Adrian and his trusty sidekick crossing the Americas - Summer-Fall 2015

They'll get better as you go out west. When I drove from Phoenix to Las Vegas it was like gliding on a sea of ice the whole way.
 
Sounds liek the crappy goat paths with some asphalt shoveled onto them here in Norway, is actually better than some of the American roads then... o_O
 
Hemily said:
Sounds liek the crappy goat paths with some asphalt shoveled onto them here in Norway, is actually better than some of the American roads then... o_O
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No.
 
I broke a rim driving over a shitty road in Chicago, of course the city said it was somehow my fault...
 
CraigB said:
I've seen the roads in Chicago. I can't believe anyone can keep wheels on their vehicles.
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See, that's why Lucille has the tire dimensions and suspension she has...
 
Dr_Grip said:
See, that's why Lucille has the tire dimensions and suspension she has...
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And one of many reasons why North Americans (of all three nations) continue to buy trucks, SUVs and big sedans with taller sidewalls and longer-travel suspensions.

The lowest profile that I've seen on a heavy car that I've owned that does not get regularly raped by American potholes is 255/40-17, or a 4 inch sidewall on a 17 inch wheel. Of all the Jags I've had, anything with shorter sidewalls resulted in burst/swelled tires and wheel damage. Larger wheel sizes than 17" even with a 4" sidewall seem to have more problems on heavy cars like Jags and BMW 7-series as well, though lighter cars seem to be able to get away with it. No idea why this is the case, just saying that this is what I've observed.

The Hyundai Genesis V6 stock fitment (235/50-18, with a 4.6 inch sidewall) doesn't seem to have issues with potholes either, so perhaps an extra half inch height per inch increase in wheel diameter makes the difference?
 
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Dr_Grip said:
He's not Belgian. You are.
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:evil:

Spectre said:
And one of many reasons why North Americans (of all three nations) continue to buy trucks, SUVs and big sedans with taller sidewalls and longer-travel suspensions.
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three? the US, canada and...?
is mexico considered part of north america? i always added it to south america...
 
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bone said:
three? the US, canada and...?
is mexico considered part of north america? i always added it to south america...
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As much as some hate to admit it, Mexico is part of the North American continent. They have many of the same issues Canada and the US have with roads for the same reasons.

453655_im3e3_ft_baches_imgVideo-info7-600x364.jpg


Culturally, it's closer to the Central American traditions than Canada or the US (just as it is geographically), but that's another story.
 
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Spectre said:
As much as some hate to admit it, Mexico is part of the North American continent. They have many of the same issues Canada and the US have with roads for the same reasons.

453655_im3e3_ft_baches_imgVideo-info7-600x364.jpg


Culturally, it's closer to the Central American traditions than Canada or the US (just as it is geographically), but that's another story.
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NOT the same reasons. North-eastern US and Canada have pot holes due to road salting and freezing water. When water freezes, it expands with forces in excess of 30,000psi. The salt erodes the tar bonding the pavement, and the freezing water finishes the job. No quality of road is immune to those conditions. Mexico has crap roads because they use crap paving materials. The roads in Mexico should be like the roads in the western US where there's no salt or snow.
 
Hate to blow your little mind there, but roads all over the US look just like that. Out west? Yup, bigass potholes and such too.
These are Los Angeles potholes:
24201077-sf.jpg

Video at link above.

Phoenix has a $7.1 BILLION pothole problem.

Albuquerque has massive pothole issues that keep getting worse. Video at this link as well.

The weather does contribute to road damage and wear but the lack of repairs and poor construction is universal in North America. Corruption, graft, fraud, mismanagement and politician stupidity are the main causes. Which, again, are seen in Canada, the US and Mexico. And yes, even in your precious New Yawk.

Also, it's cute that you think Europe doesn't freeze or use salt on the roads....
 
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Well, he's not entirely wrong. Not a whole lot of frost heave going on in Mexico. :p Roads in Quebec are atrocious due to corruption, but stuff in central/western Canada is usually in decent nick as either it's paved and maintained or we say "fuck it" and leave it gravel.
 
Spectre said:
Also, it's cute that you think Europe doesn't freeze or use salt on the roads....
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Who are you directing that to? I never said anything about Europe not freezing.
 
Cavi Mike said:
Who are you directing that to? I never said anything about Europe not freezing.
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You. Otherwise, how could the fact that:

North-eastern US and Canada have pot holes due to road salting and freezing water. When water freezes, it expands with forces in excess of 30,000psi. The salt erodes the tar bonding the pavement, and the freezing water finishes the job. No quality of road is immune to those conditions.
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Be reconciled with the fact that Europe's roads - say, Germany's - are so much better. They must not have road salting or freezing water under your theory.
 
Spectre said:
Be reconciled with the fact that Europe's roads - say, Germany's - are so much better. They must not have road salting or freezing water under your theory.
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Germany just spends a shitload of money on maintaining the road network.
 
Joe is right. Our roads are shit.
 
Spectre said:
You. Otherwise, how could the fact that:



Be reconciled with the fact that Europe's roads - say, Germany's - are so much better. They must not have road salting or freezing water under your theory.
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Umm, you said Mexico you dipshit.
Spectre said:
As much as some hate to admit it, Mexico is part of the North American continent. They have many of the same issues Canada and the US have with roads for the same reasons.
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Cavi Mike said:
Umm, you said Mexico you dipshit.
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Yes, I did, you master-grade asshat. Mexico's roads are shit for the same reasons most US and many Canadian roads are shit. Corruption, graft, fraud, mismanagement and politician stupidity, something that appears in all three countries. Frost heaves and salt certainly contribute but are not the major drivers.

Houston doesn't use salt and doesn't spend weeks below freezing, yet the city is a series of giant potholes. It's so bad you could use the place for suspension articulation and durability testing. Some parts of the city are even worse than the Mexican picture I posted. Dallas has some pretty bad places as well. No salt, most of the year not freezing.

Houston paper article on the fail roads there: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...on-s-roads-are-rough-So-do-others-1703396.php

No money to fix the streets, but billions to spend on a toy train that goes nowhere useful and relieves no pressure off the roads.

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narf said:
Our roads are often shitty too, just on average less shitty than others :dunno:
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Compared to the average US road, yours are glass-like in their smoothness.
 
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