Of course, roads in Hokkaido that are frozen and slippery in the middle of winter are dangerous,
but roads with melted snow in spring also have some points to be aware of.
Today, I would like to share with you the current road conditions in Hokkaido,
with photos taken by the staff of the New Chitose Airport sales office.
Although it is still the middle of winter in Hokkaido, even on national roads and narrow general roads,
there is not much snow in places with heavy traffic.
The snow is blown off the roadside by tires, or the friction heat of the tires and the heat of the engine melt the snow easily.
And all over the road with melted snow, huge holes will appear...
(That kind of thing is called a pot hole)
The snow melted during the warm day turns into water, seeps into the cracks in the asphalt road,
and expands as the water freezes on a cold night, it becomes a large hole.
Also, the weight and vibration of a moving vehicle also accelerates this.
They come in different sizes, so there are some places where there are a few cracks, but others are so huge that the tire falls out.
Moreover, considering the impact on the vehicle while driving, it is absolutely not good for the vehicle and the tires.
This pothole may cause a tire puncture or, in more worse case, deform the tire wheel,
so please drive with caution in the road ahead.
You may have thought that the road conditions will become more comfortable in spring after the long winter in Hokkaido is over.
Even if it snows or melts, we ask that you always pay attention to road conditions and drive safely.
