Drivers consider potholes a more significant concern than drink driving or texting at the wheel

Steven Boyne    on 9 February 2021

"Pot holes are a risk to your vehicle - nothing more). You can easily manage that risk of Pot Holes by driving sensibly - ie within the speed limit and the hazards in front of you. As drivers we manage our own risk of pot holes."

I disagree. I hit one just before Christmas. I was doing about 45 in a 60 zone; it was dark (rural road, no lighting) and an oncoming vehicle's headlights prevented me from seeing the (nearside) pothole - therefore, I couldn't see the hazard in front of me. The force of hitting that pothole shunted me towards the middle of the road where I hit a second pothole with my offside wheel.

That shunt over to the white line could have brought me into contact with another vehicle had an oncoming vehicle also strayed onto the white line (for whatever reason).

So, dangerous for sure.

Also costly, 2 x new wheels (both front wheels were buckled from the impacts) and new tyres (one sidewall was split and the other tyre damaged).

Edited by Steven Boyne on 09/02/2021 at 21:19

GeoffJ    on 10 February 2021

Hi Steven. Sorry to here about your troubles - most unfortunate.

I think we need to retain some perspective. There are two possible counter views to your summary.

1) Life is complex and there are always unlikely or edge scenarios that are not representative. We need to proceed with care if we are to try and set policies with only edge scenarios at the front of tour mind.

2) I was not there, but it appears from what you have stated - given the "conditions" you were were driving too fast. You seem to suggest that our speed was low (and therefore you were driving safely?) because you were driving 45 on 60mph road. Being below the "max" speed has never meant that the driving is deemed to be at a safe speed. Given that it was night time, there were no street lamps and there is the clear risk of being temporarily blinded by oncoming headlamps - it is likely that in these conditions you should have been driving much slower than 45mph.

Edited by GeoffJ on 10/02/2021 at 13:38

stephen heath    on 9 February 2021

As I have said before, the Spring lockdown when the traffic was light and the weather good was a golden opportunity to carry out road repairs, but nothing was done. The most we can expect this Summer is the usual temporary fix known as surface dressing, at best damaging our paintwork and at worst breaking our windscreens. The dangers of drink driving and using mobile phones whilst driving are well known, but the danger of using the touch screen menus which plague modern cars are seldom mentioned. On some cars the driver has to navigate a menu just to alter the heating! I would like to see these unnecessary devices phased out.

I disagree AS LONG AS THEY ARE USED PROPERLY touch screens are no more dangerous any other controls. Selecting a radio station for example by pressing a virtual button on a touch screen is no different to touching a "real" button. Where they can be dangerous is when used incorrectly - For example to input navigation data. But (1) that is no different to the screen on a stand alone sat nav and (2) you are specifically warned by the system not to do it unless stationary and (3) common sense says stop first!

AHH yes i would like to change station on my radio stop car , change temp on heating system stop car . got all day to get there have we , silly ending to your comment

J. Mike Rose    on 9 February 2021

As I have said before, the Spring lockdown when the traffic was light and the weather good was a golden opportunity to carry out road repairs, but nothing was done. The most we can expect this Summer is the usual temporary fix known as surface dressing, at best damaging our paintwork and at worst breaking our windscreens. The dangers of drink driving and using mobile phones whilst driving are well known, but the danger of using the touch screen menus which plague modern cars are seldom mentioned. On some cars the driver has to navigate a menu just to alter the heating! I would like to see these unnecessary devices phased out.

I disagree AS LONG AS THEY ARE USED PROPERLY touch screens are no more dangerous any other controls. Selecting a radio station for example by pressing a virtual button on a touch screen is no different to touching a "real" button. Where they can be dangerous is when used incorrectly - For example to input navigation data. But (1) that is no different to the screen on a stand alone sat nav and (2) you are specifically warned by the system not to do it unless stationary and (3) common sense says stop first!

I think what happens with touchscreens is that they can be a bit off putting when you first use them. If you set them up to start with (while parked) for radio presets and go through all the controls you have to use while driving then they become second nature and no more than looking down at a switch or knob.

hissingsid    on 9 February 2021

So many people here are vexed by potholes. The biggest contributor to potholes forming, is from cars driving at speed in the rain. The tyres cause hydraulic pressure to open up any existing fissures in the tarmac. Higher vehicle speed and weight cause the increased hydraulic pressure. If drivers opted for lighter cars and drove more slowly then we would have far fewer potholes and the maintenance cost of our road infrastructure would be significantly reduced. - simples.

Surely the greatest damage is done by HGV's, not by cars.

GeoffJ    on 9 February 2021

Yes HGV cause damage - to large extent this is a necessity for our way of life.
However, the vast majority of car owners are making life style statements by choosing cars that are far heavier than they need to be, and/or driving excessively fast.

Jamesetyefirst    on 15 February 2021

How right you are.