Here is a better picture of the thing you are saying you would "drive over": https://www.proxibid.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimage...

I’d disagree. :/

It’s a huge chuck metal well over a foot long in the middle of a lane. The center of a lane is usually higher than sides and an uneven patch of road can cause a slight bounce before it, further reducing clearance. I’d worry about my RAV4 (8 inches) clearing it safely.

At first, I thought it was possibly a tire tread, which tend to curl up.

Your eyes work differently when not looking at a screen.