Overnight we had a sustained thunderstorm, and at one point the rain was so heavy that the water running down the street was several inches deep. This deluge has affected the bump in the road, which is now even larger than it was ... and liquid mud is oozing out of the cracks every time a vehicle passes over or near the bulge.
The buses that pass up and down the road every ten to fifteen minutes are now swerving around the bulge ... if they can. If they do hit the bulge, the sound is loud enough to be heard quite clearly and the road surface around the bulge ripples. The undersides of cars that try to drive over the bulge are grounding on its top, and it will only be a matter of time before a car is damaged.
The bulge has now become quite a talking point in the local area, and people walking past are stopping to look at it. No doubt the local council will eventually 'investigate' the bulge (I understand that quite a few people have already reported it) and may even get around to repairing it.
Only time will tell.
Latest update! (5.05pm)
Just as I was uploading this blog entry, a Metropolitan Police patrol car stopped by the bulge. Two police officer got out, and after looking at the bulge they contacted their Control Room for advice. (They told me that the bulge had been reported as a traffic hazard by a motorist.)
I understand that the Metropolitan Police has tried to get in contact with the local council, but is having difficulty getting through to anyone who can help. In the meantime the police car remains parked so that vehicles cannot hit the bulge.
Latest, latest update! (5.23pm)
A Transport for London (TfL) van has just arrived, and its occupant has just coned off and safety-taped the area around the bulge so that vehicles will be able to see it and avoid it. That done, the police and the TfL representative have just now departed.
Latest, latest, latest update! (5.45pm)
Workmen have arrived ... looked at the bulge ... moved the cones ... and put a 'Keep Right' sign next to the bulge!
The buses that pass up and down the road every ten to fifteen minutes are now swerving around the bulge ... if they can. If they do hit the bulge, the sound is loud enough to be heard quite clearly and the road surface around the bulge ripples. The undersides of cars that try to drive over the bulge are grounding on its top, and it will only be a matter of time before a car is damaged.
The bulge has now become quite a talking point in the local area, and people walking past are stopping to look at it. No doubt the local council will eventually 'investigate' the bulge (I understand that quite a few people have already reported it) and may even get around to repairing it.
Only time will tell.
Latest update! (5.05pm)
Just as I was uploading this blog entry, a Metropolitan Police patrol car stopped by the bulge. Two police officer got out, and after looking at the bulge they contacted their Control Room for advice. (They told me that the bulge had been reported as a traffic hazard by a motorist.)
I understand that the Metropolitan Police has tried to get in contact with the local council, but is having difficulty getting through to anyone who can help. In the meantime the police car remains parked so that vehicles cannot hit the bulge.
Latest, latest update! (5.23pm)
A Transport for London (TfL) van has just arrived, and its occupant has just coned off and safety-taped the area around the bulge so that vehicles will be able to see it and avoid it. That done, the police and the TfL representative have just now departed.
Latest, latest, latest update! (5.45pm)
Workmen have arrived ... looked at the bulge ... moved the cones ... and put a 'Keep Right' sign next to the bulge!
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I hope they get it fixed soon.
ReplyDeleteOver here in California we don't even know what rain is anymore. sadface
The highly effective local governmental response is similar to what would happen here in ol' Virginny: don't actually DO anything about, just put a sign up and leave, with a feeling of "job well done". Politicians of a certain persuasion would then point out that the bump appeared during the Obama Administration, proving that government just can't do anything right; others would speculate that Isis is in fact probably behind it, while Donald Trump would argue we should build a permanent fence around it.
ReplyDeleteIt is to weep.
Chris
Fitz-Badger,
ReplyDeleteIt will either be done on Monday ... or in several month's time.
You have my sympathy regarding your lack of rain. We usually enjoy a few days of rain each month, depending upon the time of year.
All the best,
Bob
Better call Quatermass - just to be sure.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteIt isn't that different in our part of the UK.
We live in the Royal Borough of Greenwich ... but for years it has been called the People's Republic of Greenwich because of its old-style Left-Wing Labour (Socialist) ruling party. (It publishes its own weekly newspaper that locals call Pravda.) Everything that goes well is down to their inspired leadership; everything that goes wrong is somebody else's fault (the opposition party, National Government, big business etc.).
The only differences are that we don't have President Obama to blame, and our equivalent of Donald Trump (Lord Alan Sugar) doesn't usually speak before engaging his brain ... assuming that Mr Trump is capable of thinking in anything other than Right-Wing slogans and platitudes.
You have my sincere condolences.
All the best,
Bob
Pat G,
ReplyDeleteI've got his number on speed-dial!
All the best,
Bob