Our reader asked us to publicize the matter. In an email to the editorial office, she wrote: “There was black ice on the main bend in Kraśnik Dolny. The road authority—the District Roads Authority—does not feel responsible for the condition of the roads. On Tuesday [December 15—editor’s note], I skidded on that bend even though I was driving at less than 20 km/h.”

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The woman called the police. “I was told that I had not adjusted my speed to the road conditions, that chains should be used (!) on such a surface, and that I would receive a ticket. The authority explained that it had sent sand spreaders onto this road at 1:00 a.m. At present, after a dozen or so calls to the road authority, the condition of the road is somewhat better. All I can do is come to terms with my damaged car and the ticket. But what for? For the road being slippery?!” the reader says angrily.

“We have seven snowplow-sand spreaders for 400 km of roads,” explains Anatoliusz Koper, deputy head of the District Roads Authority. “We try to keep the roads passable as far as our equipment and financial resources allow. First, we send the sand spreaders to the busiest routes. The road through Kraśnik Dolny is only in the fifth category of winter maintenance.”

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As Koper emphasizes, the District Roads Authority can only mitigate the effects of winter. “Responsibility lies with drivers. They should always adjust their speed to the conditions on the road,” adds the deputy head of the District Roads Authority.

Updated 2009-12-18 10:30

Below we present a reader’s comment:

In such a situation, it is best to pass the buck to the road user. If the road authority is blameless, let it cross the county boundary a few meters toward Chocianów and see how the roads are maintained there. After leaving Bolesławiec in any direction except toward Zgorzelec, things are worse than bad. And apparently they are ready for winter as early as July. How does that square with the actual condition of the roads?

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