Ryan09 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I can imagine the response it would get from councils haha, probably 2 words, 1 beginning with 'F' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 We already DO have perfectly good non-slip covers, as I mentioned above. We use them whenever we can, but again it's down to cost and how much of your bill money the utility companies are allowed to use for this. If we go round replacing every single cover we need to, there'll be no money left to fix anything and all the roads will be flooded anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBuk Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 The owners or the relevant authorities should cover the grates with a rubbery type substance to put an end to the danger. Haha we should start a campaign. While we are at it, should we start a campaign to have those pesky cars taken outta your way as well lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan09 Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 While we are at it, should we start a campaign to have those pesky cars taken outta your way as well lol. Could be an idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grouch Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 We already DO have perfectly good non-slip covers, as I mentioned above. We use them whenever we can, but again it's down to cost and how much of your bill money the utility companies are allowed to use for this. If we go round replacing every single cover we need to, there'll be no money left to fix anything and all the roads will be flooded anyway. I've never seen them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan09 Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 I've never seen them. To be honest neither have i and iv ridden round most of the country now, i dont recall seeing any in London either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Bradford is outside my area, so I can't comment on that. London - You probably won't see them. The ones we use are essentially a deep tray, solidly packed with tarmac. You'd only see a very thin dark metal square or rectangle, with a couple of keyholes. They're designed to match a normal road surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan09 Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Thats awesome, makes sense why i havnt seen any then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grouch Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 Bradford is outside my area, so I can't comment on that. London - You probably won't see them. The ones we use are essentially a deep tray, solidly packed with tarmac. You'd only see a very thin dark metal square or rectangle, with a couple of keyholes. They're designed to match a normal road surface. Brilliant idea, using actual tarmac. They should use the trays on all man holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Some manholes also serve to drain the road of water, which go directly into the Foul or Combined sewer network. Those have to be of a certain type and cannot always be made non-slip. Use on ALL manholes, you say? I suppose you want all BMW drivers to use their indicators as well? Wave a magic wand and just make it happen, right? The real world doesn't work like that. Someone has to pay for all this and since our funding comes from water bills and is regulated by Ofwat... Well, I'd calculated some numbers for when you wanted them all relocated anyway, so: 1 manhole relocation costs £18,000. We have approximately 7 million manholes in our AO. Thus, at a cost of 126 BILLION pounds, we would have to spend your money on doing this, assuming Ofwat would allow us. In order to facilitate this relocation project, we would have to increase your water bill. The average bill for our 13 million customers is £350 a year. To cope with the increased work, your average annual bill would rise by an extra £9,600. Working 24/7 with all qualified gangs available - By the time we completed this you'll all be flying spaceships and your issue will be irrelevant. Just replace every cover, then? No problem, just adjust the figures: £3,000 per cover (which is why they get nicked so often). 7 million covers would cost 21 billion pounds. Adjusted for 13 million customers, your water bill would now only be an extra £1,600. Factoring in every available gang working round the clock, with approximate time for both travel and the amount of time taken to get traffic management and NRSWA permission from the Highways Agency, MoD and Network Rail, you're looking at about 2 years before you can feel safe riding on the roads. Or you could just watch out, read the road like the rest of us and not ride on slippery hazards while heavily banked over. I had to do this on my actual bike test in heavy rain with homicidal boy-racer traffic. It ain't that hard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grouch Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Some manholes also serve to drain the road of water, which go directly into the Foul or Combined sewer network. Those have to be of a certain type and cannot always be made non-slip. Use on ALL manholes, you say? I suppose you want all BMW drivers to use their indicators as well? Wave a magic wand and just make it happen, right? The real world doesn't work like that. Someone has to pay for all this and since our funding comes from water bills and is regulated by Ofwat... Well, I'd calculated some numbers for when you wanted them all relocated anyway, so: 1 manhole relocation costs £18,000. We have approximately 7 million manholes in our AO. Thus, at a cost of 126 BILLION pounds, we would have to spend your money on doing this, assuming Ofwat would allow us. In order to facilitate this relocation project, we would have to increase your water bill. The average bill for our 13 million customers is £350 a year. To cope with the increased work, your average annual bill would rise by an extra £9,600. Working 24/7 with all qualified gangs available - By the time we completed this you'll all be flying spaceships and your issue will be irrelevant. Just replace every cover, then? No problem, just adjust the figures: £3,000 per cover (which is why they get nicked so often). 7 million covers would cost 21 billion pounds. Adjusted for 13 million customers, your water bill would now only be an extra £1,600. Factoring in every available gang working round the clock, with approximate time for both travel and the amount of time taken to get traffic management and NRSWA permission from the Highways Agency, MoD and Network Rail, you're looking at about 2 years before you can feel safe riding on the roads. Or you could just watch out, read the road like the rest of us and not ride on slippery hazards while heavily banked over. I had to do this on my actual bike test in heavy rain with homicidal boy-racer traffic. It ain't that hard! Obviously there is no way manhole covers are going to get non-slip covers or be relocated, I'm not deluded lol. I'm just voicing my opinion that they are situated in inconvenient and dangerous locations for bikers. Also I'm not having a dig at the utility services. I know they have been in place for years and it is totally out of their control where they are placed. The contemporary services have inherited the problem and have to work with what they are given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Wheels Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 How in the good lord jaysus above,,,,,,,,,,has there been so much talk about man hole covers,,,,,,2 pages of it LOL :smash: :smash: :smash: Sur da roads have loads of da aul things called obisticals Ya have ta open da aul eyes ta see dem an avoid dem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grouch Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 How in the good lord jaysus above,,,,,,,,,,has there been so much talk about man hole covers,,,,,,2 pages of it LOL :smash: :smash: :smash: Sur da roads have loads of da aul things called obisticals Ya have ta open da aul eyes ta see dem an avoid dem I think it's been a good thread, I've learned a lot from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Wheels Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I think it's been a good thread, I've learned a lot from it. Well thats true,,, If you learn something new that keeps you safer on the roads then thats always good. Ride safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 How in the good lord jaysus above,,,,,,,,,,has there been so much talk about man hole covers It's what you know, innit? I fix these things for a living and have several qualifications in such things, so I can give you the full low-down on what happens behind the scenes and the full reasons why it's never anywhere near as simple as the public always think. By comparison, I know fuck-all about investment baking, but I'm sure someone here could give you chapter and verse on the stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neversaydie Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 It's what you know, innit? I fix these things for a living and have several qualifications in such things, so I can give you the full low-down on what happens behind the scenes and the full reasons why it's never anywhere near as simple as the public always think. By comparison, I know fuck-all about investment baking, but I'm sure someone here could give you chapter and verse on the stuff. Dont let your lack of knowledge about investment banking put you off a career in the banking industry, it would appear all you need is a set of dice and a thick skin :shrug: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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