Riding on streetcars tracks | GTAMotorcycle.com

Riding on streetcars tracks

clyder

clyder

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Hello everyone,

Just wondering if anyone happens to ride on the streetcar tracks and either slip a bit or fall. It happens to me where I slip and fall on a rainy evening as I was switching lanes, I thought it could be because of the rain and applying the brakes. Since then I have a "fear" of tracks when changing lanes even on sunny days cause I fear it could happen again. Anyone had a similar experience? Was even wondering if tire size is a factor. Let me know what you guys think.



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Common problem. Comes up here all the time.
 
clyder said:
Hello everyone,

Just wondering if anyone happens to ride on the streetcar tracks and either slip a bit or fall. It happens to me where I slip and fall on a rainy evening as I was switching lanes, I thought it could be because of the rain and applying the brakes. Since then I have a "fear" of tracks when changing lanes even on sunny days cause I fear it could happen again. Anyone had a similar experience? Was even wondering if tire size is a factor. Let me know what you guys think.



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Simplest way to think about "riding on streetcar tracks"? Is "don't ride on streetcar tracks."
I'm not deliberately being a smarta$$ - People talk about crossing at the greatest angle possible, or at as close as possible to 90 degrees, which encourages "swerving" to cross tracks that are parallel to the intended path. While the risks vary based on the width of your tires and the relative height of the tracks to the road surface, the simple concept is that you want to spend as little time as possible with your tires on the rails, and you want to cross them as smoothly as possible. While your tires cross the tracks, the friction changes significantly (i.e. the tracks are slippery) so just as in any other slippery or loose surface condition, everything has to be smooth. That you could be braking at the same time as crossing streetcar tracks is an indication that you aren't recognizing that difference.
There are surfaces you will ride over that the bike will tend to move a little beneath you - like a lift bridge, or scraped asphalt. If the bike has momentum, it will keep going. If you make a deliberate motion to cross the tracks, the bike may wobble a bit at the tires go up/down with height difference - but the bike will continue on its path if don't try to over correct.
Cross at some kind of angle to limit the time the tires on the track, especially the time that both tires may be on the tracks. That's really what you're trying to avoid.
Don't make any other kind of control inputs - significant throttle changes, shifting, or braking.
 
Great explanation Emefef, well said! Thanks for the feedback!

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statsman said:
Brilliantly stated Emefef.
Cross at an angle to the tracks, meaning a sharp swerve.
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Not necessarily a sharp angle - but a sharp, deliberate movement.
 
Mark's strategy is great to give you the best chance, but no strategy is perfect with those bastard things. I accidentally proved that at 40 km/h, on a bicycle (28mm wide tires), it is not possible to swerve hard enough (without jumping) to get out from between the two rails. A motorcycle is slightly more forgiving (mainly due to the wider tires), but unless you are crossing perfectly at 90 degrees, the tracks have a chance to catch you.
 
Ya'll are getting too riled about it. Just make it deliberate and cross them quickly. When running parallel to them going down the road, you aren't going to cross at a 90 degree angle. I usually cross at around 20 degrees or so. In the wet, make sure you are mostly upright.
 
Somebody (with a Ninja 300, that has narrow bicycle tires) told me about riding along the track and somehow the tire got wedged into the depressed groove and he tumbled.

I personally avoid them like the plague. Another biyatch is riding on "metal" bridges when its wet. Skating time!
 
Ya! My story exactly with a Ninja 250. On College Street, there is construction close to Ossington so the lane narrow down and there's tracks. When I have to turn to a street with tracks, I don't turn with the same confidence, same if for any reason I have to switch lanes on those track streets.

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Best strategy is just to avoid...a quick Google Maps look could probably point out a route without them.
 
Riceburner said:
Ya'll are getting too riled about it. Just make it deliberate and cross them quickly.
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This. Deliberate and quick.
Don't worry about 20 degrees, 25 degrees, blah blah blah, just get over them quickly.
Don't mess around with them. If you can't do that then avoid them until you get more confidence.
Heaven help you if you have to drive over a manhole cover. ;)
 
Maybe do some dirt bike classes where you'll get some training and experience on loose surfaces. To build your confidence back up.
 
Streetcar tracks took out my sister on her bike about 15 years ago and caused her to get out of riding, so I can relate.

Be careful with the "get over them quickly" comments - leaning the bike, for example, and rushing over them is potentially just as bad as crossing slowly IMHO - you want as much angle as possible and you want the bike to be in a stable and fully upright configuration with no throttle or braking input as you cross.

Ultimately, the only truly safe method IMHO is to cross them at at least a 45 degree angle, 90 ideally as others have mentioned.
 
I commute downtown and I have to pass quite the amount of tracks at an angle, curving, straight ... you name it.

As people said before doing it at a sharp angle and upright (do NOT lean) and never ever ever let the front or back wheel go in the grooves. At times when it was raining heavily I actually walked the bike across - I have no shame .

In my mind better look like a duck than scratch your baby.

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Challenge your fear. Practice riding on nothing but street car tracks. In the rain. Gain an instinct for their physics. Once you're up to speed, the bike will run like it's on rails.
 
Here's a short video of my ride on Queen St yesterday.

[video=youtube_share;-lep-Qe5jY8]http://youtu.be/-lep-Qe5jY8[/video]

I'm selecting my desired tire track and moving across the streetcar tracks smoothly - you have to be adept with steering, if you were to get some resistance while on the track, you'd have to apply more steering pressure.
 
Roadghost said:
Challenge your fear. Practice riding on nothing but street car tracks. In the rain. Gain an instinct for their physics. Once you're up to speed, the bike will run like it's on rails.
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^ This ^

Comparatively speaking, it is incredibly easy to ride a motorcycle or scooter on streetcar tracks compared to a road bicycle. After a few falls on my bicycle, I decided I was going to beat this. Let my wheels fall into the tiny crevice inside the rails and sessioned it. Yes I fell some more but the idea is that anyone can get more comfortable with them. Know your enemy!

I also believe that every riding experience is a lesson that can make you a better rider if you choose to internalize it.
 
conundrum said:
Best strategy is just to avoid...a quick Google Maps look could probably point out a route without them.
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Thats terrible advice........OP do everything but that

as many have said, tracks are a fear for a lot of new riders, but are really not that huge of a deal

- cross with confidence at the biggest angle possible

- DONT ride in the track groove

- Dont break while crossing if at all possible (especially when wet)

- if possible apply a little throttle to take some weight off the front wheel when crossing

practice practice practice, spend a Sunday morning riding around the DT core, whenever riding on a street with street tracks cross them back and forth as much as possible (safely), turn this thing into a positive, try to be the master at crossing streetcar tracks, running away from your problems / fears is never the answer
 
Don't ride on streetcar tracks, ride over them, beside them, or between them.
Cross at more than 40 degrees if you can.
Sometimes the weight of the streetcar/passengers and poor resurfacing,
causes the track to sink, forming a ridge; kind of like bus knuckles.
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