The state of our roads...

TheDudeisnotin

..is a disgrace.

I had absolutely no idea just how uneven, badly mainained and dangerous they are. Maybe it's just lovely Birmingham, but having just got back from a proper trek across Holland & Germany I've realised how ashamed we should be about how cyclists are catered for. We did 250 miles and barely did ten of them on roads - the rest were on beautifully maintained cycle paths (which have right-of-way over the cars!!!). Why can't we invest in our cycle lanes in this country? I've always been a big supporter of public transport and so always get the bus everywhere. But since I've started cycling everywhere I seem to be planning my routes to avoid roads I know are covered in pot-holes. Argh!

Apologies for the rant...I could moan all day about the way people drive as well but I need to go to bed. And in the four weeks I've had my new bike at least 3 people have opened their car doors nearly taking me out.

Are there any lobby groups people are aware of to campaign for better road surfaces for cyclists? Am I naive in only just noticing this?

Grazy81

I totally agree mate i thought my local area was bad but then i took my bike into london and the state of the roads there was even worse so how boris or anyone can seriously be trying to promote cycling is just a joke

tlw1

I keep looking at getting a new race type road bike, but the roads around me in Cheshire & Shropshire make me look at stronger rather than lighter!

fishyweb

The roads in my area always had their fair share of potholes, but it has gotten ridiculous since last winter - there are more than ever (some of which seem downright dangerous), and, judging by the lack of adequate action to resolve them, the council appears to be totally disinterested in doing anything about it.

The council patched a few up a month or so ago, which implies they are aware of the situation, but left loads of still very bad ones on the same stretch of road totally unfilled.

amaferanga

If you report dangerous potholes then the council will usually fill them in quite quickly. If they know about them and e.g. a cyclist comes a cropper then I think the council can end up in trouble. Don't assume that they know!

www.richtreen.co.uk

I would suggest using http://www.fixmystreet.com/ and reporting at least the worst potholes.

As a car driver I have been using the site for years, the ones round here seem to be filled at least with in a day or so after reporting, since returning to cycling I am using it even more.

fishyweb

www.richtreen.co.uk wrote:

I would suggest using http://www.fixmystreet.com/ and reporting at least the worst potholes.

Not come across that site before - thnkak you. I have now submitted a report, and am now looking forward to a nice smooth ride before too long.

simonaspinall

I can't understand how contractors can continue in business with the quality of road excavation and the filling it back in. Truly shocking butchery of once smooth tarmac. With no exaggeration it's almost like doing an off-road course somethimes. On the road!

CiB

This is good - gets good results too.

http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/

Rich101

Couldn't agree more. Roads around me are full of pot holes, speed bumps, raised manholes and poor repairs. A lot of the rest of them are just not smooth they seem to be made out of tarmac consisting of really massive boulders or the original surface has worn away exposing a much rougher one below it. Even what appears like a smooth road from a car can be near unridable. When you do find the odd section of proper smooth tarmac it is an absolute joy and you really can see what you have been missing out on.

If it was just potholes in an otherwise lovely smooth surface that would be fine but the surface is awful to begin with in most cases.

Eau Rouge

TheDudeisnotin wrote:

. We did 250 miles and barely did ten of them on roads - the rest were on beautifully maintained cycle paths (which have right-of-way over the cars!!!).

The Dutch authorities see cyclsits as traffic, the British authoroties see cyclists as pedestrians. The differences follow from that.

Rich Hcp

The other problem, apart from bad repairs is some of the surfaces they put down

The "re-dress" the surface by chucking down gravel, which just makes it rough and cuts your tyres, the surface when worn in is still hard work

Then there are Rumble strips, designed to slow cars down when coming in to villiages, in rwality, the faster you go the smoother it feels!

But they play havoc with cycling, occasionally the is a gap to the kerb to go around, but not very often.

My final gripe is the so called high grip surface they have put on at some junctions and roundabouts.

It's leathal when wet and is now lifting clear of the normal tarmac surface, making it as bumopy as hell.

The roads are bad, I won't do some roads on my roadie, too risky, and have to take my MTB!

With the economy in a state, I doubt if anything will be done

phreak

I commute in along the Old Kent Road every morning and it's a shocking bit of road, as are many of them in London. I went along one this morning that had speed bumps and I couldn't tell any difference in the bumpyness from the rest of the road. Really is awful.

freehub

In Manchester they are fixing the roads quite quickly now, took them about 8 months but oxford road is getting fixed. You never know, might have fixed the A34 in a couple more years.

GeorgeShaw

It's our long history of cheapskatism, short-termism and failure to accept that, if we want a decent public infrastructure, we have to pay taxes.

Top dressing, for example, was introduced as a short term measure where a deteriorating road could be temporarily sealed to prevent further deterioration. Now it's become the norm. The Treasury straitjacket on council expenditure has inevitably led to them seeking to make savings in "soft" areas. Cutting the road repair budget is an easy choice to make.

The biggest problem with cycle paths is land prices, I would think. But as a nation we seem to be addicted to high house prices, most of which comes from the price of land, not the building.

Stellite

Ive been using fix my street for a while now.

The Scottish Borders and Midlothian are terrible, especially after last winter.

Suppose they more we highlight the problem to the council the more they will be awae of the problem.

Just been cycling in Austria and the roads are lovely and smooth, even the small service roads up the mountains!

TheDudeisnotin

Eau Rouge wrote:

TheDudeisnotin wrote:

. We did 250 miles and barely did ten of them on roads - the rest were on beautifully maintained cycle paths (which have right-of-way over the cars!!!).

The Dutch authorities see cyclsits as traffic, the British authoroties see cyclists as pedestrians. The differences follow from that.

I know...it's so nice when you approach an island and everyone stops for you. Plus dedicated traffice lights. It was liek a different world.

Thanks for the general response though peeps...I thought I was alone - or wrong. I'll look at some of those links and maybe speak to the council direct. I really feel unsafe coming round certain bends and junctions because of the state they are in - not to mention it taking minutes off my time. I think I've noticed it more because I've gone from a BMX to a hybrid. I never realised how much I'd feel the bumps and can see why my friends stick with their mountain bikes.

Big ups anyway.

phreak

I don't think it's as bad in the summer as you're travelling in daylight so can see (and swerve around) holes in the road, but during winter when the evenings get dark sooner it must be a terrible job.

stfc1

Was in the south of France a couple of weeks ago, and being reintroduced to British road surfaces was perhaps the most depressing aspect of coming home. That and the rain!

Porgy

Eau Rouge wrote:

The Dutch authorities see cyclsits as traffic, the British authoroties see cyclists as pedestrians. The differences follow from that.

except when cyclists RLJ apparently :roll:

TheDudeisnotin

Porgy wrote:

Eau Rouge wrote:

The Dutch authorities see cyclsits as traffic, the British authoroties see cyclists as pedestrians. The differences follow from that.

except when cyclists RLJ apparently :roll:

RLJ = Red Light Jump...? (n00b!)

We were talking about this when we were away....we decided there'd be no need to do it if there were proper provisions for cyclists. You don't mind waiting in a civilised manner if you're treated as such...

Porgy

I think the whole RLJing thing is a red herring to deflect people's attention from the real issues that concern cycling. It's usually entirely irrelevent to the argument that's going on at the time. Therefore I think we should be careful not to mention it again lest it takes this thread over completely.

Cycling is Forever

GeorgeShaw wrote:

It's our long history of cheapskatism, short-termism and failure to accept that, if we want a decent public infrastructure, we have to pay taxes.

Top dressing, for example, was introduced as a short term measure where a deteriorating road could be temporarily sealed to prevent further deterioration. Now it's become the norm. The Treasury straitjacket on council expenditure has inevitably led to them seeking to make savings in "soft" areas. Cutting the road repair budget is an easy choice to make.

The biggest problem with cycle paths is land prices, I would think. But as a nation we seem to be addicted to high house prices, most of which comes from the price of land, not the building.

I totally agree with cheapskatism point.
What annoys me is uk motorist have been paying vehicle excise duty since 1921. I have been personally paying since 1998.
What most people call road tax does not go on roads directly, the taxes raised from vehicle excise duty simply goes into government coffers.
Everyone knows local councils only get a small amount of the money from VED to actually maintain the roads.

In the intervening 10yrs I'd say the roads around my way are down right dangerous for every road user.
Bike-wise: I've been vigilant but the poor roads really detract from my enjoyment.
Car-wise:I've broken a spring and had a blowout on a tire. £££££ :x

Now hard up Oxford City Council is asking locals to sponsor a pot hole
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5921302/Residents-asked-to-sponsor-a-pothole.html


On the subject of land prices the UK has two issues: Overcrowding and Planning permission.

This is an island with high population density in many areas. Also planning laws do mean that the cost of developing land can be twice of say France.
France's Train Network is a good example of why they can do it and we can't without the massive bill.

fnegroni

I think all commentators on this thread should take a trip to Italy to get an idea of what bad planning and overcrowding means.

I lived in Italy for 19 years and in England for 10.

Roads: the road surface is smoother in Italy, but don't travel on it when it's wet or in the winter, unless you want to have an accident: it is not able to shed water and it is terrible in icy conditions
They are full of potholes, constantly being maintained, and there is not even a website where to report a pothole. If there was, it would probably shut down due to high demand and all data would be conveniently lost by the authorities.

Drivers don't give a damn if you are on a bicycle, a motorbike or on foot: if you sweat, you are a peasant, and as such you have no right to be on the road.
If you hold the primary position at junctions, it is assumed you are committing suicide and therefore allowing cars to pass over your dead body.

When overtaking, they will assume you will hold your line (which by the way, it's in the gutter) and that any obstacle will have to be avoided by you.

If you are climbing up a mountain pass and they think you are on your last leg, they will give you a little nudge and push you down the side.

As for overcrowding: most Italians live in flats, they are born in flats and die in flats.
They don't own a property until later on in life.

You can't say Britain is overcrowded. All visitors from Italy praise the amount of green land here, the number of houses with gardens and the clear road signs and respect for the law.

Of course I am exagerating (a little), but so are you lot. ;-)