung them back into the car and drove off !!
I always make sure my loads are secure.

[KiwiCol]

Glad you have a lucky escape with the diesel Col.  I've seen it too, diesel spill on hairpins in the Hundalees, 2 bikes down & another higher up slowing people down.  I've been lucky & missed that part (so far)

[Irish in Oz]

the left rear door flew open and a toddler came flying out. The father stopped, trotted back, picked the kid up by the arm and flung them back into the car and drove off !!

I'm sure that happened to me a couple of times.

[froudy]

Diesel on the road surface is as bad a trying to ride on ice..Especially if the roads are wet. I've encountered diesel spills a few times in my years of riding and it's not nice to have your heavy GSX1400 nearly sideways, wrestling with it trying to regain control

[Notty]

I was a telephone engineer for 43 years - one morning I had been in the stores and was rushing to get to the cafe for a full Welsh Breakfast - a car behind kept blasting his horn, others were pointing back where I had come from - what does this twat want I thought - bugger I had put a pile of 20 new phones on the roof whilst I went back in the stores and as o drove around the roundabout they all flew off 

[froudy]

I was a telephone engineer for 43 years - one morning I had been in the stores and was rushing to get to the cafe for a full Welsh Breakfast - a car behind kept blasting his horn, others were pointing back where I had come from - what does this twat want I thought - bugger I had put a pile of 20 new phones on the roof whilst I went back in the stores and as o drove around the roundabout they all flew off 

Many years ago after getting off the car ferry from France and driving back home up the M5, I followed a camper van with the back door swinging open and depositing most of its contents on the carriageway..Deck chairs, table, various pots and pans etc...I was towing a big trailer tent in a very underpowered Morris Marina 1300 and couldn't overtake him to let him know..Bloody scary and deadly if I'd been on a bike!!

[grog]

Ive seen two boats come off trailers, hard to believe. Have a piccy of one, its on my phone at work, will post tomorrow night.

[Hooli]

On the way back from Germany last month I went about 4ft sideways on a french roundabout due to a big diesel spill, lucky I wasn't rushing really. Wakes you up doesn't it?

[GSXKING]

the left rear door flew open and a toddler came flying out. The father stopped, trotted back, picked the kid up by the arm and flung them back into the car and drove off !!

I'm sure that happened to me a couple of times.

Deliberately I'd guess 

[VladTepes]

Went for a ride not long ago and it was a short day as early on a mate went down. There was a huge diesel spill just before the bottom of a hill - and it was raining.
Couldn't see it til you were in it. Still no idea how I got through it.

Will have to dig up the photos / video.