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Motorists warned about dangers of soft tar mixing with rain when the weather inevitably changes

A greasy film, one which makes travel by car treacherous, may form on Irish roads as a consequence of melted tar mixing with rainwater

shutterstock_135035648 Shutterstock / Panyajampatong Shutterstock / Panyajampatong / Panyajampatong

THE ROAD SAFETY Authority has warned motorists to be vigilant when the fine weather changes in the coming days.

Specifically, the RSA has told drivers to be aware of the dangers of melted tar mixing with rainwater to create hazardous surfaces.

The two weeks of daily temperatures hitting the high 20s has caused more than just a water shortage – Ireland’s roads have been softened throughout the Mediterranean fortnight.

That soft tar, combined with a deluge of rainwater, can lead to a situation where the road surface becomes dangerously greasy, something RSA CEO Moyagh Murdock is at pains to point out.

“Obviously we’ve had a long period of dry weather, and there are reports of a build-up of tar and grease as result of the tar melting,” Murdock said.

ROAD SAFETY 808_90519684 Moyagh Murdock Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

When that combines with rainwater then you’ll see a build up of a greasy film, and the road will become very unstable and a car can lose control even at low speeds.

She said the RSA is “urging” people to be aware that when the weather breaks, road conditions will likely become a lot more hazardous.

“They need to drop back on their speed, and be aware of changes in how they control their vehicle. They need to give themselves more stopping distance, give the car in front a lot more space, and just be aware that an unexpected reaction in your vehicle is something that can happen,” she added.

Murdock was speaking at the release of the RSA’s mid-year review figures, which showed a 3% increase in the number of road deaths in Ireland compared with the same period 12 months previously.

Ireland has been going through a fortnight of unbroken sunshine, with even a little humidity hard to come by, leading to most un-Irish drought-like conditions.

This week is forecast to see more of the same. However, cloud is expected to form in some parts of the country tomorrow, with some rain forecast for later in the day. In general, the high pressure that has been dominating the weather will gradually weaken, allowing some showers to break out.

By the weekend, a mix of scattered showers and sunny spells are expected.

Additional reporting Christina Finn

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    Mute John Boy
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    Jul 10th 2018, 6:59 AM

    Article/RSA focuses on cars being affected primarily, one can only assume that trucks, buses, motorbikes and bicycle are completely immune to any potential greasy surfaces…

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    Mute Fozz
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    Jul 10th 2018, 7:54 AM

    @John Boy: what are these other mystical objects you refer to?

    34
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 10th 2018, 9:01 AM

    @John Boy: what an odd thing to take from an article asking all drivers to take care

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    Mute Bat Daly
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    Jul 10th 2018, 9:04 AM

    @John Boy:
    Typical RSA statement. Good drivers would be aware of it, it’s motorcyclists and cyclists who are at most risk from these dangerous slippery conditions.
    Once again, the RSA brain is in neutral while its operations side is in gear.

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    Mute John Boy
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    Jul 10th 2018, 9:09 AM

    @Bat Daly: exactly

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    Mute Bat Daly
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    Jul 10th 2018, 9:22 AM

    @Dave O Keeffe:
    Dave, you take odd things from articles all the time!!!!!!!

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Jul 10th 2018, 7:15 AM

    Don’t ever remember slurping around on melted tar on any holiday in a warmer climate. Wonder what the different methods of road building entail? and if the materials and process in laying Irish roads is based on cost, longevity, safety, etc.

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    Mute Terry Cahill
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    Jul 10th 2018, 7:18 AM

    @thesaltyurchin: Good point !

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Jul 10th 2018, 7:25 AM

    @thesaltyurchin: The tar used on roads in the south of Spain would probably shatter in the first frost of an Irish winter.

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    Mute Rónán O'Suilleabháin
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    Jul 10th 2018, 10:50 AM

    @thesaltyurchin: I’ve driven in California, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia in the US, all are hot locations, and they pretty much drive on concrete. Our surface has superior grip, and is less noisy, but probably isn’t suited to persistent hot/extreme weather.

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    Mute Tommy Roche
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    Jul 10th 2018, 1:51 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: That’s precisely the reason our roads are constructed differently. A more concrete based or brittle surface is more susceptible to minor cracking. In Ireland that would lead to water ingress and in temperatures below freezing, ice expansion and further cracking. As another commenter said, build a californian type road in Ireland and in wouldn’t last 2 winters.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Jul 10th 2018, 5:45 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: fair enough. Just wondering toward the process really. Don’t know anything about it, generally comments provide more insight than the articles.

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    Mute Terry Cahill
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    Jul 10th 2018, 7:16 AM

    Legislation to be rushed through the Dail reducing speed limits to 20 kph when the Rain comes ! We need this now to protect the people from themselves … We are the Nannies of the People ! And so say all of Us !

    44
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    Mute Donna
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    Jul 10th 2018, 6:23 AM

    It’s lethal, I was going through a roundabout and silly me while skidding I braked not even hard mind you , car did a 180 luckily it was a an empty road. The road was seriously slippy!

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    Mute Paul
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    Jul 10th 2018, 6:39 AM

    @Donna: you were going to fast coming into the round about and then you braked quick too hard that’s why you did a 180

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    Mute Peter Denham
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    Jul 10th 2018, 6:44 AM

    @Paul: yep. Slow down folks.

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    Mute Donna
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    Jul 10th 2018, 6:48 AM

    @Paul: I was, not too fast mind you, but fast enough to skid while manoeuvring,I should have gone up a gear instead of braking I think the truck driver told me..who kindly stopped to see if I was ok.

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    Mute mike
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:28 AM

    @Donna: yes silly you

    Learn how to drive, and when to brake, and when to steer into a skid, and you’ll be fine.

    If the car skidded… you lost control.

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    Mute Nick Caffrey
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:52 AM

    @mike: You really are a condescending bumpkin, aren’t you?

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    Mute Bat Daly
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    Jul 10th 2018, 9:07 AM

    @Paul:
    How do you know what speed she was doing?
    The whole point of the warning is that even people who driving at normal speed into a roundabout are at risk of losing traction.

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    Mute Phil Swan
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    Jul 10th 2018, 9:36 AM

    @Donna: I doubt things have changed much since my lessons 10 years ago but no driving school in Ireland teaches advanced driving skills to the general public. Well done for getting out of it! Anyone who says you should have known better can only know by having an auld joy ride maybe?

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    Mute Donna
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    Jul 10th 2018, 11:31 AM

    @mike: it’s obvious from my comment I lost control. I wasn’t driving fast on normal road conditions. If I had known better I would have drove a lot slower given the road was so slippy.

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    Mute The Red Devil
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    Jul 10th 2018, 7:24 AM

    Slow down Tommy……………Tommy’s pure mad for speed

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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    Jul 10th 2018, 7:20 AM

    Why don’t the council’s have lorries and staff going around regritti g these soft spots

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    Mute mike
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:29 AM

    @Gerard Heery: the countries broke…. Or are we awash with money.
    Is the boom back.

    I’m confused

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    Mute Irish Political GIF
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:32 AM

    @Gerard Heery: We have the vehicles but not the right material. Rock needs to be crushed to a dust

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    Mute Matt Connolly
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    Jul 10th 2018, 9:05 AM

    @Gerard Heery: because loose gravel on the roads is treacherous – especially to motorcyclists.

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    Mute Conall
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:13 AM

    Cyclist went through an amber light (common in a city) at the end of the lights sequence in a wide junction (hence still there when other light goes green) and then slowed while turning right. Didn’t delay other traffic by more than 1 second. Nothing to see here.

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    Mute Gaz Barclay Dunnes
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:30 AM

    Tar ungritted plus any mist / moisture equals black ice, look out for those evil tar box’s on the ground at traffic lights

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    Mute James O'Brien
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    Jul 10th 2018, 7:37 AM

    Send this to the RSA two acts of pure stupidity.. A motorist and cyclist just yesterday https://youtu.be/hmJYWTczAgI

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    Mute Jonny Chip
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    Jul 10th 2018, 7:48 AM

    @James O’Brien: yawn, 13 seconds of my life I’m not getting back

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    Mute mike
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:30 AM

    @James O’Brien: why don’t you send it to the RSA ?

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    Mute James O'Brien
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:30 AM

    @Jonny Chip: yawn, several finger movements I’ve lost to respond.

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    Mute mike
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:31 AM

    @James O’Brien:
    S. H. O. C. K. F. Ű. C. K. I. N. H O. R. R. O. R ..
    ..

    NOT

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    Mute James O'Brien
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:32 AM

    @mike: I did lol

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    Mute James O'Brien
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:33 AM

    @mike: it’s called breaking the rules numbnuts

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    Mute John Boy
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    Jul 10th 2018, 8:48 AM

    @James O’Brien: Don’t see what’s wrong here, cyclist was already in the junction, rules of the road are that once in a junction you must clear it. Also cyclist performs whats called a Copenhagen Left (right in this case as we drive on a different side of the road) which is best practice in terms of safety at busy junctions like this where there’s no obvious safe turning point for the cyclist.

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    Mute Bat Daly
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    Jul 10th 2018, 9:15 AM

    @John Boy: Absolutely correct. The cyclist was being ultra safe and did nothing wrong other than try and be safe, She obviously was not comfortable going over to the right to turn right and felt safer joining the traffic leaving the lights.
    Its not a proactive way of cycling, but she feels safer and did nothing wrong other than annoy other road users.

    5
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