Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[gresham flyer]

Listening to the radio this evening there was a piece from listeners about potholes in their area and how dangerous they are.

Especially to cyclists which my wife and I are.

In my modern vehicle they are soaked up by the modern suspension, only the worse ones are a problem.

But in some of my classic cars they can cause a lot of damage if you miss the damm things and hit one with you nearside wheel for instance.

Big classic cars like Rovers, Jaguars, Mg Magnette`s as an example can perhaps fair a bit better but the humble Austin A30/A35, Morris Minor, Austin Devon etc are just not equipped to cope with these craters.

Sometimes if I hit one I pull over when safe to do so just to check nothing has come adrift.

Anyone think the same as me.?

G.F

[MikeEdwards]

Funnily enough my situation is the other way around - my modern has very low-profile tyres on it, and I've lost one to a pothole before now, finding a bulge on the sidewall when I checked it. I attempted a claim, but the council outsourced it to a claims management company who drowned me in paperwork so I did as they intended - gave up. What really annoyed me was that they didn't even support a local ambulance-chaser, they went outside the county to one that doesn't even give them any council tax in return for the business.

One thing I would say, though, is that if you come across potholes, don't assume your local highways department knows about it. Most council web sites now have a place where you can report pothole by finding them on an interactive map and filling out a quick web form, and I make a point of doing so when I find one.

[Riley Blue]

Lots of the roads around here are dangerous in a classic car due to the number of unrepaired potholes. There's one stretch I won't drive along, preferring to make a detour of several miles rather than risk the Riley's suspension.

I

[vitesse]

One of my moderns has low profiles on it and a couple of years ago I burst both near side tyres on it to one pothole and it trashed one of the alloys. Fortunately it had Run Flat Tyres on it, so I was able to get home the 50 mile or so. The jury is out about whether you can repair them or not, personally I wouldn't like to. They are very expensive to replace.

Considering this winter has been quite mild, there does seem to be a lot of pot holes around but they don't seem to be as deep, I guess all the rain is helping to washing the tops of the old repairs?

[Penman]

Hi
Both frost and/or rain will cause potholes.

With frost any liquid water in an open crack freezes and expands, loosening more of the surface and allowing more water to get in etc etc.
When it isn't frosty but is wet the water in cracks and small holes gets "compressed" by tyres running over the hole/crack, of course the water doesn't actually compress; it gets forced further into the under surface of the road and then mor surface water fills it up, then the next vehicle starts the process over again.
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[ka]

The rise of pot holes will have been worsened by the recent bad weather, giving Local Authorities even more excuse for closing minor roads.
I am sure most drivers who use motorway, A and B roads will not be aware or some, even care; there is a strengthening campaign by Local Councils to place 'Temporary road closure' signs on the minor C and D roads (whites/yellows) that they do not want to maintain, these temporary signs soon become permanent closure, or restricted access, or even residents only.
Follow this link to see one of the groups fighting hard to keep our minor roads open

http://www.laragb.org/
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KA

Better three than four.

[roverdriver]

I started my driving career when there were many miles of unsealed roads, and sealed roads were frequently narrow with broken edges. Potholes on unsealed roads were the expected norm, as were corrugations, especially on corners. One learned to drive to the conditions.

Potholes on sealed roads are a somewhat different matter as the hole is often surrounded with the jagged edges of the main road surface. Here in Southern Victoria, a couple of very wet winters has created a situation of vast numbers of potholes in sealed roads.

There have been lots of cases of drivers claiming car damage from these holes. So far I have been fortunate, in that none of my cars has succumbed. But then perhaps, because of my early experience I am always looking very far ahead, in case one is there, and that gives me time to both slow down and plan avoiding action.

I fear that many younger drivers, who have never experience rough roads, expect to drive at the speed limit, and think that they will always be presented with a perfect surface. Unfortunately reality is somewhat different.

Having said that, the unexpected can crop up for even the most experienced driver.
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Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.

[peter scott]

[Ashley]

Pot holes are a pain in the arse and everywhere around here. Interestingly I heard or read somewhere that they cause an awful lot of accidents because people swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid them. Think about it.

[goneps]

[Phil - Nottingham]

It's terrible for potholes round here. We have had only a couple or so light frosts this year and not as much rain as some but the roads are just worn out and cracked with crumbling surfaces, sunken areas and patches on patches and poor excavation repairs.

The potholes that are filled with water when its raining can be really deep and dangerous if friven over at speed
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Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

[gresham flyer]

Potholes are not the only problem.

If driving along the fenland roads the surface drops away , there are huge dips and the cambers are all wrong.

Sometimes you can see in advance the road surface is gouged out by cars hitting the surface of the road. Fine is you notice it in advance, but not very good for an older car having its sump or suspension hitting the tarmac.

Also you get a series of small dips that set your car on a roller coaster ride resembling the waltzers at the fairground, sometimes you see cars in a field that have hit these at speed.


G.f.

[baconsdozen]

Cameron and crew keep telling us how wonderful the economy is.
We have roads with huge holes in them,flooding,no one reports crime anymore as nothing happens,hospitals are overcrowded with people dying for lack of care,we dont make anything any more and our schools turn out thickos.
I liked it as it was.
I think driving older cars you realise both how bad our roads really are and how much suspension design has improved.
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Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).

[Phil - Nottingham]

Actually our P2, P4, LR's and P5 ride potholes very well but not good for tyres/rims though - they sail over the stud type road humps at normal road speed without problem. The full width narrow and the ones that are car length need a slower speed for comfort.

I do not think modern car suspension is very good at all its too stiff and gives a hard ride and the coil springs break far too easily
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Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

[Riley Blue]