General Cycling Discussion - Clearing Off Debris on Roads

Do any of you all drive out and sweep off areas of road, which you cycle on, that have debris spread over it? Sometimes, on routes that I cycle, I will drive out in my car, take a broom, and sweep off debris, such as gravel, sticks, and etc.

I "sweep" some shoulders while driving. As long as you're going about 50 mph or so, the wind underneath the car, and the tires, will sweep most debris away (this is why there's not much debris in the lane where cars normally drive). Just don't drive like this when other cars are around :p.

Somebody keeps breaking bottles in the same two block stretch of bike path I use when I commute.

I've been meaning to get a whisk broom, dustpan and pail and put in my Jeep for occasional cleanup of the glass, but I keep forgetting. I'll do that one day and start sweeping up the glass.

I have been known to do this in areas where no alternate route is available and the debris covers all of the usable lane surface, and also on the street where I live. it could easily get to be a never ending task though, which is why the first few rides of the spring are usually on my mountain bike since the debris will be everywhere.

After Portland's big snow storm this January, I know of about four instances of cyclists going out and sweeping traction gravel off bike lanes after the ice melted. ZooBomb also swept their run after someone wiped out on the traction gravel and ended up in the ER.

Everytime I ride one of my regular routes, I try to leave it a little better. I stop at least once each ride to remove some debris, from broken bottles, road gators, to couch cushions and tree branches. I just move things out of the path so the next rider (could be me) won't have to deal with it. If every rider did this, paths could be cleaned up pretty quick.

I stop at least once each ride to remove some debris, from broken bottles, road gators, to couch cushions and tree branches.

What's a road gator???

What's a road gator???

I think that's another term for tyre carcass. Some big trucks blow a tyre to shreds and the drivers don't even notice because they can't tell. So even if their drivers did have the presence of mind to pick up after themselves, they discover that they've left road debris only after they've stopped which can be hundreds of miles later.

R-I-I-I-G-H-T!! I DON'T think so!!

Let's see, the day is 24 hours long, I work for 9 hours of that, and would like a bit of sleep (6 hours), and I'd like to cycle a little (1-2 hours right now) which would only leave 7-8 hours each day in which to sweep up the roads. Given the right equipment (which would be expensive - I'd need a bobcat and all sorts of shovels and brooms etc.), I might be able to clear my usual route in a couple weeks. Then, of course, I'd have to start all over again.

No, I think I'll leave it to the people who are paid to do that sort of thing.

Let's see, the day is 24 hours long, I work for 9 hours of that, and would like a bit of sleep (6 hours), and I'd like to cycle a little (1-2 hours right now) which would only leave 7-8 hours each day in which to sweep up the roads. Given the right equipment (which would be expensive - I'd need a bobcat and all sorts of shovels and brooms etc.), I might be able to clear my usual route in a couple weeks. Then, of course, I'd have to start all over again.

No, I think I'll leave it to the people who are paid to do that sort of thing.

Agreed. I will add that it's pretty pointless trying to sweep up the broken glass and so on covering the "roads" in these parts -- smashing bottles seems to be a popular recreational activity among the brain-dead (around 90% of the population) around here. I think a more effective long-term course of action would be a few letters to the people who have the capacity to make laws governing the amount of littering people are allowed to do.

Agreed. I will add that it's pretty pointless trying to sweep up the broken glass and so on covering the "roads" in these parts -- smashing bottles seems to be a popular recreational activity among the brain-dead (around 90% of the population) around here. I think a more effective long-term course of action would be a few letters to the people who have the capacity to make laws governing the amount of littering people are allowed to do.

Here, they sand and salt the roads all winter long so that when the snow melts, we're left with a beach all over the roads. The road crews haul tons of the stuff away every spring with heavy-duty equipment. A person with a broom isn't even going to make a dent in it all.

I just checked - it takes city crews 6 weeks to clear up all the sand and debris on primary routes in the city. I was looking for the number of tons of stuff they clean up each spring, but I couldn't find it. They'll likely post it in late May when they are done. http://winnipeg.ca/publicworks/Streets/StreetCleaning.asp

The other thing is that there seems to be a game on my route - during the summer nights people drive up the road and try to hit the road signs with their beer bottles. For about 20 yards on either side of each road sign you can find all sorts of broken glass. I know that, and as I come closer to a road sign, I just watch out for the broken glass. If I were to spend the time to clean up miles and miles of broken glass . . . it would all be back a few days later.

im glad im not the only person whos dealing with all the sand. It not so bad on straight roads because cars have cleared the way for me. Its the twisty uphills that i fear for my life on. It makes me have to cycle further from the edge which means some drivers pass me within inches. As for clearing debris...the only times i have were
1) on a bike path there were some huge branches that had fallen the night before and i guess i was the first person to ride there so out of necessity i moved them and went on my way.
2) once again on a bike path i got a flat from some broken glass covering the path and took a nice spill on the grass (lucky day for me :D ). so i just picked up the bigger pieces and threw them in the garbage (which was right next to where the glass was. damn lazy people) and kicked the smalled stuff to the side.

We get the occasional patch of sand on the road here, too, if we get a strong sea-breeze. However, what really bugs me is the occasional patch of gravel that some people take delight in dumping on urban roads whenever the mood takes them. Very annoying and totally unnecessary.

Do any of you all drive out and sweep off areas of road, which you cycle on, that have debris spread over it? Sometimes, on routes that I cycle, I will drive out in my car, take a broom, and sweep off debris, such as gravel, sticks, and etc.

Yes I will clear the lane sometimes. I will stop during a ride to move the large
chunks of blown truck tires. I have also taken a broom & driven back to a spot to sweep drastically excessive broken glass. Here in this part of Texas we don't have to worry about sand/salt or frozen roads for that matter. I do what I do
for myself as much as for other cyclists. Doesn't matter if what I do is/isn't noticed by others, sometimes it just needs to be done. Worst time was a 1/4
mile stretch of welding rods. A full box of rods is 50# & that had to be a full box when it hit the road. I bet that was one ticked off welder when he found out also, because welding rods aren't cheap.

Do any of you all drive out and sweep off areas of road, which you cycle on, that have debris spread over it? Sometimes, on routes that I cycle, I will drive out in my car, take a broom, and sweep off debris, such as gravel, sticks, and etc.
I find myself too far from home to make this a practical option. For the worst of it, wish it possible to carry a small broom on my bike... The worst aspect...Jerks are everywhere...I have seen and heard of reports of anti cycling punks. They intentionally litter bike lanes with glass because they resent us so much. Street sweeping seems to be a thing of the past.

I wish the city's recycle collection truck would sweep up after itself. Every house it stops at, it dumps a little pile of broken glass on the road. I guess that's how they recycle glass now, pick it up at one house and dump it at the next! I've complained a couple times but to no avail.