MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – As winter approaches, we are reminded that icy roadways are on the horizon. However, that’s not the only way roadways get slippery. A commonly overlooked reason for motorcycle accidents is grass clippings that are spread on roadways.
When people who mow property close to a roadway blow their grass clippings onto the street, it can be like ice covering the road.
Motorcyclists and bicyclists struggle the most with this phenomenon as they only have two wheels and can lose balance if braking or turning.
In city streets, grass clippings can run into storm drains and clog them leading to flooding and other storm drain issues. The City of Marshfield has an ordinance against the disposal of yard waste into the street.
The ordinance reads: “Sec. 12-03 5c. Dumping solid waste and yard waste. No person shall rake, deposit, throw, place or leave any solid waste or yard waste upon any highway, street, court, lane, alley or other public way, park, vacant lot, yard, body of water or any other place except in an appropriate solid waste or recycling container required in this chapter for those purposes.”
Certain states (not Wisconsin) have instituted legislation making the act of mowing your grass clippings into the street illegal.
Avid motorcyclist Justin Peterson said he himself luckily hasn’t had to deal with grass in his path but he has heard of other riders struggling with it.
“I have not had experience myself, however I have heard about a quite a few people crashing because of them,” Peterson said. “I know they are slippery and braking in case of an emergency would be very dangerous.”
Instead of mowing your grass clippings into the street, for the safety of others please mow them into your yard or clean them up immediately after.
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