# Dark spots on roads.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-spots-on-roads/675185>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 1, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-spots-on-roads/675185 "2013-12-01T03:14:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cwbflbeachbum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@cwbflbeachbum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwbflbeachbum)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-spots-on-roads/675185/1 "2013-12-01T03:14:14Z")

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For many years, I have observed a phenomena that has finally driven to post and see if anybody else has ever noticed.  
Driving along, I notice dark spots in the road that are almost always preceded by a dip, many times at the beginning or end of a bridge. What causes the dark spot? My conclusion is the dip in the road causes an “almost ready to drip” drop of oil somewhere on the frame of a vehicle to drop onto the roadway.  
Has anybody noticed this and have you ever thought about it enough to draw conclusions of your own?

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**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-spots-on-roads/675185/2 "2013-12-01T03:52:30Z")

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I know exactly what you’re talking about and came to the same conclusion.

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**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dark-spots-on-roads/675185/3 "2013-12-01T04:54:00Z")

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Yup, got it in one.