Top dressing

[Jameshow]

There's a variation on top-dressing with granite chips, where they just spray tar emulsion in small areas then scatter fine grit. You see it used a lot on the continent to patch roads.

One hazard is the ribbons of molten tar that are poured in along the edges of repairs to seal the surface. In my motorcycling days I had a bum-puckering moment when accelerating on a wet road and my rear wheel hit one of these strips and the bike went into a complete tank-slapper. I eased off then opened up again and the same thing happened. I've noticed that in Lancashire at least they are now pouring grit onto the tar before it cools to make it much less slippery.

In Devon I saw a massive lorry which looked like a cross between a road sweeper and a concrete lorry that would clean the hole put down tar and chippings - looked mighty impressive!!!