Asphalt on Australian road melts and gums up cars

"Oh when the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof / And your shoes get so hot, you wish your tired feet were fireproof ..."

Or so goes the famous song by The Drifters. Any drifting, however, becomes exceedingly difficult when the tarmac starts to melt under your tires — and that's what's happened to Australian motorists.

The Australian ABC network is reporting that up to 50 drivers in north Queensland have had the road surface stick on their tires — filling up the wheel wells, and in some cases even necessitating the replacement of the cars' bumpers. There were inches and inches of bitumen covering the wheels, according to the report. The troublesome Millaa Millaa Road in Malanda was soon closed to assess the problem.

The phenomenon was said to be the result of a freshly resurfaced road experiencing strong rain, then unusually hot weather. Without the asphalt getting a chance to set, it became sticky goo, which is not easy to remove. ABC says the Department of Transport and Main Roads will compensate drivers whose cars and wheels were damaged as soon as possible.