by James Clarke

Created on: January 06, 2007   Last Updated: April 19, 2007

England has a fantastic technology that allows government to avoid spending money upgrading infrastructure, specifically storm water drains. They're called Dry Drains, which is a drain that works only when it's dry. So for most of the year, they're fine, couldn't be working better.
Then it rains, and things don't work so well, or rather, things don't work at all. Dry Drains can't handle anything more than a light sprinkle, and flood very easily. Right now, for instance, every street corner is flooded and almost impassable in my neighbourhood.
Maybe one day the powers that be will go ahead and invest in some drains that drain water, but for the moment, we all suffer under the tyranny of Dry Drains.

What should you call a storm water drain that doesn't drain? Storm water, I guess, because that's what they are, large puddles of storm water every 50 meters. Not such a problem on motor ways, a right pain everywhere else, high streets or back streets alike.

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