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To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

(OP)
Just wondering, given the very diverse geographical composition of the Eng-Tips site, if your area of the world/country paints or doesn't paint W-beam guardrails. On the road here (South Sulawesi, Indonesia), they paint them black and yellow alternating stripes - I find it much harder to see at night (country mountain roads) than if the rails were just left galvanized.  Plus, when you paint the rails, you add on a large cost of maintenance painting.  When I was in India, they wanted to paint the kerbs as well - all 125 klicks of them.  Arrg  Please respond as "yes or no" and location - then comments.  cheers

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

Interesting - "Kerbs" - sounds almost ethnic.  

It's "Curbs" here.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto:  KISS
Motivation:  Don't ask

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

galvanized only -  every part of the US I have been. Curbs are not generally painted, except occasionally in no parking zones.

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

Galvanized...good reflectivity...lower cost

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

I think that you are just galvanizing the situation Ron.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto:  KISS
Motivation:  Don't ask

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

BTW, in previous, more Troubled times, my retirement plan was to open a pre-cast concrete kerb production plant in Norn Iron churning out pre-coloured red, white, blue, green and gold kerbs.

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

(OP)
Mike - if your Motto is "KISS" (I take that as a target), how will you achieve it if your motivation is "Don't Ask"?  I keep on asking; sometimes I get lucky!

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

Some Air Force research back in the 80's showed that painting a figher plane in mottled stripes made it harder to recognize as a fighter plane. I'd think a solid color guide rail would be easier to recognize as a guiderail.

Then there is Checkerboard Curve, in Millerton, NY:
http://tinyurl.com/32f8ahl (Links to Google Streetview)

     "...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail." - Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

Quote:

Then there is Checkerboard Curve, in Millerton, NY:
http://tinyurl.com/32f8ahl (Links to Google Streetview)

Well it's a good job there's something backing up those arrow signs, which aren't very apparent in the view in the link.

You fellas need chevrons...chevrons with big yellow borders...
http://www.glasdon.com/Product_Images.aspx?pID=369
 

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

Ours are either galvanized or weathering steel.

Talk about hard to see at night in the mountains, that weathering steel is hard to see! Add to that the lines scraped off by plows, or covered with sand, and reflectors covered with road grime, and you have some fun driving conditions.

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

Guardrails are normally left galvanized in Australia.  If a kerb is painted, it usually means not to park there.

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

Singapore many kerbs painted alternate black and white. Barriers galvanised not painted. Thailand will check tomorrow. Vietnam will check on Thursday.

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

Kerb?  Futbol?  Gah.


Galvanized guard rail, unpainted curb here in the south east.

 

Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East - http://www.campbellcivil.com

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

And I bet you measure your galvanizing thickness with a gage, not a gauge...

Hg
 

Eng-Tips policies:  FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

Quote:

Kerb?  Futbol?  Gah.

Just adds to the richness of our language, to be able to curb our enthusiasm whilst kicking someone to the kerb.

RE: To Paint - or Not To Paint: That is the Question

BigH,
If you go to other parts of Indonesia, especially in Java Island, you will find that
   - all guard rails are galvanized only, without any paint
   - in  big cities,most curbs are painted black
     and white, especially during commemoration of
     independence day.       


   

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