It seems the right side of the road has more potholes and is almost always rougher.
2007-01-10 02:30:48 · 8 answers · asked by ctpsb 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Safety
because more heavy duty trucks (ie. tractor trailers, straight vans, etc) drive on the right causing more usage on that side.
2007-01-10 02:40:03 · answer #1 · answered by eriq p 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you are asking about the right side of the lane, not the right lane. When pavement is laid there is a "crown" down the middle of the road that allows water to drain to the side. This taper causes the pavement to be thinner on the right side of the road. In the northern areas where freeze/thaw cycles take place, potholes are formed by water beneath the road when it expands when it freezes(ever put a glass bottle in the freezer to get it cold faster and then forgotten about it?). This pushes the pavement up, like a bubble. When the ice thaws the bubble collapses and a pothole is formed. If there are any cracks in the pavement water can get under it. And as stated before, roads are made to drain to the outside. Therefore, more water to the right, more ice under the right side of the road.
2007-01-10 05:38:45 · answer #2 · answered by maxinebootie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The right side of the road (in the US, and all countries that follow the same driving pattern) is the slow lane. Larger, slower moving vehicles tend to drive more on that side of the road. Being heavier, they cause greater stress on the pavement. When changes in weather (usually cold) naturally expand and contract the pavement, it makes it more susceptible to breakage when these heavier vehicles pass over it, thus allowing the pavement to break down and leave potholes.
2007-01-10 02:41:54 · answer #3 · answered by Woz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Asphalt never completely hardens. During hot weather it gets softer and smooshes down like mud, due to traffic. As it smooshes down it naturally moves to the outside (the right side) of the road. This constant movement eventually separates the tar (the black sticky goo that holds it all together) from the sand and gravel in the mixture and this causes it to break up, which causes potholes... The fact that most traffic uses the outside lane contributes to this erosion as does freezing rain and snow, which will seep into the roadway, freeze and break the surface up.
2007-01-10 02:51:51 · answer #4 · answered by J P 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's only rougher untill you turn around and go the other way. Then the road is only rougher on your "other right".
2007-01-11 06:12:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In many european countries they had this problem, so they started driving on the left side of the road.
2007-01-10 02:38:53 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's because that is the side of the road you are driving on. It's an illusion -- sort of like "it's always greener on the other side of the fence".
2007-01-10 02:38:51 · answer #7 · answered by Allan 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the road is always smoother on the other side.
2007-01-10 02:37:57 · answer #8 · answered by Thegustaffa 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋