Not only in winter, cyclists have to expect the risk of slipping due to grit and road salt.
Road salt does not always have to be removed from the road immediately. The municipality may also leave it on the asphalt as a preventive measure against ice and snow, as a ruling by the Schleswig-Holstein Higher Regional Court shows. A cyclist who slipped and fell on the grit at the end of March 2015 had sued. She accused the community of not having removed the mixture, although there was no frost at the time of the accident and the road conditions were perfect.
However, the judges denied the city's liability and claims for damages. A person subject to litter cannot be expected to remove the litter from the road immediately after each use. This is especially true because the grit-salt mixture used in this case reduces the risk of future snowfalls and ice formation. These are still possible in March. (Ref .: 7 U 25/19)