Rain and bad road design causes riders to fall at Kg Pandan flyover – three riders down in five minutes

Rain and bad road design causes riders to fall at Kg Pandan flyover – three riders down in five minutes

With the rainy season in full swing, Kuala Lumpur motorcyclists have found the flyover at Kampung Pandan a serious hazard. Located near the entrance of MEX highway at MyTown, this stretch of elevated road saw three riders fall in five minutes in yesterday’s heavy rain.

X (formerly known as Twitter) user Ts Rezza Danial posted a series of videos showing riders taking a tumble at this particular location. From other users chiming in, this spot is a known hazard for riders, notably when it is raining.

Rezza points out the metal expansion joint in the road, saying this makes the road extremely slippery even when the road is not wet. He adds that anyone riding here will know the feeling of having their bike’s wheels lose traction.

Expansion joints are used in the construction of road bridges to allow for contraction and expansion due to heat. These are also necessary due to the construction method used in road bridges, where the concrete sections are modular and lifted into place.

The expansion joint is embedded into the road surface and in some cases, covered with a non-slip coating to avoid incidents as seen in the posts. However, the non slip coating wears away over time and is not replaced, or in the case of this flyover, the metal surfaces are left bare and flush with the road surface.

All highway bridges and connecting sections have such joints and from the author’s experience, they are indeed dangerous in wet conditions for motorcyclists. Unfortunately in inclement conditions this sudden change of surface is enough for the tyres to lose traction and cause the front wheel to tuck under, making the rider fall through no fault of their own and even when not speeding.

Perusing the series of videos, riders are seen taking shelter under the flyover with traffic moving slowly. The videos then show the aftermath of several riders taking a tumble, getting help from others.

Other posters related their incidents, along with photos or video, including one poster, Boy Flow, saying a rider lost his or her life in an incident on September 9. Meanwhile, poster syamel says he reported the dangerous road condition to City Hall and asked if road users need to wait till a Minister’s child is hurt before action is taken.

Riders, please be cautious during the rainy season and ensure your motorcycle is in fit condition to ride, including the tyres and brakes. If you need to take shelter, do so in the designated lay-by areas or in a safe place that does not impede traffic.

The post Rain and bad road design causes riders to fall at Kg Pandan flyover – three riders down in five minutes appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.


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