Dodgy Roads. Avoid or suck it up?

[SynapticFire]

5 months ago I started a job in semi-rural Berkshire. It's a 30 - 35 minute drive that's pretty picturesque. Not too far, decent mix of road speeds.

But the roads themselves are f*cking rubbish!! Potholes so big that Neil Armstrong would wonder if he was back on the moon, terrible surfacing, etc.

As driving roads in the day when they're empty, they are pretty good. But in the morning there's too much traffic to be any fun, at night the undulations and terrible road surfaces mean you're being blinded by oncoming traffic every 5 minutes.

I'm sure in the UK, this country of the 'bodge it and scarper' approach to road maintenance, we all have our share of crap roads to drive down on a daily basis.
I could take a wider route and go for the M3, which is more or less the same time-wise, but in mileage is a bit further and - for the days there is no traffic - less fun. It IS, however, far less bumpy and retina-scarring.

The question is, do you avoid them, or put up with them?

 

[sp3ctre]

I must say that I don't enjoy driving the zed as much as I used to at all. If I know the area and the roads it's not so bad but every time I go somewhere different and hit a pothole it makes me wince. I certainly don't ever go for a drive "just for the sake of it" any more.

 

[aquazi]

I must say that I don't enjoy driving the zed as much as I used to at all. If I know the area and the roads it's not so bad but every time I go somewhere different and hit a pothole it makes me wince. I certainly don't ever go for a drive "just for the sake of it" any more.

Maybe this is secretly the governments plan to reduce carbon emissions... leave the roads in such a poor state of maintenance so that we no longer go for just drives

 

[SynapticFire]

I certainly would be hesitant to just go for a quick drive around here. I've lived in Hampshire for three and a half years and I'm still befuddled at why one of the most expensive places to live in the country has some of the most shockingly badly maintained roads I've driven on :-/

 

[andysat]

I have to have a 'mental' mapping image of where i should be position wise to miss them on my way to/from work :thumbsdown:

 

[a11y]

Sell it and buy a hot hatch, best option for enjoying the UK's s**t condition but great fun back roads.

 

[bluestreak56]

Avoid them, theres always an alternative if a little longer means you get a bit more time in the zed

 

[Bing]

I certainly would be hesitant to just go for a quick drive around here. I've lived in Hampshire for three and a half years and I'm still befuddled at why one of the most expensive places to live in the country has some of the most shockingly badly maintained roads I've driven on :-/

Hmmm - lots of expensive 4x4s driven by the locals ?

Since getting my Z I have had to develop a whole new route network, avoiding really bad roads but also any hint of a speed bump as far as possible... Especially after I had it lowered. I do go for random quick drives, but one of the things that really winds me up are all the traffic calming measures in small villages that narrow the roads and combine with large rubber speed humps in each lane. They're too high to straddle in some cases, and the narrowing means one side up one side down doesn't work.

Every time I hit a large pothole it's followed by a huge wince and lots of swearing. I have noticed a few appearing on motorways and major A roads too - they are just plain dangerous :x

 

[Machine monkey]

You need to get yoda on your side and feel the force. Know the pot hole and his where a bouts.and how to properly defend yourself against his harmful damaging dark force!!!

The roads are rubbishe everywhere it seems. What with the economy the dumbing down of society. It really feels like we are heading backwards. Now I shall get off my :soapbox: and all this pessimism from a 31 year old what will I be like in my 60s

I know a good road but its my secret. I don't want it over used and worn out.

 

[Ewazix]

With RFT's fitted I was avoiding some favourite roads but standard rubber has sorted it, and with the potholes that have opened up this year I'm glad I stuck to 17" rims!