Grumble Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Drive through similar countryside as ours in Wales, the Lake District or Scotland and tell me the roads here are good. They're not. They're often strips of tarmac laid without proper foundations over cart tracks (Ben-y-Phott and the Sloc are good examples) which lack proper drainage or edging. Instead of tackling the hard jobs, the DoT spends MONTHS shaving the pavement at the Sea Terminal, so the gang(s) are better placed for The Caff. And how long is it taking to resurface the road at the Rest and Be Thankful - you could have KNITTED a new road in that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grant Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Hear hear Grumble, it's much easier to use the roads in Wales, the Lake District and Scotland as race tracks, but a damm sight more inconvenient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallybug Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Try riding on the upper deck of a double decker along Peel Road in the left-hand lane to turn into Pulrose - from just after the Kingdom Hall on, it can be like a roller-coaster. When the Highways Dept want to do a good job they can - the Ballamodha, the resurfacing after Fairy Bridge heading south, yes various places on the TT course that also happen to be main roads (between Cronk Y Voddy and Kirk Michael, for instance). I always found that the easiest way to see the really bad roads was to follow my mate in his Sport-pack suspended Mini (real Mini, not new one ) - going down the Ballamodha before it was re-surfaced it looked like he was going to be bounced off the road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amadeus Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Drive through similar countryside as ours in Wales, the Lake District or Scotland and tell me the roads here are good. They're not. They're often strips of tarmac laid without proper foundations over cart tracks (Ben-y-Phott and the Sloc are good examples) which lack proper drainage or edging. Pretty much what he said.. Many roads here are sub-standard when compared to other 'civilised' places - just drive a long the prom, the very first road many visitors will experience - it's anything but good.. I've driven all across Europe, but have hardly ever seen so many potholes - and it still baffles me why. Why can't they just build a proper road in the first place, one that doesn't need fixing all the time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonan3 Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 As someone who spends more time than most driving on local roads - and has no interest whatsoever in 'using them as a racetrack' - I would say that most of our roads are in a disgraceful condition. The Promenade - as someone has said - is in a shoddy condition. A former minister, John Shimmin, actually declared that it was in desperate need of upgrading but that the cost involved would be prohibitive. Some of the major roads are 'adequate' but, once you turn onto a side road or minor road, the standard od maintenance is so poor as to be virtually non-existent. Why any local person would pay good money to go to places such as Alton Towers for a bumpy ride is quite beyond me since a drive along many Manx roads is so remarkably similar. The investment that's been made in recent times in reconstructing some of the thoroughfares - such as the Old Castletown Road and Vicarage Road should be applauded (apart from the fact that they took far longer to complete than was necessary), but the same sort of treatment is desperately needed on a very long list of other ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 I am (reasonably) reliably informed that underneath the tarmac the island has never laid the same sort of foundations as would be the case in the UK (so they deteriorate far more quickly), and that to do so would probably take a decade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Peters Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Someone suggested recently that the number of vehicles driving around with blown bulbs is primarily as a result of the bad roads - the filaments are shaken to a premature death. I just replaced one of my headlight bulbs after someone coming the other way flashed me. Couldn't understand why (I stopped to check my lights AGAIN). Then I realised that the sidelight (in the same dipped beam headlamp shell) was still working, and being fairly bright had misled me into thinking all was well. Just thought I'd mention that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Well, besides being one of the most historic streches of road in the world, the TT course is also one of the busiest roads on the Island and deserves special attention! As for the rest, great fun for driving/riding...stop moaning. Well perhaps our road tax is a bit steep in comparison to the UK considering their condition and the amount of road mileage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Smelly Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Well at least he admits it unlike the past masters. I would like to see a road widening scheme started, just up from brandish on the creg straight there is that tricky slight curve i would like to see that a bit wider it is insane when a HGV is coming. I have said its a tragedy in the making that spot. I have to say that what work the DOT have done of late has been good, pardon me while i pinch myself They really just need to look a bit further than the outskirts of douglas, road improvements speed up the traffic flow and help in the busy times. It is 2007 and they still have not got a proper acess road in douglas, i know its only 4 weeks a year but it could be used all year with the right traffic scheme. You reap what you sow people !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaipyr Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 If you are all so familiar with the condition of specific roads why can't you just adjust your driving to suit the conditions? There's more to worry about in this world than your precious cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grant Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 you're dead right there, Snaipyr, I worry about my precious bike as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doofus Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 hmmmmmmmmmm the minister speaks about road network improvements being needed, the DOT have the only supply of suitable roadstone on the island at poortown quarry, they've just installed brand new crushing and screening facilities and are now installing a brand new coating plant a pre emptive strike to call for a bigger budget perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Badger Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Has anyone used the Governors Bridge end of Victoria Road lately? It has to be one of the worst roads on the island, and it’s one of the main routes into town. A colleague of mine had the rear shocks of his car fail because of a big pothole surrounding a manhole cover just before the Shoprite roundabout. I know the DOT re-laid the the other end, but it was in better nick to start with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaipyr Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Has anyone used the Governors Bridge end of Victoria Road lately? It has to be one of the worst roads on the island, and it’s one of the main routes into town. A colleague of mine had the rear shocks of his car fail because of a big pothole surrounding a manhole cover just before the Shoprite roundabout. I know the DOT re-laid the the other end, but it was in better nick to start with! Ah well, he'll know it's there next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hangfire Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 hows about a few more overtaking places around the island? i regularly come from castletown down the new castletown road cars hold up traffic doing 30mph all the way through past the fairy bridge etc to santon there they put the boot down to 50 until the overtaking place is gone then slow down again........ extremely poor driving i agree but it means other drivers have to speed to overtake these menaces can we have more overtaking spots to reduce this issue (if nothing else they will keep up with a reasonable speed in these areas) please include one from baldrine into onchan as i regularly get held up by HGV's going to work and no-one seems capable of overtaking them on a single carriageway!!!! *steps off soapbox* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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