The hole solution

The RAC warns that the snow and ice which covered large parts of the country will leave a legacy of potholes. Too little effort is made to fill them in nowadays, transforming the average car journey into an obstacle course.

The winner is whoever masters the art of driving the exact centre of the car safely over the hole. The loser bounces along, sending keys, coffee and passengers into the air.

If local councils won’t do their job, drivers will have to take matters into their own hands. That either means amateur, night-time tarmacking – which may prove sticky – or the mass-ownership of the only vehicle that can smoothly traverse Britain’s roads any more: the tank. It will make parking a nightmare, but at least nervous traffic wardens will think twice before sticking a ticket on a turret.