keith
Member
- Messages
- 639
Without meaning to get a reputation as a grumpy old git, always complaining on here about the state of public transport, the London Mayor and ULEZ etc, I'm afraid I must make mention of a problem we all have to suffer from for a greater or lesser extent. The new levels of the state of our disgraceful roads.
Travelling through London yesterday evening required that I drove through Camden, never a nice place at the best of times particularly on a Saturday night, but now we must add in a new height in decrepit roads. They are no longer potholes, but strings of canyons and deep craters where the surface has all but gone. Whilst I'm no fan of cyclist's, it must be something akin to committing an act of self harm to ride any distance, and whilst everywhere in and around the Capital is becoming a 20mph limit, as no doubt, to deter motorists from using their cars, alom5with all the speed cameras and 'surprise road closures' to make for a better environment; 20mph is becoming the defacto safe speed if you want your wheels tyres and suspension to survive intact! That and a keen eye and the ability to zig zag avoiding the worst crevasses.
I was in my Genesis, which has electronic trickery to scan the road ahead and adjust the dampers for poor roads, and I think it must have given up, as even this comfort biased luxury saloon completely failed to isolate the occupants from the rutted tracks! How those in sports cars with a firm ride manage without wincing from the non existing ashfelt must require a new level of Zen like calmness, which is probably an equally useful skill when confronted with a damaged alloy etc.
On cars with crude ride quality like my everyday DS3, it takes on a whole new reality - the other week I managed to hit a pothole square on, and it actually jarred my wife's back, at least so far the wheels and tyres have surprisingly survived unscathed.
Sorry for another rant, but as they say, writing down ones frustrations can often help!!!
Travelling through London yesterday evening required that I drove through Camden, never a nice place at the best of times particularly on a Saturday night, but now we must add in a new height in decrepit roads. They are no longer potholes, but strings of canyons and deep craters where the surface has all but gone. Whilst I'm no fan of cyclist's, it must be something akin to committing an act of self harm to ride any distance, and whilst everywhere in and around the Capital is becoming a 20mph limit, as no doubt, to deter motorists from using their cars, alom5with all the speed cameras and 'surprise road closures' to make for a better environment; 20mph is becoming the defacto safe speed if you want your wheels tyres and suspension to survive intact! That and a keen eye and the ability to zig zag avoiding the worst crevasses.
I was in my Genesis, which has electronic trickery to scan the road ahead and adjust the dampers for poor roads, and I think it must have given up, as even this comfort biased luxury saloon completely failed to isolate the occupants from the rutted tracks! How those in sports cars with a firm ride manage without wincing from the non existing ashfelt must require a new level of Zen like calmness, which is probably an equally useful skill when confronted with a damaged alloy etc.
On cars with crude ride quality like my everyday DS3, it takes on a whole new reality - the other week I managed to hit a pothole square on, and it actually jarred my wife's back, at least so far the wheels and tyres have surprisingly survived unscathed.
Sorry for another rant, but as they say, writing down ones frustrations can often help!!!