Simon Brooke said:in message <[email hidden]>, Anthony
(') said:Do you think these are dangerous to cyclists or pedestrians? All
these pictures were taken in central Ipswich.
Quoted message said:http://futurebydesign-music.com/blog/?p=41
Quoted message said:I have got better things to do with my time, honest - it's just that a
couple of them caught me by surprise when I was cycling.
Quoted message said:What do you think of the road conditions in your area? Anything as
bad as this, or worse?
To be perfectly honest, when I see potholes of that severity, I think 'I'm
glad my council is spending my money on things like social services and
education and not squandering it on over-pristine roads'.
Yes, we /can/ have perfect roads. But they're extremely expensive to
maintain, and in a country with as much poverty as we have, is it good use
of public funds?
I don't see poverty in this country either, compared to other
countries we are rather well off. Where my parents come from there is
no state help, if you don't work you don't eat.
Isn't it a false dichotomy to say either social services and education
OR maintenance of public roads? The majority of us pay some
combination of income tax, community charge, road tax so I don't think
the government is short of funds. To me it seems in recent years the
more the government takes in one way or another, the LESS service it
provides.
Then I heard recently that some members of parliment were considering
a license scheme for cyclists! If I were charged money to get some
kind of cycling license I wonder what on earth I would be paying for.
The government goes on about a green agenda, and the politicians do
their little bit by giving the media a chance to see them cycling for
public display, but do they put their money where there mouths are? I
don't think so.
I believe that more people would cycle if there were better conditions
for cyclists on the roads. As it is there are filthy huge puddles
because people can't lay tarmac straight, glass most noticeably in the
cycle lanes, and potholes which are fine for cars, but I think a
danger to both cyclists and pedestrians. Think about it, congestion
charges are being considered in other cities other than London, plus
road tolling in other areas, what would happen with all this money? I
just feel that the governement is milking the public like suckers and
we aint getting much in return.