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Greetings from Cologne

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Old 12-20-2006, 11:59 PM
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Popped over to the Cologne Christmas markets for a few days.

I don't really have a problem with RFT noise in the UK but I have to say that I noticed en route how wonderful the French road surfaces are compared to many others. Almost silent and all you can really hear is the wind.

Maybe rather than changing from runflats it's time to change the surface of Route 66!

ABC
Old 12-21-2006, 02:55 AM
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Originally Posted by aybeesea' post='369839' date='Dec 21 2006, 08:59 AM
Popped over to the Cologne Christmas markets for a few days.

I don't really have a problem with RFT noise in the UK but I have to say that I noticed en route how wonderful the French road surfaces are compared to many others. Almost silent and all you can really hear is the wind.

Maybe rather than changing from runflats it's time to change the surface of Route 66!
A trip to Cologne sounds like a nice little Christmas adventure. Have fun!

Roads in many parts of continental Europe are just so wonderful compared to the rubbish we have in many parts of the UK and Ireland. Run-flats are not suitable at all for many B-roads in Ireland. At least on the E90 they can make the car feel positively dangerous it is so fidgety and unstable. BMW need to test their tyre selection on a variety of roads that reflect the reality in countries outside of Germany, France etc. (where roads are as they should be).

Enjoy your holiday and the drive...
Old 12-21-2006, 05:29 AM
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...........reflect the reality in countries outside of Germany, France etc. (where roads are as they should be).
ABC knows, why he praises the French Roads and not the German ones....... :'(
I too love the quality of the French Roads......if they would only reconsider the Speed limit

Matts
Old 12-21-2006, 05:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Raighne' post='369865' date='Dec 21 2006, 06:55 AM
...that reflect the reality in countries outside of Germany, France etc. (where roads are as they should be).

Enjoy your holiday and the drive...
hummm... I disagree with that! Unfortunately, they are not in a good condition in most parts of the world but they should not be this way.

All roads should be like here in Houston. Wide perfectly flat lanes of concrete and steel.
Here is a quote from Eric Slotboom's book:

"...Houston freeways are built with 15-inch-thick (38 cm) concrete. How thick is 15 inches? Heavy duty runways at the busiest hub airports in the United States generally have concrete thickness in the range of 15 to 18 inches (38 to 46 cm). Depending on conditions at particular locations, thicknesses can exceed 20 inches (51 cm) on some runways. A new 9,400-foot (2,865 m) runway at Houston?s Intercontinental Airport is paved with 17-inch-thick (43 cm) concrete, and other runways at Bush Airport range between 17 and 19 inches (43 to 48 cm) thick. Runways
at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are typically 17 to 18 inches (43 to 46 cm) thick."

This information is generally accurate for most Texas' roads
Old 12-21-2006, 06:06 AM
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Originally Posted by aosman' post='369907' date='Dec 21 2006, 09:48 AM
hummm... I disagree with that! Unfortunately, they are not in a good condition in most parts of the world but they should not be this way.

All roads should be like here in Houston. Wide perfectly flat lanes of concrete and steel.
Here is a quote from Eric Slotboom's book:

"...Houston freeways are built with 15-inch-thick (38 cm) concrete. How thick is 15 inches? Heavy duty runways at the busiest hub airports in the United States generally have concrete thickness in the range of 15 to 18 inches (38 to 46 cm). Depending on conditions at particular locations, thicknesses can exceed 20 inches (51 cm) on some runways. A new 9,400-foot (2,865 m) runway at Houston?s Intercontinental Airport is paved with 17-inch-thick (43 cm) concrete, and other runways at Bush Airport range between 17 and 19 inches (43 to 48 cm) thick. Runways
at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are typically 17 to 18 inches (43 to 46 cm) thick."

This information is generally accurate for most Texas' roads

Concrete roads drive is great...but expansion joints every 30 yards cause a lot of noise too...


At least that is my experience from freeways in the US


Kind regards from Spain
Old 12-21-2006, 10:07 AM
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Originally Posted by inmediate' post='369914' date='Dec 21 2006, 10:06 AM
Concrete roads drive is great...but expansion joints every 30 yards cause a lot of noise too...
At least that is my experience from freeways in the US
Kind regards from Spain
I have not seen expansion joints on freeways in Houston since I moved down here from DC area.. I think TxDOT figured out a better way to design and build freeways. Texas and California usually lead the rest of the states when it comes to implemening newer technologies for infrastructure.
Old 12-21-2006, 12:41 PM
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Originally Posted by aosman' post='369975' date='Dec 21 2006, 07:07 PM
I have not seen expansion joints on freeways in Houston since I moved down here from DC area.. I think TxDOT figured out a better way to design and build freeways. Texas and California usually lead the rest of the states when it comes to implemening newer technologies for infrastructure.
I used to live in California (Bay Area) and while they roads weren't terrible or anything, I didn't think they were that good or in any way technologically advanced. The concrete surfaces were noisy to drive on and many freeways have expansion joints that make you wonder if you have a flat tyre. Even the newer infra-structure was nothing to write home about. The design on some of the road infrastructure was pretty terrible, particularly the dangerously short on-ramps onto very busy freeways.

The roads in France however are the best I have seen anywhere but I think in general roads in Continental Europe are fairly impressive and fun to drive on. The UK and Ireland are a different story with lots of crumbling infrastructure to be found and poor quality finish on many of the surfaces.
Old 12-21-2006, 12:52 PM
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Ouh yes, I love my car on the riviera roads also, could even go for 19"ers...
Old 12-21-2006, 05:17 PM
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Originally Posted by aybeesea' post='369839' date='Dec 21 2006, 03:59 AM
Maybe rather than changing from runflats it's time to buy a Citroen.

ABC
Old 12-23-2006, 12:12 AM
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Back safe and sound. Thanks for all the wishes guys. I'm just about in the festive mood.

Re: Citroen... yes the French roads go from the sublime to the ridiculous so some clever engineering is found in French suspensions. Not my cup of tea however.

PS AT one point when the wife drove just after a fillup she managed to achieve a projected tankful (actual plus predicted) of over 700 miles (normal GOOD tankful is 575) average speed of 72mph and a consumption of 40.4(Imperial)mpg. That was measure over about 80 miles of motorway driving.

It scared me that it could be done! My right foot is terrible. I soon modified those figures when I took over.

ABC
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