system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: why can bitumen laid on a road be driven on almost instantly , however in carparks etc must not be driven on for up to 2 weeks?

We just had bitumen laid in our carpark at work and have been advised not to drive on it for 2 weeks to let it cure , however when they lay it on a road you can drive on it straight away ?
gpt
Was the product hot when applied? Asphalt paving is usually applied hot and then rolled to compact it. As soon as it is cool to the touch it is OK to drive on it with light traffic. However, there is a similar product often called cold patch, normally used to fix potholes. This is not heated and typically not compacted as firmly and as a result can be displaced by the weight of traffic or parked cars. 

Then there is the possibility that the existing asphalt was simply sealed with a petroleum based sealant which takes time to cure and is virtually never used on public infrastructure.