Nobody wants their vehicle to be damaged by potholes, least of all the newly crowned King. That is why some of London’s streets were covered in sand before his gold carriage took to the road on his coronation day.
On Saturday (May 6th), drone footage of King Charles III and Queen Camilla leaving Westminster Abbey to make their way to Buckingham Palace in their gilded carriage showed several sand-filled holes.
Like many roads across Britain, The Mall has fallen victim to the harsh weather this winter, leaving it in need of repair. However, with no time to mend the roads, the holes were sealed up with sand.
It is thought they needed to be covered to ensure the horses do not trip up or lose their grip, the Daily Mail reported.
Some royal reporters told the publication the sand was also put on the roads to help the Golden State Coach, which has been used at every coronation since 1831 and weighs four tonnes, move along the road.
The 3.6-metre tall carriage, which requires eight horses to pull it, is thought to be quite uncomfortable to travel in, with Queen Victoria not being a big fan of the cumbersome giltwood coach.
However, filling in the potholes was probably done to save the royal family’s Bentley cars and Range Rovers that travelled to and from the service in the morning as well.
The newly-appointed King and Queen arrived at the Abbey in the modern Diamond Jubilee State Coach, which is a more comfortable ride. Featuring hydraulic suspension, lighting, air conditioning, electric windows, and heating, the 18-foot carriage is still heavy at three tonnes, and requires level grounds.
While nobody other than the royal family will have the experience of riding in an elaborate horse-drawn carriage through central London, many will be familiar with the problem of potholes.
Indeed, RAC revealed it helped out more than 10,000 drivers with pothole-related breakdowns during the first three months of the year. This is an increase of 39 per cent compared with the same quarter in 2022.
Spokesperson for the RAC Simon Williams said the problem is “nothing short of scandalous”.
“Drivers are telling us that the UK’s local roads are in a worse state than ever and it’s hard to disagree looking at some of the craters that litter so many of our carriageways,” he stated.
Potholes can result in damaged shock absorbers, distorted wheels, and broken suspension springs, meaning drivers end up having to pay money for unnecessary car repairs.
According to RAC data, the number of pothole-related breakdowns from January to April 2023 more than doubled from the fourth quarter in 2022.
Car owners who have spent money on paint protection film installers will be even more annoyed if their vehicle becomes damaged because they drive through a pothole by mistake, particularly if doing so results in chipped paint or damaged wheels.
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