Think wooden posts every one or two hundred feet with 1/2" or 3/4" diameter cables running between them. Insta-death if you hit them in an accident on a bike. They're even pretty dangerous to cars too since the cables to can slice through most modern plastic cars too. That's why you don't see them in CA anymore. I still remember them though and I'm only 23. You used to see them along the coasts because all you need is enough space to pound the posts into the floor and cable is cheap. Problem is that they don't really "stop" things. They tend to rip through them instead (small contact area and all that).

The last couple paragraphs totally disgust me. I find it incredibly hard to believe that the guy in charge didn't think the wire barriers were dangerous. I also highly doubt that they cost nearly the same amount as solid barriers. I don't doubt that they rider would probably have still died even if he had hit a solid barrier. I just don't like how the guy in charge is trying to say that there's nothing wrong with something that most of the rest of the world knows is dangerous. Let him drive a car straight into both barriers at 50 mph. I bet he wouldn't survive the wire barrier unless he's in an SUV or an older metal panel car.

 

It sounds like something they installed here in Oregon. They're metal posts with sharp edges about every four feet, with cables in between. They're designed to bounce vehicles back into the lane if they wander over the middle. The unfortunate thing for us is that it poses a greater risk of losing limbs and death. They aren't rounded posts, but more squared off edges.

 

Is it a guard rail that goes the length of the road? can't quite picture it

Read the comments made on the site. One poster pointed out where a picture could be found. Apparently these were in use in several European countries that have decided they don't need to be using them anymore. Real pisser is there is hardly any cost difference between the wire rope barrier and the "w" section guard rail (according to comments made on the article.)

 

jeez that's a horrible idea....

to the kiwi rider: :'(

 

I can't imagine how they are any more cost effective than jersey barriers.

Apparently here, they're expecting the crash rate to go up, but the death rate to go down. WTF?

 

What's a jersey barrier? Here in California they use wood posts with steel W sections or concrete walls everywhere. Every once in a while you'll see a steel railing but it's still a far cry from a cable barrier. They used to have cable barriers here but removed them due to the large number of fatalities they caused.

 

these are jersey barriers:

 

What's a jersey barrier? Here in California they use wood posts with steel W sections or concrete walls everywhere. Every once in a while you'll see a steel railing but it's still a far cry from a cable barrier.

A jersey barrier is just a pre-cast concrete barrier which is installed in sections. They're very common at construction sites, but can be installed permanently as well...commonly on major freeways with very little room between opposing lanes (edit: as shown in NM's pic [cheeky]).

WA also uses cable barriers because they are cheap. Their primary purpose is keeping cars frm crossing into oncoming traffic, and they are used where there is a large distance between opposing lanes...often covered in grass. They seem to be marginally effective at that job. Hopefully WA follows CA lead on removing them soon.

 

This is basically what the cable guardrails look like, but taller. I don't mind installing them on big wide grass medians, but here, they just stuck them in between two lanes with no median. That's just asking for trouble.

 

Wire Rope Barriers
Around the world, wire rope barriers are opposed by motorcycling groups. Most motorcyclists would agree that they present a real safety problem; more so when these barriers fail to comply with engineering guidelines for their construction.

This barrier, like many others, fails to comply with engineering guidelines. It is placed too close to the road, has several plastic caps missing, and not all caps have a reflector mounted on them.

Through fierce lobbying, MRAA has been able to keep the use of such barriers to a minimum; however, new sites are being discovered (and complained about) each week. MRAA does not have the resources to survey the increasing use of these barriers, so we're relying on you.


This picture shows the danger of barriers damaged by impact and left unrepaired.

Motorcycle friendly crash barriers are of worldwide interest, the latest document I have found is from a joint Australian German project and again adds weight to the argument for testing of motorcycle friendly crash barriers.
December 16th 2005
December 13th After successful lobbying by MAG NL the Dutch parliament voted in favour of a ban on cable barriers in the Netherlands

Jan 16 2006
MAG Belgium have been promoting the motorcycle friendly crash barriers. They managed to get a slot on Belgium TV promoting this issue and now the Belgium government is planning to fix some 10 kilometres of motorcycle friendly barriers per year.

August 2006
On Friday 4th August the Norwegian Minister of Transport, Mrs. Liv Signe Navarsete, announced a ban on the use of cable barriers. She did so after years of lobbying by FEMA´s member organisation, the Norwegian Motorcycle Union (NMCU). “Finally, we see an end to the egg slicers”, said NMCU chairman Jan-Fredrik Moller.

These barriers are everywhere in Australia & Motorcycling Lobby Groups are trying to get them removed and banned without much success.

R.I.P Kiwi rider. :'(

You can see what would happen if you would happen to hit it.

 

What's a jersey barrier? Here in California they use wood posts with steel W sections or concrete walls everywhere. Every once in a while you'll see a steel railing but it's still a far cry from a cable barrier. They used to have cable barriers here but removed them due to the large number of fatalities they caused.

these are armco barriers... equally reviled by motorcyclists:

 

An armco barrier saved my life on my old ninja once, so...

 

This is basically what the cable guardrails look like, but taller. I don't mind installing them on big wide grass medians, but here, they just stuck them in between two lanes with no median. That's just asking for trouble.

lots of those in texas now too. they make me squemish

 

The section of Hwy 26 in Oregon where the ODOT installed the cable barriers had one of the highest rates of head on collisions & fatalities in the state, ask Mother, he is an EMT in that area. It remains to be seen if this is going to be effective in reducing fatal accidents.

 

This is basically what the cable guardrails look like, but taller. I don't mind installing them on big wide grass medians, but here, they just stuck them in between two lanes with no median. That's just asking for trouble.

we have these in wisconsin too. just installed a section a few years ago on one of the major highways comingout of milwaukee IIRC, i don't ride that way much. I've never thought about hitting one.

i would think armco would be better. what's the issue Derby? going under and hitting the posts?

 

This is basically what the cable guardrails look like, but taller. I don't mind installing them on big wide grass medians, but here, they just stuck them in between two lanes with no median. That's just asking for trouble.

We have these in MN now, too. They were installed as a response to several incidents where cars and trucks crossed narrow, grassy medians and struck oncoming traffic. Typically happened in slippery, winter conditions.

They make me very uncomfortable on the bike...

 

We have these in MN now, too. They were installed as a response to several incidents where cars and trucks crossed narrow, grassy medians and struck oncoming traffic. Typically happened in slippery, winter conditions.

They make me very uncomfortable on the bike...

Now imagine if there was no median, just one lane both ways with the cable barrier in the middle.

 

Now imagine if there was no median, just one lane both ways with the cable barrier in the middle.

We have a few miles of local road like that, but not many.

Generally, where the MN cable barriers are installed, the median is about 8-10ft wide. It's a bit better than what you're dealing with, but there's still not much room for error... :-\

 

Now imagine if there was no median, just one lane both ways with the cable barrier in the middle.

nope. i don't wanna imagine that.

 

That's what we have here in Oregon. I try to avoid that road now.

 

The section of Hwy 26 in Oregon where the ODOT installed the cable barriers had one of the highest rates of head on collisions & fatalities in the state, ask Mother, he is an EMT in that area. It remains to be seen if this is going to be effective in reducing fatal accidents.

actually that section had the highest rate of fatalities, not accidents.

and that is only because two accidents had 5 deaths and one had 4

due to occupants in a single vehicle, not number of vehicles involved

the cable barries, according to our numbers, will reduce deaths from "head-on cross over accidents" by 1.5 percent

with a projected increase of accidents of 700%

they are horrible

and the fact that there are no numbers on our experimental section frightens me

Our posts are just as Neenja says

metal i-beams

litterally sharp on the edges

6 feet apart

with 3 pretensioned cables

meaning our cables won't give under anything but about 10,000lbs of force

the States result of an unprotected human body hitting that at speed

is of yet...uncalculated

 

here is an article on our section

http://www.theoutlookonline.com/news/story.php?story_id=119017692321258000

a lot of the information is wrong

the barriers are pretensioned to 10,000lbs, not 7500

and they are 6 feet apart not 10

but the jist is there

 

:-X

I don't wanna think about hitting that. That horrible device would wreak havoc on a car, let alone a human.

What section of 26 is this on?

I'm avoiding it from here on out. I'll ride down to Salem and go over Santiam Pass first.

 

:-X

I don't wanna think about hitting that. That horrible device would wreak havoc on a car, let alone a human.

What section of 26 is this on?

I'm avoiding it from here on out. I'll ride down to Salem and go over Santiam Pass first.

Isn't that right before Gov'y, Mudda?

 

It's only for a couple of miles, it's about 5-6 miles east of Sandy.