Magic spray-free road surfaces

[Bruce Fielding]

On a lunchtime trip down the M3 on Saturday in that awful, awful rainy weather I was absolutely amazed to see the visibility switch instantly from a hazy 50 yards magically right up to a mile, simply through changing onto a spray-free road surface. It was a revelation! What causes that? It's the best road safety thing I have ever seen.

[philshort]

You hadn't just passed an Artic had you?

[MattC]

Bloody amazing stuff, isn't it Bruce?

They've got it on the whole of the A331 (or nearly all). Also on the A31 (Hogs Back) until you get to the top of the hill. And the top of the hill section used to be one of the most dodgy 2-lane NSL roads around. They've now reduced the limit to 50mph for safety reasons, and I don't blame them. But had they extended the magic tarmac there would have been no need.

[JMorgan]

Its been on the M4 near Cardiff for years. Someone told me it was porous so alowed water to drain through and to the sides.

[Maf]

Yeah, I was amazed at the difference going over the Seven Bridge in the rain one day. As you say the stuff is excellent for road safety. But guess what? It costs more than the normal stuff, so it is not usually specified is my understanding.

Now, cameras don't save lives but do make money, they are normally specified everywhere you care to bl**dy look.

And the government tries to kid us it cares about safety/lives. It's just depressing really. :'-(

[pbrettle]

Anyone been up the M11 recently? Major roadworks until sometime in 2003!!! Mainly to replace that god-awful concrete surface with the new stuff.

On the concrete the noise is horrendous, spray is just simply the worst I have seen in ages and the standing water is just awful. Suddenly the switch to the new surface and wow - I can hear myself think!!!

Shame the government didnt see fit to fix this early. Could have saved considerable pain, cost and delays. I wonder how many people had to die before the statistics were out of the "norm" to cost-justify....What an waste....Not advocating that everything should / would be perfect, but it was pretty bloody obvious that things needed doing... I mean everyone knows the M11 is a nightmare - how many deaths?

Oooh, hang on - just getting of my high horse. It is very high up here you know.

Cheers,

Paul

[Jason F]

I think you should be grateful that you have drainage and special surface roads. In my area the Drainage tunnels are called potholes.

I wince as I drive and swerve round as many as possible.

[MEMSDesign]

quote:
Now, cameras don't save lives but do make money, they are normally specified everywhere you care to bl**dy look.

Maybe they're ploughing all the money they make from cameras back into resurfacing with expensive porous tarmac!!

[VTECDave]

I'd heard of this expensive porous tarmac a couple of years ago. I only wish they'd used it on the upgraded section of M74 through Lanarkshire and Dumfries & Galloway. I'm considering trading my car in for an army surplus amphibious vehicle - it is that bad!

[hertsbiker]

ha ! you start to see the advantages of off-roaders when confronted with deep pot holes. Atleast they can go over them with no wheel damage, and not dragging the exhaust.