When And Why..................

[10ClarionSt]

...................did footpaths become footways? When and why did manhole covers become ironworks? What was wrong about them? Was there anything wrong with them?

[spathiphyllum]

haha.. man hole

[ummmm]

I've never heard someone say 'footways'

Ironworks has always been called that. If a road is being resurfaced it always says exposed ironworks.

[Rockrose]

Languages change, that’s why we no longer speak as we did in Victorian times or as we did in the 50’s

[Spicerack]

We like to call them personholes.

[rowanwitch]

Footways was in use back in the 1980s usually to distinguish between asphalt surfaces and pavements which were paved. Foot paths were a completely different thing specifically being separate from roadways and only accessible on foot. I did a bit of traffic management back in the day and had to learn boring stuff like that

[anneasquith]

Still footpaths and man hope covers here, and we still have pavements, not sidewalks !!!! :-)

[kvalidir]

I noticed in Herefordshire they now call 'Cats Ryes' 'Road Studs'. Does anyone call 'pavements' 'sidewalks' in the UK? I've not heard that used there either.

[Mamyalynne]

Kval, this should perhaps have been an April fool's day story.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/13/cats-eyes-extinct-council-adopts-road-studs-tourists-read-signs/

[kvalidir]

Lol. crikey :/ I like colourful language, 'cat's eyes' is far more fun than boring 'road studs', how dull is that?

[Mamyalynne]

Far too dull.

[douglas9401]

The BBC Radio Scotland traffic announcing drone often has to report on collapsed manholes.

Well, if you won't do your strengthening exercises sweetie.........