[Scootereno]

The Ilse of Man is an Island that hosts a famous motorcycle race held each year. It is on the streets and goes though the villages. To keep everything safe they add sand to the painted stripes for added grip for the bikes.
Why shouldn't all painted lines on the roads have this cheap and easy way of providing grip?

 

[pyfis]

The paint stripers I've seen in the US spray the paint. I can only imagine the havoc an abrasive substance like sand would cause to the spray nozzles. If the paint were applied by other mechanical means, I think it would be a great idea.

 

[Scootereno]

Sprinkling the sand over fresh paint might work well without the nozzle wear.

 

[TwoWheelTim]

I made the same suggestion to my local road department, regarding the tar snakes used to fill road cracks. So far no grip but a lot more tar snakes. They are a hazard when the temperature soars, just like ice and a lot harder to miss than painted lines.

 

[countryartist]

The stripes where I live aren't even really painted any more at time, they're like a heated, rubberized strip laid down on the road. Still slippery.

 

[SPS Tools]

... Why shouldn't all painted lines on the roads have this cheap and easy way of providing grip?

Because they wear off the road faster. I've used sand & paint for traction on exterior stairs. The hard abrasive in the sand cuts through the surface, allowing water to get under the paint, and in the case of wooden steps grinds the surface. I had to repaint the steps in two seasons.
Another interesting combination is small (1mm) glass balls sprinkled on the wet paint surface. Creates a highly reflective sign.

 

[29534]

Sprinkling the sand over fresh paint might work well without the nozzle wear.

It would be expensive and time consuming to do it. They paint many miles per day at about a fast walking pace.

 

[cactuspwr]

Nope

In Quebec, they paint the lines on the roads this way.

1. blast air to clean the surface
2. spray paint
3. spray reflective glass beads ( powder )
4. if paint latex : heat to quick dry the paint

 

[model28a]

cactuspwr, thats how they do it here with one exception, after the pant is dry they run a street sweeper over to clean up any excess glass beads. I know this because when they repaved a road near me I was one of the first to use the new surfus. I came around a corner from a stop sign and my scooter slid from side to side and went down. I broke my leg and when the rescue responders came to get me they were sliding around trying to walk. One of the construction men told him the painters forgot to send the street sweeper to clean up the glass beads. The painters insurance company reimbursed my insurance company and sent me a check to cover my deductible. When they sent my check to cover my deductible they asked me if I had a lawer and when I said I didn't need one as they had paid all the expenses they said the case couldn't get closed until I was compensated for my pain and suffering. This was the painters insurance company telling me this. I ended up with $20,000 in my pocket, my scooter fixed, a new helmet, a police report saying I was not at fault and all expenses paid.

 

[29534]

Nope

In Quebec, they paint the lines on the roads this way.

1. blast air to clean the surface
2. spray paint
3. spray reflective glass beads ( powder )
4. if paint latex : heat to quick dry the paint

How is it not much more expensive and time consuming to pay for the beads, pay for labor to spray them and then (as model28a said) come back and clean the excess beads off after the paint drys?

 

[model28a]

Who said it is not much more expensive and time consuming?

 

[29534]

Who said it is not much more expensive and time consuming?

cactuspwr

 

[model28a]

Oops, I guess I missed it. I'm not used to one word sentences.

 

[cactuspwr]

It's not time consuming or expensive.

All the mechanic to do the road marking is very small.

see the video: they spraying paint and glass powder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RObBWJCppoc


Naturally, if you paint a stop line and you apply liberally by hand glass powder, you must sweep you mess. That's why people who do this job use a garden can to spray the powder in a close area and to control cost or like in this video, spray the powder and the paint at the same time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCwOxYPWhWI

worked for a city in my college time.

 

[TheDarkCutlass]

One thing i can think of is that it probably wouldn't last long, the sand would wear away fairly quickly, especially on the high traffic areas like stop lights/signs and crosswalks. Also I'm sure people would complain saying it 'eats up' their tires.

Many reasons 'against' it, it makes all the sense in the world to do it, but think the cons just to far outweigh the benefits.

 

[Ralph M]

Round here NW UK they use some environment friendly paint, only problem
is the signs fade and road markings turn to small white granules in a short
time, so they have to redo them 10 time as often, so it likely costs 20 times as much
and is 10 times worse for the environment.

They do put I think it's called Shell Grip on the approach to some junctions and
on roundabouts this makes a big difference to available grip though it does ware
out quite quickly.