Potholes

[hitman67]

Is it just me or have the roads got worse over the past three months?

For example, on the A-road between my Village and the Motorway there's a massive pothole right in the middle of the road. Now the problem isn't so much the depth as the width, I mean, my Cabrio's wearing the Fat S-Line alloys, yet it can drop a wheel down it for fun.

Now once you've got a wheel down it, the pothole just drags you across onto the other side of the road. It's pretty scary, and dangerous. Whenever I've hit it nothings been coming, luckily. I'm amazed it hasn't been picked up as a lot of wagons use that road.

Now you can't avoid it without either going onto the other side of the road or cutting a field, which I'm not willing to do.

Are the councils dumb or just ignorant? Someone enlighten me please.

[dkmech]

Why don't you enlighten them?

If you feel strong enough about it to mention it here why don't you go to your councils web page (if the don't have one give them a call, send a letter or drop in) and report it. Say where it is, describe how dangerous you think it is.

I have reported potholes many times. So far they have repaired a whole section of the road once, fixed a pothole the second time, and repaired huge sections of a road up in the hills. The last bits I've reported (which come to the road in the hill) haven't been fixed yet, but 3/4 with two massive repairs ain't bad.

I know its customary to slag off councils, but they don't drive everywhere, and if they don't know about it it wont get fixed. Let us know when you do it and lets see how long it takes them.

[5lab]

potholes occur much more in the winter due to water freezing and thawing, thus expanding/contracting a lot, and causing initial cracks in the tarmac

[Kinobe]

I totally agree, road conditions seem to be getting worse. When you drive off Junction 15 of the M6 (into stoke) just after the lights they are constantly refilling the pot holes.

General road conditions (the road itself) are getting worse. Drove over a blind pothole, tbh went over a speed bump then straight after was a pothole. I incurred a nice nail in my recently changed Dunlop SP2000, wasn't amused. Okay I probably should have spotted this but the point is, it should of been filled. Then when you report them it takes ages I've heard?

Ed

[dkmech]

Can take ages, can take a day. Thats from my personal experience. If its a single pothole write that there is a single pothole, which is so deep that it will cause damage to wheels and may send cars on the wrong side of the road or onto pavement. Say that it cannot be avoided without going onto the opposite side of the road.

If you report it it will take less time to fix than if you don't - its that simple.

[Lowe]

Funny you mention this. A few weeks back I was driving into town and encountered something more along the lines of a rocky valley than a road. I was left with no-where to go but to hit various pot holes, and it broke a track rod end and put my tracking out.

I got straight onto the councils website, reported how dangerous the road was, and also asked for an address for where I should send the invoice to repair the damage. The next day the pole holes were repaired, and I was given an address for the councils insurance department. I've just got to send them off now - I'll let you all know how I get on.

[Kinobe]

Can take ages, can take a day. Thats from my personal experience. If its a single pothole write that there is a single pothole, which is so deep that it will cause damage to wheels and may send cars on the wrong side of the road or onto pavement. Say that it cannot be avoided without going onto the opposite side of the road.

If you report it it will take less time to fix than if you don't - its that simple.

I think the main roads will get priority over streets/less congested areas. Sounds obvious I know but its the fact that whereever a pothole it should be filled

Some of the streets pot holes are just ridiculous Its like the speed bumps are supposed to slow you down but straight after a pothole? your car takes a bashing either way

Ed

[dkmech]

Yes, but the point is also that on main roads they know about potholes. If its your obscure place where noone ever goes - they just don't know. It might not get priority but it will get fixed at some point.

[autopilot]

It's also often a budget issue. Councils run short on money (my arse, but that's the official line) towards the end of the financial year. Come april, when the new budgets are out, our roads will be clogged up with trafic lights and lazy highways contractors. Yay!

[Konan555]

Warwickshire council kindly paid me for a set of alloy wheels, a bent TCA and 2 new tyres many moons ago on account of a pothole so deep I was expecting Tony Robinson to be working in it.

[autopilot]

Warwickshire council kindly paid me for a set of alloy wheels, a bent TCA and 2 new tyres many moons ago on account of a pothole so deep I was expecting Tony Robinson to be working in it.

Did you claim for the injury to your back too?

[Konan555]

Did you claim for the injury to your back too?

You joke.....

But the pull through the wheel actually did aggravate a problem I have with my wrist. Had it strapped for two weeks.

I didn't try and claim anything because I knew it'd mend, but I'm sure it could've been a sucsessfull claim. I was more interested in them being made to pay for my wheels being put back facing the right direction!

Mind you, the dozey sods phoned ford and got the list price for the wheels (yes, a whole set)...... I can tell you that aint the same you can pick standard 14" rims up for on ebay