Tuesday 10 March 2009

It's that road again

I'm forced to use this road because the alternatives make my short journey 20+ minutes longer. It takes me where I'm going anyway; this is not a short cut but the direct A-to-B route from home. At this time of year, ul. Poloneza is at its most ghastly; the middle section (between ul. Ludwinowska and the railway line has been impassable to two wheel drive traffic since late January. And impassable to bicycles too! The northern section (ul. Krasnowolska to Poleczki) is passable, but it looks like this.

Looking at these commuting scenes within six miles of the very centre of the capital of the EU's sixth-largest Member State, I'm wondering what Warsaw's Zarząd Dróg Miejskich (urban roads authority - ZDM) intends to do about such horrors. Not a whole lot, I'll be bound

Below: I'm generally against the use of large four wheel drives in town, but this part of Warsaw, where a third of the roads are unpaved I can see their sense.

I've made it. The parking alongside ul. Poloneza by Platan Park looks like this; mud, snow, puddles. I turned up into the office with my trouser spattered with mud. My brave Micra has made it once again, but having been bogged down once on Poloneza, I'm aware it could happen again. The biggest threat is being stuck behind an over-cautious driver who gingerly skirts the puddles, entering them slowly to avoid splashes. Driving slowly is the surest way to get stuck. You need to keep forward momentum on roads like this; gain speed on the dry bits to get you through the deep puddles. Unfortunately this throws mud up the side of the car and the dirty water can play havoc with the electrics.

By way of complete contrast, another side to my morning commute. Modern inner city Warsaw, new houses, no mud - but mad drivers. Another accident on the corner of Sikorskiego and Beethovena, and another one involving a diplomat (the red Peugeot). See this one, same place, six months ago. Another note to ZDM - install some lights at this junction.


This time last year:
Poland's labour market woes (ah! Remember the problems of a rising economy?)
Spring, getting nearer (arriving faster than this year)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Michael,

The first three snaphots look like a Jeziorki Trophy '09 report. Esp. the last of these three. Gonna be post renamed "Jeziorki Trophy '09?" That's good advice.

Anonymous said...

I sugest Rajd Jeziorki-Grabów Cup '09! dirtiest car wins prize!

Just Me said...

I bed some kids would make some money putting a car wash at the end of that road!