A quote from a friend of mine, who has just come back from working in Tanzania for 10 years as a physiotherapist:
‘Just seen on the news about people being compensated by the local council for car damage due to potholes. They are NOT potholes, merely slight irregularities in an otherwise delightfully smooth road surface. A REAL pothole is one where the whole vehicle is in it, there is displacement of the car up to a 45 degree angle from the vertical, a whole new diversion created to go around it, or necessitates driving on the other side of the road!!!’
(Dr Charles Todd visiting dispensaries in N Nigeria)
This is our personal picture – printed from an old slide, so not very good quality – of what an authentic African pot hole looks like in the rainy season. As you can see, there isn’t any ‘other side of the road’
potholes are a menace wherever they are! big or small!
LikeLike
Quite right, Christine :yes: even a little dip can be a menace!
LikeLike
in the picture it is not really a road is it? more like a animal track along the river.
However, I too have noticed that it is much more common to complain in the UK now about the roads etc. Hence all the ads from these companies promising compensation for whatever has befallen you. It is becoming just like the US!
LikeLike
There are potholes and ‘potholes’? Just a slight unevenness in the roadway!
LikeLike
Spot on, Pete 😉
LikeLike
That is more like a mud bath!
LikeLike
I’m sure Charles and his colleagues thought so too!!
LikeLike
Lol….this has put me FIRMLY in my place! I constantly moan about….erm….scared to use the word now….potholes when cycling, BUT…. shall not anymore. Brilliant pic!
LikeLike
:)) oh you do make me laugh! I expect you mean … a slight irregularity in the road … :??: :))
LikeLike
Yes……a teeny tiny uneveness of the tarmac, nothing that could swallow me whole.xxxxx
LikeLike
Just a little wibble maybe, or a tiddly bump … NO YOUR TEETH ARE NOT JARRING IN YOUR HEAD … IT’S ALL IN YOUR IMAGINATION … 😉
LikeLike
Hahahahahahahahha…..lovin the wibble word! Must use that! Oh yes!xxxxx
LikeLike
Wot??? 8| you’ve never learnt ‘jelly on a plate’??
LikeLike
A very good point.
LikeLike
I have a feeling Charles had forgotten his wellies!! Very useful for the wet season :yes:
LikeLike
Could not help but :):):):)xxx
LikeLike
😉 How were the roads in South Africa???
LikeLike
In many respects…better than in England…..;)x
LikeLike
But in bush villages :??:
LikeLike
Rural areas compare most favourably…as do roads in the more remote areas….
S.African roads are remarkably modern……and very good….exceptions everywhere – as in England…..even some roads in our own towns leave much to be desired….;)
LikeLike
That’s very commendable! Not like in Romania then, where the authorities looked after the main roads and ignored the roads into the villages … :no:
LikeLike
You are right about our ‘pot holes’ apart from the bikers uor roads aren’t too bad at 50mph !
LikeLike
I often think that we don’t know what we’ve got here, until we go elsewhere where we don’t have it 😉
LikeLike