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Argh! Gravel everywhere!
David Jenkins - 14/6/07 at 04:15 PM

Suffolk County Council have decided that now is the time to spray tar on the roads and drop gravel on top. If you're lucky the roadsweeper comes along a few days later to remove the surplus. Just about every one of my favourite 'play routes' now has a coating of loose gravel on top somewhere along the line.

Stone chips on the tin-top and gravel rattling round my crash-helmet when I'm in the toy car!

There must be a better way of doing it...

Duncan_P - 14/6/07 at 04:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
There must be a better way of doing it...


More to the point,

Is there a worse way of doing it.....

It really drives me mad when they do this, especially as it normally brakes up very quickly and you end up with a surface as bad if not worse than you had before.

Its a bit unusual for them to be doing at this time of year though, they normally reserve it for using up the last of the road maintainance budget at the end of a financial year (not that im cynical.....much).

Last time I had to endure the pleasure of this i was sat in a que on the 'quality' gravel surface growing increasingly as i was getting showered with gravel by inconsiderate ******* driving at 60(ish) on the other side of the road......when i spotted a gorgeous Ferrari 550 in the que behind me. I really felt sorry for him, im quite protective over my tintop but at the end of the day its hardly a great car and i was getting so he must have been seething

Ivan - 14/6/07 at 04:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins

Stone chips on the tin-top and gravel rattling round my crash-helmet when I'm in the toy car!

There must be a better way of doing it...


As a retired gravel spreader this is a necessary road treatment sometimes.

However if it's done right - a SINGLE layer of closely packed stone chips spread at the right time etc - then it won't strip off and you get a good road with great grip and some noise. If it strips off they've done it wrong and have more than one layer of chips!

David Jenkins - 14/6/07 at 05:14 PM

What amazed me was where there were a few blokes digging a trench in a side lane (the one to 'Jimmy's Farm, for the Ipswich folk) while the gravel was being laid.

Next day, there was a brand-new trench and repair patch right across the new gravel!

Good co-ordination, guys...

RazMan - 14/6/07 at 05:19 PM

And it's sticky gravel too! The same has happened to my favourite 'test track' route in the Braintree area - all 10 miles of it! The stuff seems to be stuck with araldite ...... to my car

rusty nuts - 14/6/07 at 05:49 PM

Perfect excuse to find some new favourite play routes?

nick205 - 14/6/07 at 06:44 PM

Likewise around Winchester

Sticky gravel coating on both tin tops and the MK too

David Jenkins - 14/6/07 at 07:06 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Perfect excuse to find some new favourite play routes?


Trouble is, they're working all over the place, and there's a significant chance I'll end up having to drive over this stuff at some time or other!

The only place you can be sure of avoiding it is on the major dual cabbageways - but they're no fun at all in a 7...

tom_loughlin - 14/6/07 at 07:15 PM

At least your council are rediong the roads! I still have 3" potholes..have to drive 5 miles before I can find a semi decent stretch of road.

Also, it could be worse, could have picked a baking hot week....by the time the weather improves, the chippings will be long gone!

I find it hard to believe people are grumbling at recently resurfaced roads... You really should see the ones round here

millenniumtree - 14/6/07 at 09:29 PM

They did exactly the same thing here on my favorite road - and I'm in the states.

I really didn't see what was wrong with the road before they spread this stuff either. It was smooth and quiet. I could do 60 and still have a chat with my wife. Now I do 40 and can't hear her.

nick205 - 15/6/07 at 09:29 AM

quote:
Originally posted by millenniumtree
It was smooth and quiet. I could do 60 and still have a chat with my wife. Now I do 40 and can't hear her.


Now that I don't see as a problem

DarrenW - 15/6/07 at 09:57 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Duncan_P
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
There must be a better way of doing it...


......when i spotted a gorgeous Ferrari 550 in the que behind me. I really felt sorry for him, im quite protective over my tintop but at the end of the day its hardly a great car and i was getting so he must have been seething




His respray would cost more than my car is worth - not nice.


Im surprised the roads into Newark showground havent been done this week - they seem timed to cause max aggrivation.