Is it only Britain that has trouble with potholes?

Bert | 00:03 Fri 12th Mar 2010 | Motoring

7 Answers

I have not driven in Norway or Sweden (or many other cold places for that matter), but I have driven in Denmark, which, I imagine, suffers from sub-zero winters. It was maybe 20 years ago, but all the roads I drove on were like billiard tables - so smooth you could only hear a hum from the tyres. They were not a patchwork quilt of repairs either. I have also driven in Spain where again they do have sub-zero winters up in the mountains, and I did not notice any potholes, nor any signs of potholes having been repaired. The Spanish roads also do not show the signs of having been dug up dozens of times for various companies to install underground cables or pipes. Is it the quality of the roads that we lay down in the first place that is the problem in Britain? Are there lessons to be learned from countries that know how to lay roads that do not break up into potholes like a rash of acne after a couple of weeks of icy weather? Perhaps someone with more experience than I have could comment on European roads.

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caslass

I was in the Dominican Republic 15 years ago. there roads were dreadful, ours are now far worse. This winter I have had a cracked wheel beyond repair. I tried to buy a replacement but they have been discontinued. So 4 new wheels or driving with an odd one.

vulcan

I think our biggest problem is we're always digging up the road to put in extra piles,cables etc. I could never understand why pavements couldn't be a hollow construction with lids. Any additional pipes could easily laid by just lifting the lids and the roads virtually left untouched.

Toureman

I have driven a lot in Norway mostly in the winter.

The Norwegian drivers do suffer from a lot of potholes during the summer from frost and ice conditions from the winters.

They are relieved when the snow starts falling in winter because after a few days the roads become a lot smoother so they can drive faster.

When the snow falls they do not use salt to make the roads safer they use snow ploughs to clear the roads, this leaves a few inches of snow, after a few freezing days this snow turns into thick sheet ice, a smooth no potholed road which last for about 3 months.

The drivers then change all there car wheels for the spare wheels they have fitted with studded tyres and start to enjoy their motoring!

dzug

It's not just us - I've been on pretty awful potholed roads in most European countries and in the USA - all weather related.

Maybe some countries have more money to spend on putting it right quicker - but I doubt it. We are all subject to the same financial constraints and the temptation to skimp on maintenance.

R1Geezer

well bert I imagnine the places with "Billiard table" levels of smoothness have them becauase of the systemetic theft of money from the UK to fund these projects. How many road developments have you seen with a sign saying, "Paid for out of the EU cohesian fund"? roughly translated if means "Paid for by the British because they are too stupid to realise they are being shafted by the EU, fund"!