UK roads

[Cali Phillip]

Enduring memory of touring NW Scotland this year, particularly Skye, fabulous scenery but you miss so much by needing to constantly navigate your van on the 6” strips of unbroken tarmac and avoiding the craters.

Highland council etc have recently spent and are spending a huge sums on resurfacing large sections of trunk road which were worst, gradually they are much better than a few years ago for sure, especially the A82 the poor cousin of the A9, often hardly wide enough for two HGV 's to pass never mind duelled !

 

[CaliforniaSeb]

Did you take photographs of the pothole and damage to your alloy? If not it’s worth doing and making a claim against your local authority. You’ll also need estimates for supply and fitting of the new alloy (and tyre), along with tracking/alignment.
A high percentage of claims are apparently rejected but I would give it a go. Good luck.

Did you take photographs of the pothole and damage to your alloy? If not it’s worth doing and making a claim against your local authority. You’ll also need estimates for supply and fitting of the new alloy (and tyre), along with tracking/alignment.
A high percentage of claims are apparently rejected but I would give it a go. Good luck.

Sadly , it was already marked for repair. It was dark so I didn't see it till too late.

 

[Azteccamper]

We can report potholes online at our county council. I’ve done 2 and they’ve both been repaired within 48hrs with excellent communication to keep you informed

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Sadly , it was already marked for repair. It was dark so I didn't see it till too late.

I might be inclined to still make a claim. Unless the pothole was marked with a visible upright sign you have little chance of seeing it at night. A bit of spray paint on the tarmac around it is inadequate. Worth a try as you’re probably well out of pocket.

 

[B J G]

A Cali is a darn sight heavier than en EV....... just sayin

Actually quoted as lighter than a Volvo 90EV.

 

[Beaker]

A Cali is a darn sight heavier than en EV....... just sayin

EVs are around 2 tonnes, the ones with larger batteries are the same if not heavier than a cali.
EV vans are apparently 4 tonnes with special discompensation as they are too heavy for a standard drivers license.
Our roads are going to wear more with heavier EVs.

 

[B J G]

Not to get into an EV rabbit hole, I don't have one, but having launched one I'm well aware of the myths surrounding them.

The weight issue is a myth that has been busted numerous times so I think it is worth calling it out.

Roads are generally a local council issue and each one has their own budget, or not, to fix them - I'm a parish councillor so have been embroiled in pothole complaints for some time.

Yes, they are atrocious, and yes, when driving through countries like France, our roads can feel very third world in places. But credit where credit is due, our council has been going through all key roads like a dose of salts with a magic resurfacing machine and it's made a massive difference. Of course, everyone then complained that the loose stones were an issue. The great British public.

That yours may not is for sure something to rally against them about.

The problem with many roads is that the base has moved, not helped by extreme wet followed by extreme dry periods repeatedly, with mere top surface cosmetic resurfacing again failing after a few months.

 

[Corradobrit]

EVs are around 2 tonnes, the ones with larger batteries are the same if not heavier than a cali.
EV vans are apparently 4 tonnes with special discompensation as they are too heavy for a standard drivers license.
Our roads are going to wear more with heavier EVs.

New Ford/VW Tranny weighs 200kg more in hybrid guise. You can guess how much more a BEV weighs.

 

[B J G]

EVs are around 2 tonnes, the ones with larger batteries are the same if not heavier than a cali.
EV vans are apparently 4 tonnes with special discompensation as they are too heavy for a standard drivers license.
Our roads are going to wear more with heavier EVs.

A factor that I haven't seen mentioned is how EV's mostly follow the current trend for large diameter wheels with low profile tyres. These have very little ability to absorb any surface impact , as did old high profile tyres, resulting a shock wave impact on the road surface.

 

[WelshGas]

We can report potholes online at our county council. I’ve done 2 and they’ve both been repaired within 48hrs with excellent communication to keep you informed

I’ve had the same experience.

 

[Velma's Dad]

EVs are around 2 tonnes, the ones with larger batteries are the same if not heavier than a cali.
EV vans are apparently 4 tonnes with special discompensation as they are too heavy for a standard drivers license.
Our roads are going to wear more with heavier EVs.

Okay but if we're going to play that game them consider that a typical small family car in the 1970s (say, an Escort 1300) weighed about 800kg. An e-Golf today is about 1,6 tonnes but its petrol powered equivalent is still 1.4 tonnes. So EV batteries just add yet more to the growing obesity of modern vehicles.

Yes, there will be even more damage to roads. I believe transport engineers' rule of thumb is the "4th power law" of increasing axle weight effect on road stress and consequent wear and service life. On that basis the e-Golf will cause 16 times more road damage per mile than the old Escort would have.

And a California Ocean will do 6 times as much damage as that e-Golf, and nearly 100 times as much as the Escort.

I should add though that as I understand it, nearly all the real damage to roads is caused by much heavier vehicles - trucks and buses - and "light" vehicles are a tiny factor.

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Okay but if we're going to play that game them consider that a typical small family car in the 1970s (say, an Escort 1300) weighed about 800kg. An e-Golf today is about 1,6 tonnes but its petrol powered equivalent is still 1.4 tonnes. So EV batteries just add yet more to the growing obesity of modern vehicles.

Yes, there will be even more damage to roads. I believe transport engineers' rule of thumb is the "4th power law" of increasing axle weight effect on road stress and consequent wear and service life. On that basis the e-Golf will cause 16 times more road damage per mile than the old Escort would have.

And a California Ocean will do 6 times as much damage as that e-Golf, and nearly 100 times as much as the Escort.

I should add though that as I understand it, nearly all the real damage to roads is caused by much heavier vehicles - trucks and buses - and "light" vehicles are a tiny factor.

Cars are heavier than they used to be in France and Spain too, but they don’t have the potholes.
For me, the only solution is to come up with the money and that’s down to Central Government.

 

[wildslammer22]

French roads are the gold standard. With the Swiss not far behind. The contrast crossing from Switzerland to Italy is stark. It's like the roads are made from Emmental.

I agree but it does help having fewer cars on nearly 2.5 times the land mass

 

[Corradobrit]

I agree but it does help having fewer cars on nearly 2.5 times the land mass

The reasons are multifaceted and that certainly helps. But even in the Alps the roads are maintained to a high standard despite the extremes of temperature and damage caused by repeated freezing and thawing.

 

[wildslammer22]

The reasons are multifaceted and that certainly helps. But even in the Alps the roads are maintained to a high standard despite the extremes of temperature and damage caused by repeated freezing and thawing.

I certainly not arguing against the point that UK road maintenance is underfunded, it patently is like almost all our public services. I was just pointing out that comparatively the UK has a very high motor vehicle density per km of road compared to France, Spain etc. Also vehicles numbers in the UK continues to increase whereas in France it’s actually declining.

 

[KevH]

I often report pot holes and blocked gulleys to my local council, it’s the only way to get something done.
On average it can be 6 months to resolution and 12 more before the same problem reappears.
Until the funding and mindset change, it will continue to be crap. Sad.

 

[derek_j_buchanan]

Driving back our new runaround in the dark into a massive pot hole. Alloy trashed. A friend of mine did the same yesterday. I am wondering whether it is worthwhile owning a nice viechle anymore in the uk? Our roads are a disgrace. Not taking a view in EVs , but it will get worse because of their weight. I really don't want to drive in the dark anymore.

If it was reported on fix my street then the council could be liable for the damage.

 

[aileron346]

French roads are the gold standard. With the Swiss not far behind. The contrast crossing from Switzerland to Italy is stark. It's like the roads are made from Emmental.

Yes, I agree. Definitely for the quality of an initial build or a total resurface.

However, I think Germany is interesting for the quality of its repairs. Even when their roads are a patchwork quilt, the patching is seemingly done to a much better standard, leaving a level surface and a properly sealed join.

The way our roads are across the U.K. does suggest that it’s mostly about local authority funding. But there is also something about quality control that’s not right. Patching near me once had the sealing missing the join by 2-3cm - an immediate focus for the next pothole.

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Spending on roads was slashed during the Osborne austerity years. Now it’s a game of catch up.

 

[Aubisque]

All the give way lines markings etc are wearing/worn off and not being repainted. which is a safety issue. Check the photos on the Highway Code pages compared to reality.

 

[RockinNRollin]

I might be inclined to still make a claim. Unless the pothole was marked with a visible upright sign you have little chance of seeing it at night. A bit of spray paint on the tarmac around it is inadequate. Worth a try as you’re probably well out of pocket.

if they’re aware of the defect already it potentially strengthens your case; highway authorities can’t reasonably expect to know the location of every defect as soon as they appear, so if you bend a wheel on an unknown pothole then report it your claim will be rejected unless you can prove they weren’t inspecting that location in accordance with their schedule. However, if they’ve been made aware of the defect (either through a third party or by their own inspection) and left it dangerous and/or haven’t repaired it within their set timescales then you’ve probably got a good chance of a claim.

 

[B J G]

I got 2 new alloy wheels paid for about 25 years ago after pot hole damage which wasn't so common then.
Councils weren't looking for get out reasons then.

 

[CaliforniaSeb]

if they’re aware of the defect already it potentially strengthens your case; highway authorities can’t reasonably expect to know the location of every d

I will give it a shot. This is my third incident since lockdown. I was on my way back from work in Pompey to Somerset. I do wonder where all this money for compensation comes from? Surely it must hit other more deserving local authority budgets. However I pay my taxes and the costs are adding up.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Another thing that makes the pothole issue worse is the prevalence of alloy wheels with low profile tyres. When I started driving everything had steel wheels and full profile tyres (or maybe 65s if you drove a Porker) and although there were potholes around, they did no damage as far as I recall.

If we now choose to drive cars with expensive delicate alloys, which have no functional benefit over steelies, just bling, with 'rubber band' tyres, are we at least partly to blame for damage if we hit a road defect? We know British roads are bad, it's not a new thing even though it's been getting worse.

Also (and dons even bigger tin helmet) I've never suffered pothole damage, despite driving often enough in the wet/dark. Yet I know people who say it's happened to them two or three times in a year, and in broad daylight. Bad luck? Or better go to Specsavers??

 

[CaliforniaSeb]

Another thing that makes the pothole issue worse is the prevalence of alloy wheels with low profile tyres. When I started driving everything had steel wheels and full profile tyres (or maybe 65s if you drove a Porker) and although there were potholes around, they did no damage as far as I recall.

If we now choose to drive cars with expensive delicate alloys, which have no functional benefit over steelies, just bling, with 'rubber band' tyres, are we at least partly to blame for damage if we hit a road defect? We know British roads are bad, it's not a new thing even though it's been getting worse.

Also (and dons even bigger tin helmet) I've never suffered pothole damage, despite driving often enough in the wet/dark. Yet I know people who say it's happened to them two or three times in a year, and in broad daylight. Bad luck? Or better go to Specsavers??

I challenge you drive around at nighttime on Somerset b roads and avoid the pot holes. I do a lot of miles . My neighbour has had the same number of issues . I accept the point about unforgiving sports alloys. My wheel was a 17inch alloy ,so plenty of rubber on there. I nearly had to clamber out if the drivers door ,into the car roof, to get out of the pothole that trashed my wheel .