Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Lamest Excuse of the Week: Potholes as a "natural traffic calming measure"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/17/lamest-excuse-of-the-week-potholes-as-a-natural-traffic-calmin/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/17/lamest-excuse-of-the-week-potholes-as-a-natural-traffic-calmin/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/17/lamest-excuse-of-the-week-potholes-as-a-natural-traffic-calmin/#commentsFiled under:



Here in Michigan, we're used to hearing plenty of worthless excuses about the crap condition of our roads. However, this one takes the cake. A local council in Essex, England has deemed broken roads a "natural traffic calming measure." If you didn't catch that, "traffic calming" is a euphemism used by politicians when discussing measures to slow the traffic flow through an area. Generally, the "calming" involves taking active measures, such as installing speed bumps, round-abouts or narrowing the road. To our knowledge it's never been (openly) done by neglecting what most people would consider one of the duties of a government -- maintaining basic infrastructure.

According to a councillor in Navestock, repairing roads just encourages people to drive faster. Of course, the counter argument involves safety. Leaving a road marked with craters causes drivers to swerve, as well as damaging suspension components and wheels. It also poses a hazard to motorcyclists and bike riders. Fortunately, the county council appears to be less short-sighted and plans to over-ride the local council and fix the roads.


Gallery: Michigan road building


[Source: AutoCar]

Lamest Excuse of the Week: Potholes as a "natural traffic calming measure" originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>potholepotholesroad repairRoadRepairtraffic calmingTrafficCalmingFri, 17 Apr 2009 19:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Ukraine lays claim to the mother of all potholes]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/ukraine-lays-claim-to-the-mother-of-all-potholes/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/ukraine-lays-claim-to-the-mother-of-all-potholes/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/ukraine-lays-claim-to-the-mother-of-all-potholes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Click above for a gallery of the VW Golf that was swallowed by a pothole in Ukraine

Think the roads are bad in your neck of the woods? Growing up just a bit south of Detroit before moving to the sunnier climes of Arizona, this particular blogger has always assumed that Michigan's harsh winters and heavy traffic conspire to make the frost heaved and potholed highways of the Motor City the worst in the world. Apparently, that's not the case, and it's not even close.

The dubious distinction of the world's worst pothole must go out to our friends in Ukraine. The story accompanies the set of photos seen below explains that an underground water pipe may have burst, which created a sinkhole large enough to swallow an entire Volkswagen Golf whole. Fortunately, the car's occupants were able to escape out the back window, which was just about the only portion of the hatchback that wasn't covered by a few tons of dirt and asphalt.


Gallery: Ukrainian pothole swallows VW Golf


[Source: English Russia]

Ukraine lays claim to the mother of all potholes originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Golfikraine sinkholeIkraineSinkholepotholepotholesRabbitrussiarussian potholerussian sinkholeRussianPotholeRussianSinkholesinkholeukraineukraine potholeUkrainePotholeVolkswagenVolkswagen GolfVolkswagenGolfVW GolfVW RabbitVwGolfVwRabbitThu, 02 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Autoblog: How are Michigan roads made?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/10/autoblog-how-to-building-a-michigan-road/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/10/autoblog-how-to-building-a-michigan-road/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/10/autoblog-how-to-building-a-michigan-road/#commentsFiled under: ,



The process of constructing roadways in a Michigan is a long and arduous one that takes many millions of dollars, countless workers standing around and at least five seasons to finish. Roadways here on the home turf of the American auto industry are a unique breed. Even though Windsor, Ontario is just across the river from Detroit and has exactly the same climatic conditions, its roads are completely different from those in Michigan. That becomes immediately apparent as your roll off the Ambassador Bridge. We here at Autoblog strive to keep you, our loyal readers, informed about all things even vaguely related to cars. Therefore, we present our step-by-step guide to the creation of a Michigan road.

The process typically starts in the spring as soon as the salt has been rinsed away. Before the first crocuses pop out of the dirt, the crews start setting out signs and orange barrels along the edges of the most heavily traveled thoroughfares. There they typically sit for anywhere from one to four weeks before the crews return to start closing off lanes of traffic. After another interval of random length, the heavy equipment begins to arrive and the process of tearing apart the existing pavement begins. Just to make sure that no one accidentally misses out on the fun, the same scenario is usually repeated along several parallel paths that might serve as alternate routes between any two major points that people commute.

Learn about the rest of the process after the jump.

Continue reading Ask Autoblog: How are Michigan roads made?

Ask Autoblog: How are Michigan roads made? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>michigan-roadspotholesroad-constructionMon, 10 Mar 2008 10:59:00 EST<![CDATA[California sweeps 'worst roads' list]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/04/california-sweeps-worst-roads-list/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/04/california-sweeps-worst-roads-list/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/04/california-sweeps-worst-roads-list/#commentsFiled under:

The argument for SUVs may be a little stronger in California after a report released by TRIP, a national transportation research group, shows that five cities in the Golden state rank among the top ten urban areas with the roughest roads. The Cali towns with the roughest rides include San Jose, Los Angeles, San Francisco-Oakland, San Diego and Sacramento. They're joined by other U.S. cities with pot hole-ridden roads like St. Louis, Omaha, New York City and New Orleans (pre-Katrina).

California also beats out the industry average for the percentage of its roads that are in poor condition. TRIP estimates that one-half to two-thirds of California's interstates, freeways and local roads are rough riding, compared to the national average for states, which is just 25 percent.

Of course, the failure of California or any state to maintain all that ribbon of road hits motorists right in the pocketbook in the form of higher operating costs. Not only is the life of one's vehicle dramatically reduced from the incessant pounding it receives, but increased repairs and poorer gas mileage also ding the driver in his wallet.

What are TRIP's predictions: it's only going to get worse. Population in these urban areas is ever increasing, and with more people comes more cars. At some point calling these areas urban will be a stretch, as their roads are beginning to resemble places like the Rubicon Trail more and more each day.

[Source: The Auto Channel]

California sweeps 'worst roads' list originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Oct 2006 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>freewayhighwayinterestatepoor roadsPoorRoadspot holepot holespotholepotholesrough roadsRoughRoadsWed, 04 Oct 2006 13:57:00 EST