Opinion : Eliminate the puddles not the potholes

Well, another weekend is upon us.

What a dull and dreary week last week was. April showers and overcast skies seem to have pushed spring to one side recently.

I would have liked to spend more time in my garden this weekend but the poor weather will probably force me to stay indoors and look out through the drawing room window to the rain soaked garden beyond.

Looking on the bright side with all the wet weather there shouldn’t be a water shortage this year.

The other day, while walking around the town centre on my regular lunchtime walk, I was merrily going along Bridge Street when an oncoming car swerved slightly towards the pavement and went through a large puddle. Unfortunately yours truly was covered from head to toe in water.

There weren’t any vehicles coming in the opposite direction and it would have been quite easy for the driver to move to the middle of the road to avoid the water. I’m not one to point the finger unnecessarily but the driver of the car that splashed me deliberately driver through that puddle knowing full well that I would get wet.

Sadly it seems there is very little that can be done.

After talking to my friends and colleagues it seems many of them have also experienced similar incidents.

With all they have to deal with the police are unlikely to do anything indeed I don’t even think that deliberately splashing a pedestrian is even mentioned in the Highway Code or the traffic laws of the land.

From what I can see the only way to give pedestrians safe passage in wet weather is to eliminate the puddles.

There is so much emphasis put on pothole repair so how about the powers that be looking at the places in the road where puddles form and filling in the puddle forming dips, depressions and hollows?

The poor pedestrian seems to come last these days behind motorists and cyclists. Things need to change.

So often we are told to walk rather than go by car yet many of the pavements of the town are not in the best condition. Who is going to give up the sanctuary of a warm and dry car only to get wet walking along the road.

What do you think?

*Don’t forget my blogs are published twice a week here, on the Wycombe Today site, every Tuesday evening around 8pm and late on Friday evenings.