Why do local authority insist on resurfacing roads with stone chip. I cant see any benefit only danger and damage. Surely its an outdated process. Me thinks its a cheap way for the local authority to meet targets.
If only the UK used tarmac of the grade used on airport runways, there would far less wear and holes appearing..... ...Let's face it, the UK is terrible at road building and maintenance...........On many of the old A & B roads, the Highways Authorities seem to think it's perfectly sufficient to apply a layer of hoggin and then tar spray and stone chip on top of what were cart tracks...... .....but then what do you expect from the authorities that have stated they aren't going to be cutting the verges this year to protect wildlife.........or rather the cost of diesel and a JCB cutter at the roadside for a week or so, is now prohibitive........ ....and this is also in conflict with their own 'rules' on Highway design where the visbility splays at junctions must not have vegitation any higher then 0.6m within them. ........why don't they just tell the bl**dy truth..............?
Where I live some roads get stone chip while others get a nice tarmac. For no aparent reason. It wouldn't surprise me if it just so happened a councillor lives on the tarmac-receiving roads.
On a bit of a tangent, when out on a bicycle it is noticeably easier going on smoothly surfaced roads, a lot less effort is needed and much better braking too. I wonder if the same applies to how hard the engine must work in a car, bike , lorry etc too and is the safety compromised on bad surfaces too. I wonder if there is any data to show the mpg and braking differences on the different road surfaces and what it shows. Being cynical and expecting smooth roads to show better fuel economy is it possible that the government of the day likes bad road surfaces as it brings in extra revenue on fuel and helps keep the economy moving in other ways such as additional wear and tear on vehicles therefore helping the sales of replacement parts and vehicles . More importantly, is road safety being compromised by intentionally bad road surfaces ?
Once the stone chip surface beds in do you find that its easier to ride on, given that the grip should be better?
IMO its like having a flat roof that leaks and wants replacing but all you do is paint over the cracks with bitchomastic paint
Exactly right. Stone/Mastic road coverings (for they are so named) were designed as a temporary repair; the idea being to fill any cracks to stop water ingress (and then further deterioration when the water turns to ice and expands). But you can't just put bitumen on the roads cos people would die, so they lob in some stones for grip. The only reason any council can possibly have for using it is to save money. By the way, bitchomastic is my new favourite word
It's proper name is surface dressing, it is designed to restore the grip levels to a polished or degraded road surface and that's all it was designed to do. But it get's used far too often in areas where it is not suitable, but that's no different to them replacing the wearing course, which only restores grip and waterproofing. It's virtually unheard of in this country to replace the binder course or base course, which is whats usually needed.
We get great loads of the stuff dumped here .. One of my pet hates .. Great when it hits your paint work .. Makes you loose your grip and hits you.. Oh the lack of warning .. Nice road .. Bam stone chips !!!
what area are you? I have seen this treatment a lot in Sussex, and nearly came a cropper last year on the Shi**y stuff, I came round a corner on a small B road, the signs for the junction were overgrown and before I knew it I was on marbles, I lost the front but managed to pick it up and go straight across the junction through a ditch and out the other side all on a 996, how I didn't crash I don't know.
It's the sub-base below the base course that's normally the problem with UK roads.......in the rural areas it is topsoil with hoggin on top..............after all, the rural roads were made by the rolling English drunk and his horse and cart...... AL
