Road Conditions.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,565
Likes: 2,015
From: Missouri
I drive several miles of gravel from my house before I reach blacktop. The county might grade the roads once or twice a year. Potholes, washboard, ruts, etc. I used to complain about them until I had to drive in urban St Louis last year. Some of those streets up there are worse than the damn gravel roads in the country.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,629
Likes: 4,089
From: Virginia
Finally some beautiful riding weather, after this past suck *** winter. Roads are still beat to hell up here in the great white north. I hit a pot hole yesterday that knocked a few fillings loose. Made my right saddlebag latch open. Seriously thought I bent a rim. It was one of those roads that you just about cover every square inch from lane to lane just trying to avoid the holes. Then there idea of fixing them is to place some hot patch over said holes. Within days that **** is all broken up and pieces of it are flying off the tires from the cars in front of you. Gotta love the job security the DPW workers have. Rant over.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28,842
Likes: 16,583
From: Wisconsin, USA
When I lived in NYC, I sat down one day & listed all the reasons I wanted to leave. There were 18 of them, with the condition of the roads being somewhere near the top. If you have never ridden the Brooklyn-Queens Expwy,The Henry Hudson River Pkwy or the Cross-Bronx Expwy, y Hiou are in for the ride of your life. On these roads, you PRAY for traffic backup, which they usually are, because they are unsafe at any speed over 5MPH. And, forget riding in Manhattan; unless you are riding a trials bike without plates 'cause there is a camera on every corner.
The roads in Florida are so smooth that you could fall asleep riding!
The roads in Florida are so smooth that you could fall asleep riding!
Wisconsin has such a good roadbuilding lobby, we are ripping up perfectly good roads and replacing them with even better roads. I think we spend too much, but they are usually in great condition.
Last edited by Ron750; May 8, 2015 at 04:25 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 27,097
Likes: 4,676
From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
One of a few reasons I prefer to ride in Wisconsin than here. After this past winter, most of the MN roads I ride/drive on just pound you from frost heaves.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 100,455
Likes: 19,811
From: Centennial, CO
Our registration fees go to schools. I have no idea where the gas tax money goes. It certainly doesn't go back to the roads. We also don't get our share of Fed gas tax money, either. It all gets thrown into the general fund.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
Likes: 3,873
From: Upstate New York
Up here in "The Vampire State", the gov't has deliberately and systematically ignored the roads for the last 10 years, and many of them are dangerous, not just uncomfortable. No sign that this will change in my lifetime.
I recommend you NOT come here, spend your vacation dollars somewhere where they care about your safety.
I recommend you NOT come here, spend your vacation dollars somewhere where they care about your safety.
Last edited by Uncle G.; May 8, 2015 at 07:04 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,148
Likes: 6,171
From: SE Michigan
That gas tax has been in place for like 20 years, where the heck is all that loot. Somebody is snorting blow off a hookers *** with the money that is supposed to go to the roads. We might have to pay a visit to Lansing wonder how many bikes you can fit on the capitol lawn.
Prop 1, flawed as it was, did provied a legislative "ring fence" around the gas tax so that it was required to be spent on roads.
Michigan needs *incremental* money for roads for many reasons not the least of which has been the neglect over the years. But I think any proposal that takes money from other budget priorties is not wise at this point. Again, we need to invest incremental dollars here. The way I see it, I can spend $500 more a year in taxes to fix the roads or $500/year in car repairs. I'm happy to fork over the extra money to invest in the roads.
The extra crap in this bill was necessary to get more legislators on board so that it would pass. I think most would prefer just to pony up the extra dollars for the roads and not all the other silliness.
Last edited by Keithhu; May 8, 2015 at 08:20 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 57
From: PA
Having grown up on dirt bikes, I think it's kinda fun to dodge pot holes. Granted, the OL isn't real keen on the quick unexpected maneuvers, but she just needs to learn how to hang on a little better!
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,357
Likes: 91
From: Michigan
@KeithHU while part of what you stated is true you need to do some research, the sales tax (6%) goes into the general fund the excise tax is supposed to go for road maintenance
Notes: On top of other costs, Michigan currently imposes a 19-cent per gallon excise tax on gasoline, last updated in 1997, and a 15-cent per gallon excise tax on the in-state use or purchase of diesel, established in 1980. MDOT says that state fuel tax revenue, which is dedicated exclusively to road and transportation funding, has been falling since 2004 as a result of inflation and increasingly-efficient vehicles.
Studies have shown that there is more that adequate funds with the excise tax if the legislature would actually use it for roads as opposed to funding special projects other than roads.
On top of the MI sales tax, MI excise tax there is also a $.18 federal tax that is also supposed to be distributed back to the state for road maintenance.
Notes: On top of other costs, Michigan currently imposes a 19-cent per gallon excise tax on gasoline, last updated in 1997, and a 15-cent per gallon excise tax on the in-state use or purchase of diesel, established in 1980. MDOT says that state fuel tax revenue, which is dedicated exclusively to road and transportation funding, has been falling since 2004 as a result of inflation and increasingly-efficient vehicles.
Studies have shown that there is more that adequate funds with the excise tax if the legislature would actually use it for roads as opposed to funding special projects other than roads.
On top of the MI sales tax, MI excise tax there is also a $.18 federal tax that is also supposed to be distributed back to the state for road maintenance.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,148
Likes: 6,171
From: SE Michigan
@KeithHU while part of what you stated is true you need to do some research, the sales tax (6%) goes into the general fund the excise tax is supposed to go for road maintenance
Notes: On top of other costs, Michigan currently imposes a 19-cent per gallon excise tax on gasoline, last updated in 1997, and a 15-cent per gallon excise tax on the in-state use or purchase of diesel, established in 1980. MDOT says that state fuel tax revenue, which is dedicated exclusively to road and transportation funding, has been falling since 2004 as a result of inflation and increasingly-efficient vehicles.
Studies have shown that there is more that adequate funds with the excise tax if the legislature would actually use it for roads as opposed to funding special projects other than roads.
On top of the MI sales tax, MI excise tax there is also a $.18 federal tax that is also supposed to be distributed back to the state for road maintenance.
Notes: On top of other costs, Michigan currently imposes a 19-cent per gallon excise tax on gasoline, last updated in 1997, and a 15-cent per gallon excise tax on the in-state use or purchase of diesel, established in 1980. MDOT says that state fuel tax revenue, which is dedicated exclusively to road and transportation funding, has been falling since 2004 as a result of inflation and increasingly-efficient vehicles.
Studies have shown that there is more that adequate funds with the excise tax if the legislature would actually use it for roads as opposed to funding special projects other than roads.
On top of the MI sales tax, MI excise tax there is also a $.18 federal tax that is also supposed to be distributed back to the state for road maintenance.
I'm sorry, but I think we need incremental (additional) dollars for this, and a structural solution. We've been slashing the state budget for over a decade, time to invest in roads.