Potholes

[Lee]

Has anyone else noticed when you do hit one, it seems to be quite 'shocking' in the vRS?

I put it down to the 17" wheels and 40 profile tyres but it's still a scare when you cop one.

Very annoying.

[jonny boy]

Lee,

Great post.

Not so much the hard ride, that's expected, but the sheer amount of shocking road conditions there is everywhere. I've done 1k miles in the last 3 weeks, north & south, and it's the same.

The very harsh winter last year did ruin a lot of roads already in need of work, so I guess that's the main culprit.

[seboni121]

Aye and won't be repaired any time soon either, lucky we didn't get a hard winter this time round or we'd all need 4x4 s

[marTTyn]

I have had a couple of problems with potholes.

Hit one and it took a chunk out of my tyre sidewall (the rim protector bit)

Hit another and it damaged the tyre and took a chunk out of the wheel aswell.

Yeah after this I have wondered why they didnt go for 16's...

[VWD]

Potholes --

Step one - find Pothole reporting place ( usually on county site) and report with details of where etc .( I do it by email,and keep a copy) .You should get a reply ,and reference no .

Step two ,In meantime ,search county website for your local county councilor.

Step three ,if it's still there in a reasonable time, copy report to local county councilor .

After one or two of these , the County Highway folks wake up .Especially if the councillor is like ours .

But why did Skoda fit the cheap crap on MK1's .I replaced both fronts witnin a matter of weeks,due to sidewall bulges and they's only done 14k,due to potholes and bad gullies.

Edited 2 March, 2012 by VWD

[Moist Von Lipwig]

As above, don't just moan about it do something. My local road developed about 7 potholes in 300 yds over the brief winter. Probably agrevated by the fact it was a patchwork quilt due to the amount of local amenities digging it up all the time! I reported them via the council website, got a holding response that they would investigate and their timeframe, fair enough. As they have been informed, my assumption is that as they have been informed if I damage my wheels then I stand a better chance of getting the repair bill footed by them.

Within a few days they have been patched up, not the best job but at least it stops me having to slalom around them on my daily commute!

[jonny boy]

As above, don't just moan about it do something. My local road developed about 7 potholes in 300 yds over the brief winter. Probably agrevated by the fact it was a patchwork quilt due to the amount of local amenities digging it up all the time! I reported them via the council website, got a holding response that they would investigate and their timeframe, fair enough. As they have been informed, my assumption is that as they have been informed if I damage my wheels then I stand a better chance of getting the repair bill footed by them.

Within a few days they have been patched up, not the best job but at least it stops me having to slalom around them on my daily commute!

Who's moaning ?

OK, I will.

Maybe the Councils should get off thier fat arses and police thier turf. They know damn well there's continuous issues with roads.

We spend countless £000s on road tax and petrol then we should be able to roll relatively smoothly on our 'so called' roads.

Some people work 60+ hours a week and have very little time to be running thier offices for them.

Is that enough to qualify as moaning ?

[Lee]

I've recently adopted memorising where the bad ones are on my regular routes.

Works ok and pleasantly surprised to see them filled-in but then some more appear. Dammit!

[Wilko251088]

I used to work on highways inspection, now if only I could remember the depths and prioritys!! Dam! A guy I worked with (very experienced inspector) hit a deep one with his ac schnitzer alloys on his bimmer and bent one. He photographed and measured depth, challenged the council and they bought him a full set of four!!

[Reavenger]

It's well known that potholes will send a shock through the chassis with the Fabia. Was noted even in Journo reviews. The alloys stand up well to it though and mine were never damaged.

Race suspension and bigger wheels in the Megane make it better.

[seagull]

i had noticed that the country lanes in the yorkshire dales had some massive potholes but i guess this roads get forgotten about.I think every county in the country has poor roads.

[jonny boy]

I think every county in the country has poor roads.

....and loads of workers eating pies in thier 61 plate gucci vans all the time.

[seboni121]

Seriously though if you think the roads are bad here, I've just come back from sunny Malta ! God the roads are truly terrible seen nothing like it before, as to complaining to council now about roads and getting compo chances are slim, they are scrapping the bottom of the barrel

[seagull]

Seriously though if you think the roads are bad here, I've just come back from sunny Malta ! God the roads are truly terrible seen nothing like it before, as to complaining to council now about roads and getting compo chances are slim, they are scrapping the bottom of the barrel

yes but the sunshine more than makes up for it :sun:

[MartynVRS]

They keep jet filling the holes which is useless! All it gets you is potentially a stonechipped front end and a bigger hole in a week or two. Patching the hole is no good a bigger section should be cut out and resurfaced properly.

Was just saying the other day about the A4069 (Brynamman to Llangadog) Some bits are lovely and smooth but other bits have bee resurfaced but it's rough, full of bits and you feel the car shimmying underneath you. Before anyone sayd it's the car it's not. Been over it in a Swift, Cabstar and a Vivaro and all were the same.

[seboni121]

Martyn cupboard is bare mate!, it will be years and years and years and years before these roads are fit and safe, let's not forget these roads are in some areas dangerous, they tend to wear in the corners where the pressure on the Tarmac is greater, thus making the very dangerous especially for motorbikes hitting the potholes, which sometimes look like sink holes especially on back roads, even the farmers are starting to fill potholes up as the land rovers are struggling

[Moist Von Lipwig]

I agree that the councils or relevant authority should be monitoring the road conditions but it really is unrealistic to expect them to have a fully up to date knowledge of all the roads in their remit. They could probably get the bin men or others to report conditions but how much extra time would that take and I'm sure the unions would want extra money for it. I have no issue with asking the public to report potholes or other faults as long as they act upon the reports rather than just have an automated email response.

My experience in different areas is that if you report a problem then they will act upon it resonably quickly. The cynic in me thinks that they act quickly on recorded reports as their liability after that gets much bigger!

Patching is quick, easy and inexpensive but not a long term solution. However a full resurface is presumably very expensive and needs to be planned properly so as not to cause utter chaos with random road closures. Money is tight everywhere but it would be nice if the Government put a bit more of the substantial income they get specifically from motorists (Road Tax, Fuel Duty, Insurance Tax, VAT, etc..) back into the road network. Without proper investment the conditions will continue to deteriorate and the cost of completing a full repair will keep on growing.

[jonny boy]

Anyone been on the Turkish roads ?

Holy moly !!!

[seboni121]

Maybe a good idea to get a POLL going ? My pothole is bigger than yours? Pics and location ?

[MartynVRS]

I tend to pick my lines on roads now and have to be inch perfect on some corners without hitting the holes

[stu_mcl]

The pot holes in the roads at my work are massive because of trucks driving over them constantly, theres one i know off thats upto my shins.... And im 6ft 2 so its pretty deep. Last time i drove a van over it the wheel came back with a chinaman hat for a wheel trim

[marTTyn]

[VWD]

As I said on my last post. If the LA wont get off it's Ass- contact your County councillor. They should wake up the LA. If not, then ,perhaps it's time to start loking for a new county councillor, or find their party and start asking why they're sitting on Ass .That will wake them up .

[jonny boy]

LOL !

Thing is though, that would probably take longer than the half arsed efforts the workers do in an attempt to 'fill' a hole

[seboni121]

Lovely primroses lol