It’s November here in Pennsylvania which means fairly soon we’ll be setting the clocks back and will lose an hour of daylight. In addition the days are shorter and the weather is turning colder. We’ve already had a large snowstorm which left a lot of snow behind. It didn’t take long for the snow to melt off the roadway which allows us to ride again. This means that during the daylight the roads are clear or only slightly wet; but as night falls and the temperature drops the standing snow melts onto the roadway and wet spots can quickly turn to ice creating potential hazards to commuting motorcyclists. My commute is 80+ miles which means my ride home will most likely end after nightfall when road conditions are somewhat harder to discern.
I think it’s important at this time of year to ride the same route home as you ride in the morning. Over the years during my morning commute I’ve gotten used to noticing areas in the road that tend to collect water and mentally storing them away to be recalled for the ride home. You are less likely to be surprised by areas of water or ice if you’ve noticed them in the morning daylight on your way to work. It’s also a good idea, as it is year round, to check the weather before deciding whether or not to ride that day.
Freeze and thaw is an important consideration when commuting in the colder months.
Ride safe.
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