Damn PA With Their Chip Seal Roads!!! | FerrariChat

Damn PA With Their Chip Seal Roads!!!

Discussion in 'Mid-Atlantic Region - USA (PA, DE, MD, DC, VA)' started by DreamCarrera, Aug 18, 2021.

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  1. DreamCarrera

    DreamCarrera Formula Junior

    Oct 25, 2006
    815
    S.E. PA
    Full Name:
    Eric
    #1 DreamCarrera, Aug 18, 2021
    There are few things I love more than taking a nice spirited country drive in a great sports car on a bright and sunny day. However, living in southeastern PA lately has put a damper on this fun, relaxing activity. The culprit, chip sealed roads (a/k/a oil and stone, etc.).

    Chip sealing is the process by which PennDOT puts down a layer of oil/tar on the road followed by a layer of small stones ("chips") that then adhere to the oil. The process is supposed to increase the lifespan of roads. The real results for sports car enthusiasts, however, are increased stubborn tar deposits on your paint, increased rock chips to your paint, and increased tire wear.

    The real problem I have with this road surface is the perceived increase in tire wear. Chip sealing a road essentially turns the road into mutant sand paper on steroids that ravages your expensive tire rubber. The sharp little stones that now make up the new road surface love to eat tires for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Now, when I'm carving up the twisties on a chip sealed road (and many of my favorite country driving roads have been turned into chip sealed roads), visions of my tires be shredded to bits are going through my head instead of the bliss of driving a great sports car on a nice country road.

    Anyone else here have these thoughts. Thanks for listening to me rant.
     
  2. Viperjoe

    Viperjoe F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    May 20, 2016
    2,632
    Washington Crossing, PA
    #2 Viperjoe, Aug 18, 2021
    What county? Thank goodness they’re not doing it in Bucks County. I’d be concerned about paint chips above all else. Oil/tar can be readily removed; tires replaced. Paint chips, however, pose a variety of issues.
     
  3. Hocakes

    Hocakes Formula Junior

    Apr 24, 2010
    461
    FL
    #3 Hocakes, Aug 18, 2021
    Try western PA on 25mm wide tubeless bicycle tires. You have no idea how many times I had to reroute or give up & go back home.

    Sent from my Samsung Note 8 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
    DocBasilone likes this.
  4. gauhog

    gauhog Rookie

    Nov 18, 2014
    14
    wilmington,de
    #4 gauhog, Aug 18, 2021
    Along with the paint chips, fortunately I PPF my cars, the windshield gets blasted also. I haven't gone so far as to get a windshield covering yet, but I might have to re-think that. I would not track a car without a windshield covering. This road fix is some brainchild's idea of a cheap quick fix, and works as long as you don't care what the front of your car looks like. For the rest of us, we're screwed.
     
  5. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 21, 2012
    27,157
    West of Fredericksburg, VA
    Full Name:
    John
    #5 energy88, Aug 18, 2021
    Yes, these type roads are like sand paper when first put down for about the first 3 months. However, after about a year tar and chip does smooth out and appears as 5-year old asphalt.
     
  6. DreamCarrera

    DreamCarrera Formula Junior

    Oct 25, 2006
    815
    S.E. PA
    Full Name:
    Eric
    #6 DreamCarrera, Aug 18, 2021
    Berks County is the worst (I think a county commissioner must own a quarry that provides the "chips") but it seems to be becoming pervasive in surrounding counties as well, such as Lehigh, Chester, Lancaster, etc. Glad to hear that it has not hit Bucks County yet.
     
    Viperjoe likes this.
  7. Geflackt

    Geflackt Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 13, 2015
    122
    Eastern PA.
    #7 Geflackt, Aug 20, 2021
    Bucks usually does it in late Summer or Fall, just when we want to go for a drive. Haven't seen much in the upper half of Bucks yet this year. Amazingly some roads are actually getting paved. Thankfully we don't have many developments, but that keeps the township budgets lower and it's the townships that typically do the chipping - at least in the upper half of the county.
     
  8. zygomatic

    zygomatic F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 19, 2008
    4,855
    Washington, DC
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    Chris
    #8 zygomatic, Aug 31, 2021
  9. FerrariCognoscenti

    FerrariCognoscenti Formula 3

    Jan 19, 2021
    2,429
    East Coast
    #9 FerrariCognoscenti, Sep 2, 2021
    I presume this also rapidly increased the rate of tire wear. I suppose I can send the bill for my Pirelli’s to Montgomery County?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  10. zygomatic

    zygomatic F1 Rookie
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    Jun 19, 2008
    4,855
    Washington, DC
    Full Name:
    Chris
    #10 zygomatic, Sep 2, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2021
    Given what I just paid Alexandria in vehicle taxes, I should bill them the cost of my tire replacement
     
  11. Gh21631

    Gh21631 F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2011
    8,338
    East
    #11 Gh21631, Sep 3, 2021
    I won't drive my sport cars in certain locations because of the roads. Certainly not DC.
     

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