State of the Roads

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 18 Jan 2010, 22:42

No. That's what's propping up all these @ssholes in the financial institutions
which still have to pay the "fair" going rate/Market value salaries with many
zeros and more than rude bonuses...

doublebollocks!

Andrew

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 18 Jan 2010, 22:59

addo wrote:
Toby_HDi wrote:Right....where's my island......
It's called New Zealand.

No, no , no. An island to myself. Just me and no one else. Society really annoys me these days

HDI · Post by **HDI** » 18 Jan 2010, 23:03

Glad you said that , I feel the same but was worried that I was paranoid

evilally · Post by **evilally** » 19 Jan 2010, 00:22

My uncle is a manager in the roads department here....he hates his job. Here are some stories about how the place is run:

The council said no overtime for the foreseeable future, to save money. When you've got a crew out working on the road, you can be spending thousands on equipment hire every day. So, logic dictates that spending a few hundred quid on overtime to shorten the length of the job by a few days is money well spent, and also allows the crew to work outside of peak traffic times causing less disruption. Despite my uncle writing letters and kicking up stink, the council insisted on no overtime, costing the tax payer a damn fortune on unnecessary hire.

Shortly before an election, he was give £125,000 and told to spend on "high visibility" stuff. So instead of spending it on crumbling roads, he had to buy a whole load of "twenty's plenty" signs.

A major road had failing lights. 3 companies put in quotes to supply new lights. The 2 cheapest were in France, and didn't have the lights in stock, but promised them soon. The other company was 50 pence per light dearer, but were local and could supply the lights immediately. The council insisted that the cheapest quote be taken, saving a petty amount of money. As it turned out, the lights weren't delivered for months, and the roads department had to spend £20,000 sending out crews to maintain failing lights.

It comes down to large organisations preventing the man on the ground from doing his job. I work in the NHS and know exactly that feeling, some @rsehole somewhere tells you it has to be done this way because that's the way it is. Nobody is allowed to apply common sense to a paticular situation. I thought this was very well summed up in the TV series "The Wire".

Old-Guy · Post by **Old-Guy** » 19 Jan 2010, 17:57

The law is very unfair over damage or injury caused by potholes: victims have a claim against the council only when the hole has been reported but not fixed within a "reasonable time". If not reported, or if fixed promptly, claims won't succeed. In law, victims have to prove negligence by the responsible party.

Jim, if you think about the size of the road network, councils have to depend on the public reporting potholes.

I have a theory that periods of snow and frost create lots of potholes: When the slush thaws during the day, traffic forces moisture (that can't escape) into the road surface. This freezes at night, expanding and breaking up the surface. Next day, even more moisture gets forced into the surface and between layers. When it all thaws, the action of tyres slamming into holes full of water, forces water under high pressure into the road bed. Obviously, none of this can happen where the road surface is sound.

BTW, more than 50 years ago, Sir Winston Churchill referred to the "Raid Fund Tax" in a speech complaining how little of it is spent on roads.

MAC OSX · Post by **MAC OSX** » 24 Jan 2010, 19:22

The councils are unwittingly making things better for us users of SUPERIOR vehicles.
This is being done by making the roads unusable by users of INFERIOR vehicles.
Hence reducing congestion. Only real citroens (hydro) and off roaders using the roads.

HDI · Post by **HDI** » 24 Jan 2010, 20:36

Old-Guy wrote:
I have a theory that periods of snow and frost create lots of potholes: When the slush thaws during the day, traffic forces moisture (that can't escape) into the road surface. This freezes at night, expanding and breaking up the surface. Next day, even more moisture gets forced into the surface and between layers. When it all thaws, the action of tyres slamming into holes full of water, forces water under high pressure into the road bed. Obviously, none of this can happen where the road surface is sound.

Thats exactly the process by which road surfaces break up. Wouldn't be anywhere near as bad if they didn't repair roads with a skim of tar and chippings on the top. Most of our local roads are now covered in gravel now because of the frost & water scouring the surface.

falling-out-with-my-car · Post by **falling-out-with-my-car** » 26 Jan 2010, 11:27

I have noticed that a lot of these holes were actually repaired before Christmas and now after the snow and ice they have opened up again.

road menders are you listenning to this, don't just fill a hole with cold tarmac and pat it down, you have to heat the hole first to make the tarmac stick.

if there is any truth to the local authorities putting 20% waste veg oil in the tarmac mix have they considered that veg oil freezes at minus 6 degrees? heat or no heat to bond the repair.

Napolian · Post by **Napolian** » 05 Feb 2010, 15:34

Central government gives local councils adequate funding for road repairs however, much of the money is diverted in to pet projects like the nappy coordination advise centre in Reading.

When there is a pothole the least of the cost is for the actual repair, the majority of the cost for the survey, reports administration and coordination of filling in the hole.

rmunns · Post by **rmunns** » 05 Feb 2010, 16:06

Suggest moving to France?

Many areas are 50% English, lots of things just like home was 30 years ago, Sky TV with full English TV coverage, no legal hounds claiming for the slightest thing, councils don't spend money on tarting up - if the pavement is wonky, just be careful. Practically no salt put on roads in bad weather - everyone stays home, totally different attitude. Can't be sacked except for things like treason. La Poste, although dearer than UK, is very reliable. Everyone holidays in France, keeps money here, most buy Ren Peu Cit.

Could go on..........

falling-out-with-my-car · Post by **falling-out-with-my-car** » 06 Feb 2010, 03:07

Cor it sounds like blighty used to be many years ago, sounds like heaven to me. we have unfortunately followed the US in our ways, which is very sad because it has ruined our identity as a country.

regards Nigel.

lexi · Post by **lexi** » 06 Feb 2010, 09:34

What ? you mean in France they don`t send expensive news teams out to stand in the snow shouting? No reporting on "winter "CHAOS" ?. The "sheer hell" of watching a motorist whose wheels are turning but car not moving forward

Interviewing a Woman at her door who hasn`t been out for a whole day! Same woman can`t remember the weather ever being as a bad.........mind you she can`t remember where she left her false teeth in the jar either

Warning; THIS could be a taste of things to come! Scientists have done extensive research (earning a 4yr fully employed PHD in the process) and are now predicting?..............this snow could happen next year as well..........amazing!

Remember...this is the worst winter for twenty years........That`s a loooooong time (in jail) although Earth is slightly older.

24hr magazine programmes under the name of News. The biggest business in the World now......selling nothing more than baked beans!

addo · Post by **addo** » 06 Feb 2010, 09:58

You're sounding a little jaded and cynical there, Lexi.

I would love to visit France again, mainly to drive twisty mountain roads of the Alpine areas.

lexi · Post by **lexi** » 06 Feb 2010, 10:05

You're sounding a little jaded and cynical there, Lexi.

Nah ! It`s what we do for laughs mate......some even call it Satire

addo · Post by **addo** » 06 Feb 2010, 10:11

I had it sussed.

Scots and Australians generally shared points of humour - at least, before Australia went soft.

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State of the Roads

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