State of the nation's roads

[Blobcat]

Are we becoming 3rd world?

Roads shot,
NHS shot,
Railways shot,
Power supply struggling,
Police force struggling with criminals within their ranks,
Incompetent government,
Porous borders.................

Only if you listen or watch the news...

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

The ’not so mainstream news‘ on YouTube tends to be all I watch nowadays not so much propaganda ie TalkTV and GB News etc most serious journos have left terrestrial TV for the internet and I don’t blame them they are fighting for their right of free speech when all said and done

 

[Frontstep]

The space for those who run us down is inched wider day by day usually for political purposes.

The reality is many parts of Europe are struggling post Pandemic never mind Mr Putins "special operation"

My German friends have a range of interests and some big players but they are having a lot of problems.

The new wave of post-pseudo-University workforce has been imbued with a different set of values.

The Hospitals I have visited this week are not busy and the staff, so many are near horizontal.

My youth works in finance and cannot believe how lazy some are.

There is a lot of money to be made but lattes and lunches intervene for so many.

He often is the only one still at work in the early evening as he deals with the American Markets and that's when they are up.

Like me, you dig when there's gold and rest when there ain't.

His partner who is German is shocked by the general ineptitude in her workplace.

We have taken our eye off the ball and allowed a wave of woke indifference to envelop us and some of them are fixing the roads or not.

 

[rorywquin]

The space for those who run us down is inched wider day by day usually for political purposes.

etc

We have friends & family in The Netherlands, France, Germany and Italy and they all complain about how bad things are, inflation, government incompetence etc etc ............

 

[Srdl]

Are we becoming 3rd world?

Roads shot,
NHS shot,
Railways shot,
Power supply struggling,
Police force struggling with criminals within their ranks,
Incompetent government,
Porous borders.................

Roads - OK, there are potholes but the actual amount relative to the distance driven is minuscule. Most of the roads round here are fine
NHS - have done a very good and efficient job for me over the last 12 months since my cancer problem.
Railways - last journey I did was 2021, had no problems at all
Power supply - one small power cut that I can remember recently but probably down to a local network problem
The last three? We I can’t argue with any of those!

 

[Blobcat]

Roads - OK, there are potholes but the actual amount relative to the distance driven is minuscule. Most of the roads round here are fine
NHS - have done a very good and efficient job for me over the last 12 months since my cancer problem.
Railways - last journey I did was 2021, had no problems at all
Power supply - one small power cut that I can remember recently but probably down to a local network problem
The last three? We I can’t argue with any of those!

You'll never make a headline writer for the red tops with positives or mild inconveniences like that...

Can you not throw in some zealots, doomsayers and/or junk science we demand SENSATIONALISM!!!!!!

 

[Frontstep]

We have friends & family in The Netherlands, France, Germany and Italy and they all complain about how bad things are, inflation, government incompetence etc etc ............

We know people around the globe but perhaps best in the US and Germany they have an awful lot of the same problems, it is not just us.

The media unfortunately doesn't for some reason want us to know that or maybe we don't look.

We have for instance an approaching Doctor's strike something France has already had.

Immigration and borders, the US has a colander and Germany has big problems.

Inflation is a curse on all of us and our "guvvernment" will not fix our problems on their own and of whatever colour we choose.

Perhaps we need to look outside the West to see how they are getting on.

 

[rorywquin]

Roads - OK, there are potholes but the actual amount relative to the distance driven is minuscule. Most of the roads round here are fine
NHS - have done a very good and efficient job for me over the last 12 months since my cancer problem.
Railways - last journey I did was 2021, had no problems at all
Power supply - one small power cut that I can remember recently but probably down to a local network problem
The last three? We I can’t argue with any of those!

I’m sure many experiences differ. We are supposed to be a leading first world country.

 

[00slk]

Louisiana is traditionally one of the poorer states.

Even worse after Katrina

 

[rorywquin]

Even worse after Katrina

I’m sure a lot has changed. I worked there in the late 90s on secondment. Had some interesting experiences.

 

[00slk]

I’m sure a lot has changed. I worked there in the late 90s on secondment. Had some interesting experiences.

We were there before Katrina and then there 3 years after and it was if time stood still.
I can find out if there has been any change. My guess is, not.
But yes, a strange town New Orleans.

 

[Mark Q]

A week or two ago in this thread, Blobcat mentioned German roads. I've driven a lot on German and Austrian roads over the years, and their roads are possibly the best in Europe. They are often like a patchwork quilt though, lots and lots of repairs, all in perfectly defined squares and rectangles, but you'd never know as you drive along them, you can see the repairs, they mostly show up by being a slightly different colour, but you can almost never feel them as you drive along, no bumps or dips, and perfectly level with the rest of the road surface, and they don't seem to deteriorate with age, maybe as Blobcat suggested, it's all down to the depth of substrate. They have more extreme weather than most of the UK, hotter in summer and ****** cold in winter for weeks at a time, but unlike slapdash UK repairs, they don't seem to deteriorate over time and start fraying around the edges, necessitating endless repeats. They don't complain endlessly about flooding or freezing, they probably wouldn't dare. It's not more repairs we need in this Country but better quality ones, maybe we should import some German road repairers.

There is a specification for repairing pot holes, I posted on here sometime ago, that says that a square should be cut and filled, not just pour a load of stuff into the hole, so it would appear that your German freinds are doing it correctly, I suspect he JCB does a similar thing, though I have not seen one in action.
I

 

[rorywquin]

There is a specification for repairing pot holes, I posted on here sometime ago, that says that a square should be cut and filled, not just pour a load of stuff into the hole, so it would appear that your German freinds are doing it correctly, I suspect he JCB does a similar thing, though I have not seen one in action.
I

Perpetual works for the mates of the councillor who selects the pothole repair contractor.

Pour load of stuff in hole, tamp a couple of times, return in one year and repeat process.......................to ∞

 

[Srdl]

Perpetual works for the mates of the councillor who selects the pothole repair contractor.

Pour load of stuff in hole, tamp a couple of times, return two months later and repeat process.......................to ∞

FTFY

 

[DSK]

View attachment 82335

That picture is a genuine replica of the road next to mine. Which a few weeks back some workmen poured some stuff out of a bag and either tapped a down a touch with a massive mallet like tool or used a whacker plate very half arsed…. Guess what it’s all falling to bits again!

Basically the roads are coming to a point where I’d categorise them as dangerous. Oblivious owners to damaged wheels and tyres could result in a fatal situation as well as shot steering/suspension components between being picked up during a MoT etc.

If we didn’t have all this emissions crap, I’d not hesitate to buy a really old Landcruiser/Shogun to beat about in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Blobcat]

That picture is a genuine replica of the road next to mine. Which a few weeks back some workmen poured some stuff out of a bag and either tapped a down a touch with a massive mallet like tool or used a whacker plate very half arsed…. Guess what it’s all falling to bits again!

Basically the roads are coming to a point where I’d categorise them as dangerous. Oblivious owners to damaged wheels and tyres could result in a fatal situation as well as shot steering/suspension components between being picked up during a MoT etc.

If we didn’t have all this emissions crap, I’d not hesitate to buy a really old Landcruiser/Shogun to beat about in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You can still get them new...

Toyota Gibraltar Stockholdings (TGS) - 4x4 vehicles for aid agencies

Exclusive agents of Toyota vehicles, spare parts and accessories to the UN, Governmental Organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations worldwide.

www.toyota-gib.com

Unfortunately you can't register them in Europe anymore - Africa has a different environment though so that's all ok...

 

[rorywquin]

I’m tempted to replace my SL with a pick-up truck (bakkie / ute) with a crew cab. Useful and good on potholes.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

The space for those who run us down is inched wider day by day usually for political purposes.

The reality is many parts of Europe are struggling post Pandemic never mind Mr Putins "special operation"

My German friends have a range of interests and some big players but they are having a lot of problems.

The new wave of post-pseudo-University workforce has been imbued with a different set of values.

The Hospitals I have visited this week are not busy and the staff, so many are near horizontal.

My youth works in finance and cannot believe how lazy some are.

There is a lot of money to be made but lattes and lunches intervene for so many.

He often is the only one still at work in the early evening as he deals with the American Markets and that's when they are up.

Like me, you dig when there's gold and rest when there ain't.

His partner who is German is shocked by the general ineptitude in her workplace.

We have taken our eye off the ball and allowed a wave of woke indifference to envelop us and some of them are fixing the roads or not.

Reminds me of the demise of the Roman Empire unfortunately consumed by its own importance

 

[s5tuart]

Having just done a run down the M1 and back I know why the roads are in such a state. Have you seen the size of modern SUVs
A "new" mini is the size of the first transit van even!
Bring back the Austin A35 I say!

ps. Don't get me started on peoples driving abilities either!

Grumpy old git here!

 

[Srdl]

Having just done a run down the M1 and back I know why the roads are in such a state. Have you seen the size of modern SUVs
A "new" mini is the size of the first transit van even!
Bring back the Austin A35 I say!

ps. Don't get me started on peoples driving abilities either!

Grumpy old git here!

That’s a bit “pot and kettle” from someone who used to drive a CLS Shooting-Brake