Potholes and one behind the wheel. Options

[SirWilliam]

Not a day goes by without the pothole issue being raised and figures that would shame the GDP of most Countries offered as the cost both in repair and in damage, yet how many of the whinging Audi, ( other makes are available ), drivers would consider driving slower and using that round thing in front of them to steer around the hole? Oh no! Let's throw money at the problem and to h**l with the NHS needs or elderly care. I agree that those wretched traffic humps are the worst culprit as there is no way of avoiding them but if nothing else a hole in the road should reduce speed without the need for expensive cameras etc. If you want to experience Newbury's tarmac problems try pushing a wheelchair along pavements that have been dug up more times than one can remember and never left in a flat state. Even those pavements that are reasonable good have poor access points because of 2 or 3 inch disparity, or are blocked off by a parked car. Do we ever hear the disabled complain? If they do I doubt anyone listens as numerically they are very much a minority and therefore don't matter.

[Andy Capp]

There’s nothing safer about having to concentrate on where in the road you may drive or ride.

[On the edge]

There’s nothing safer about having to concentrate on where in the road you may drive or ride.

The road safety experts disagree, hence strangely positioned and sharp height road humps, rumble strips and the like. Arguably, modern 4x4 type cars of which there are very many these days are built to cope with rough terrine. Even so, drivers are lulled into a false sense of safety by the comfortable, air conditioned, tank like construction of many cars which induces a lack of concentration. A sharp bang now and again serves to remind. I'd also argue that drivers having to cough up to replace suspension components is rather more effective than using traffic police or cameras to keep speeds down.

[Andy Capp]

The road safety experts disagree, hence strangely positioned and sharp height road humps, rumble strips and the like.

Tell that to the emergency services, besides, unlike potholes, those obstacles are signposted.

[On the edge]

Tell that to the emergency services, besides, unlike potholes, those obstacles are signposted.

We don't put 30mph signs up on every single road so that's no answer. If the emergency services are seriously objecting, then they'd have had the humps removed, even bus drivers, where such traffic calming measures cause serious issues have failed on that one. Answer is straightforward, drive at the right speed.

[Andy Capp]

We don't put 30mph signs up on every single road so that's no answer. If the emergency services are seriously objecting, then they'd have had the humps removed, even bus drivers, where such traffic calming measures cause serious issues have failed on that one. Answer is straightforward, drive at the right speed.

You dodged the point I was making: the random unexpected nature of some potholes make them dangerous for all road users, whether driving at the speed limit or not.

[On the edge]

You dodged the point I was making: the random unexpected nature of some potholes make them dangerous for all road users, whether driving at the speed limit or not.

I'll probably get shot down for this, but certainly round here I haven't seen one pothole deep enough to be dangerous to proper road users. Yes, some do go deeper or various reasons, but the Council do actually repair these very rapidly.

I have a problem with 'all' road users. Some have unreasonable expectations, which is a other matter entirely. For instance, a cyclist I know who damaged a very expensive racing cycle hitting a crumbled road surface. He complained bitterly, but, looking at it logically, why on earth was he expecting a velodrome standard surface to practice his hobby when he hadn't paid a brass cent towards it? His ability to pass freely along the Queen's highway, which his taxes pay to be paved and drained is the only entitlement.

Sure, for some old or poorly designed vehicles, riding over rough surfaces will cause damage - particularly if done at speed. Knowing our road surfaces are not and in reality never have been, silky smooth means holes might be random, but can be expected and anticipated - rather like pedestrians.

The emergency service managements are also said to complain, but what public service manager doesn't keep complaining these days. However, even a casual glance at their issues tells a different story. Their biggest difficulty is random parking, where self centred drivers leave vehicles parked in such a way as to block progress; usually in areas of high density housing. Again, down to unreasonable expectations of certain road users, who feel that the general population ought to pay for somewhere they can park their vehicle where they choose to end their journey.