utterly random picture thread.

[Wossname]

Does anyone report these things? I’ve reported 2 recently on line, and been quite pleased at how quickly they’ve been repaired. I was told that one had already been reported and was fixed by the following morning, the other took 2 days. My advice is to report them- more effective than wringing your hands ( in my experience of 2).

[Horse]

Does anyone report these things? I’ve reported 2 recently on line, and been quite pleased at how quickly they’ve been repaired.

My advice is to report them- more effective than wringing your hands ( in my experience of 2).

If they haven't been reported, the council can't be responsible for damages claims.

[Wossname]

Does anyone report these things? I’ve reported 2 recently on line, and been quite pleased at how quickly they’ve been repaired.

My advice is to report them- more effective than wringing your hands ( in my experience of 2).

If they haven't been reported, the council can't be responsible for damages claims.

Absolutely, because they don’t “know” the pothole exists. Another good reason to report them.

[Rockburner]

Does anyone report these things? I’ve reported 2 recently on line, and been quite pleased at how quickly they’ve been repaired. I was told that one had already been reported and was fixed by the following morning, the other took 2 days. My advice is to report them- more effective than wringing your hands ( in my experience of 2).

Oh - I AM reporting them. So are other people (on the West Sussex CC system you can see all the currently "active" reports).

It doesn't help that the repairs are so shoddy that potholes reappear within a month or two in exactly the same locations.

[Cousin Jack]

I report them frequently, reported 2 today. I expect a man in a transit pickup to turn up next week, put a bit of cold tarmac in the hole, smack it twice with the back of a shovel and report that it is fixed. The week after I will need to report it again

[Rockburner]

I report them frequently, reported 2 today. I expect a man in a transit pickup to turn up next week, put a bit of cold tarmac in the hole, smack it twice with the back of a shovel and report that it is fixed. The week after I will need to report it again

They actually tore up the topmost surface on one section on our road because it got so bad, (only a 20 foot long stretch), resurfaced it properly, and there's potholes opening up in that new section already.

[Mr. Dazzle]

AIUI potholes are caused by the layer under the top surface not being able to support said surface? Usually cause of water.

So resurfacing without fully tearing up the supporting layers is never gonna work for long.

[Count Steer]

AIUI potholes are caused by the layer under the top surface not being able to support said surface? Usually cause of water.

So resurfacing without fully tearing up the supporting layers is never gonna work for long.

Reminds me, one of our glorious wood pulp wasters (poss. The Daily Fail or Times) picked up on a report from the Tarmac Association or some such that speculated part of the reason for increased numbers of potholes is vehicles getting heavier. The paper spun it into 'it's all the fault of electric cars'.

The report never mentioned electric cars at all. It did however mention changes in the weather (eg more rain) but the paper failed to mention what might just be contributing to that.

[Rockburner]

AIUI potholes are caused by the layer under the top surface not being able to support said surface? Usually cause of water.

So resurfacing without fully tearing up the supporting layers is never gonna work for long.

Reminds me, one of our glorious wood pulp wasters (poss. The Daily Fail or Times) picked up on a report from the Tarmac Association or some such that speculated part of the reason for increased numbers of potholes is vehicles getting heavier. The paper spun it into 'it's all the fault of electric cars'.

The report never mentioned electric cars at all. It did however mention changes in the weather (eg more rain) but the paper failed to mention what might just be contributing to that.

Cars are heavier than they were 20 years ago regardless of their fuel source.

[Count Steer]

AIUI potholes are caused by the layer under the top surface not being able to support said surface? Usually cause of water.

So resurfacing without fully tearing up the supporting layers is never gonna work for long.

Reminds me, one of our glorious wood pulp wasters (poss. The Daily Fail or Times) picked up on a report from the Tarmac Association or some such that speculated part of the reason for increased numbers of potholes is vehicles getting heavier. The paper spun it into 'it's all the fault of electric cars'.

The report never mentioned electric cars at all. It did however mention changes in the weather (eg more rain) but the paper failed to mention what might just be contributing to that.

Cars are heavier than they were 20 years ago regardless of their fuel source.

Yup. Heavier, bigger etc. Lorries have done too.

But no. It's all the fault of electric cars.

[Rockburner]

Reminds me, one of our glorious wood pulp wasters (poss. The Daily Fail or Times) picked up on a report from the Tarmac Association or some such that speculated part of the reason for increased numbers of potholes is vehicles getting heavier. The paper spun it into 'it's all the fault of electric cars'.

The report never mentioned electric cars at all. It did however mention changes in the weather (eg more rain) but the paper failed to mention what might just be contributing to that.

Cars are heavier than they were 20 years ago regardless of their fuel source.

Yup. Heavier, bigger etc. Lorries have done too.

But no. It's all the fault of electric cars.

"Print what will sell, (regardless of the truth)"

[Count Steer]

"Print what will sell, (regardless of the truth)"

TBH I think it's a case of 'print what you want the mugs who buy it to believe (regardless of the truth)' with much of Fleet Street now.

It's interesting though, I'm sure the roads didn't seem to be relaid much in the past and repairs did seem to last longer + it's usually a cycle of water and cold on cracks that cause potholes. It is wetter but warmer too.

[Rockburner]

"Print what will sell, (regardless of the truth)"

TBH I think it's a case of 'print what you want the mugs who buy it to believe (regardless of the truth)' with much of Fleet Street now.

I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, Occam's Razor still applies.

It's interesting though, I'm sure the roads didn't seem to be relaid much in the past and repairs did seem to last longer + it's usually a cycle of water and cold on cracks that cause potholes. It is wetter but warmer too.

I think I'm right in saying that new coatings on roads seem to be a bit thinner than in the past, which probably doesn't help.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Doesn't modern tarmac deliberately let the water soak through too? The difference between new and old Tarmac as you drive along the M1 on a rainy day is stark.

[Yambo]

Yup. Heavier, bigger etc. Lorries have done too.

Lorry maximum weights have not increased much and iirc the increase capacity is dependent on suspension type i.e. air suspension allows for greater gross weight (I've not done this for some time though so I could well be wrong.

When I was working at LCC I was discussing some proposals for remedial measures with the County Surveyor - I wanted to put shellgrip on a bend where there were a number of accidents and he wasn't a fan of it. He reckoned that powerful cars with wide, low profile tyres put as much stress into the road surface as trucks with air suspension. It was measurable apparently.

I got the shellgrip laid but we agreed it would be the grey stuff and not the khaki coloured version.

[Rockburner]

Yup. Heavier, bigger etc. Lorries have done too.

Lorry maximum weights have not increased much and iirc the increase capacity is dependent on suspension type i.e. air suspension allows for greater gross weight (I've not done this for some time though so I could well be wrong.

When I was working at LCC I was discussing some proposals for remedial measures with the County Surveyor - I wanted to put shellgrip on a bend where there were a number of accidents and he wasn't a fan of it. He reckoned that powerful cars with wide, low profile tyres put as much stress into the road surface as trucks with air suspension. It was measurable apparently.

I got the shellgrip laid but we agreed it would be the grey stuff and not the khaki coloured version.

The only issue with shellgrip (or equivalent) is that it has a life measured in seconds.

(I exaggerate obviously).

[Horse]

Doesn't modern tarmac ...

I'd have had the QI hooter going off if I'd said 'tarmac' in the office as a generic term

Capital T, trade name. But everyone knows what you mean.


Something that surprised me is that it (tarmac, that is) 'bounces'. When a heavy vehicle tyre goes over, the surface depresses, then springs back. Problem is with double axle trucks is that the rebound can't happen in time from the first wheel before the second arrives. That leads to the HGV tramway ruts.

Something else odd is that 'tarmac' is oily, but deteriorates as it dries out. There have been trials with capsules of oil mixed in that gradually release oil to extend the life.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Is it not all actually asphalt anyway?

[Yambo]

Is it not all actually asphalt anyway?

Rolled asphalt on higher spec roads, tarmac on driveways.

[Cousin Jack]

They used to use hot hand-trowelled asphalt, with fist sized chunks of granite tamped in on busy roundabouts in the City of London. Expensive as hell, but it wore for years with no obvious signs of deterioration.