Let me start by saying I realize there has to be a cost factor in what I am going to write about – and I get that. I truly do.
But there also has to be a true though process in doing what is done.
I work in two places, for the most part. They are basically in opposite directions of one another. So two times a week, I head in one direction. The other three days, I go to the other. There’s a site or two other I sometimes have to add in, but those are the main two.
Nobody goes 25mph, which of course means all this loose stone goes pinging off my car.
Heading to one of the sites one day, I got caught on one of the roads with an oil/stone process going on. I never realized how fast that happens, though. Basically, they asked me to pull into a driveway as they passed. First, the oil truck passes, dousing the road with hot oil. Then a spreader comes, distributing the stone. Just like that, it’s done. And it’s fast.
As noted, I realize there has to be reasons for this and I’m sure cost is one of the top ones. Think about how fast this surface can be laid down, compared to, say, traditional asphalt. And on back roads, I can see the benefit of this.
Something happened on the way to my other job site …
A stretch of road – a county road that is heavily traveled – of about 15 or so miles was also done this way. So a road that is generally 55 mph is now suggested at 25 and, reality is, until the stone truly becomes part of the road, 40-45 mph is about your safe bet. On top of that, stones ding the undercarriage of your car, speeding cars coming the other way flip up stones that ping your car and window and people drive dangerously slow, at times jamming on their brakes.
How can this be looked at as a positive?
Pretty sure it’s not fresh oil anymore.
I got my car in December and I am not enjoying the feeling that, some seven months later, I am facing a barrage of flying BBs coming at me as I drive.
It’s just not fun.
While there are other ways to head to this job site, they add time, traffic and the possibility of roads that, at times, can be worse. Go figure.
The reality is roads need to be fixed. They need to be effective with cost and time the best they can, but there also needs to be a middle ground here. People pay a lot of money for cars and to have stones flying all over and dinging vehicles, it isn’t good.
And, at times, I imagine it’s quite dangerous.
Anybody else have these issues in their area? What are your thoughts?
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