Good grief, driving on roads by my house is like driving through a 3rd world country. I don't know that this was caused by a pothole, but at a gas station filling up I hear this God awful SHREEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK of tires locking up. I'm cringing, waiting for that awful metal on metal crunch that I was sure was about to follow. But nothing. I look around, don't see anything, and kind of shrug it off. As I leave the station, I see a car stopped in the middle of the street with one wheel completely sideways. I think the frton axle snapped in two on her, I'm suspecting from a king sized pothole that I know of about 100 yards back.
They say it's been the worst year in memory for potholes up here. Some major roads really are almost undriveable.
Potholes
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TabascoElvis
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Re: Potholes
She could send the bill to Al Gore.jim wrote:Good grief, driving on roads by my house is like driving through a 3rd world country. I don't know that this was caused by a pothole, but at a gas station filling up I hear this God awful SHREEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK of tires locking up. I'm cringing, waiting for that awful metal on metal crunch that I was sure was about to follow. But nothing. I look around, don't see anything, and kind of shrug it off. As I leave the station, I see a car stopped in the middle of the street with one wheel completely sideways. I think the frton axle snapped in two on her, I'm suspecting from a king sized pothole that I know of about 100 yards back.
They say it's been the worst year in memory for potholes up here. Some major roads really are almost undriveable.
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mikechamp
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jim
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Re: Potholes
Oops. And if I wasn't so lazy I'd merge them.
I heard them talking in Chicago and they said that we have had a record number of freeze/thaw cycles, and that nobody can remember roads this bad ever. It's not even close to previous winters, the main drag through the down I live has literally disintegrated.
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doe_boy
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Re: Potholes
I live in the South Chicago burbs. I've seen more cars with broken axles in the last three months than I've ever seen before in my life.
New Cars, old cars, pickups, and SUVs. Snapping like kindling wood.
New Cars, old cars, pickups, and SUVs. Snapping like kindling wood.
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mikechamp
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Re: Potholes
That's why I don't like the use of salt. It creates more freeze/thaw cycles by melting some of the ice and snow, but after the salt dissolves and gets diluted, the water turns back to ice. Yea!!
Year upon year, the worst band for freeze thaw runs across the country on a line from Baltimore through STL and KC. The daily hi/lows do it without an assist from salt. Up here, we don't get a lot of freeze thaw cycles (naturally) because it just stays cold and nothing thaws. Introduce salt (and the need for it), and this kind of stuff happens.
Well, that and asphalt paving is not very strong. But what do I know; I'm just a concrete guy.
Year upon year, the worst band for freeze thaw runs across the country on a line from Baltimore through STL and KC. The daily hi/lows do it without an assist from salt. Up here, we don't get a lot of freeze thaw cycles (naturally) because it just stays cold and nothing thaws. Introduce salt (and the need for it), and this kind of stuff happens.
Well, that and asphalt paving is not very strong. But what do I know; I'm just a concrete guy.
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maddash
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Re: Potholes
Combination of heavier cars - which people seem to love. And a lack of funding for better infrastructure through taxes - which people seem to hate.
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mikechamp
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Re: Potholes
The loading is a very small portion of the issue. If it were truly the cause, you'd be seeing lots of potholes all year round. The constant weight during hot weather, plus compression on the asphalt pavement (think braking/acceleration at stop lights) will literally "bend" the pavement. That's where those weird ruts come from.
(Quick story: There was an intersection I visited once in southern CA that was rutted so badly, when you made your left turn, you didn't have to use the steering wheel. The road steered your car for you.)
But your comment on infrastructure spending is spot on. TEA-21 was just extended/renewed, so that will help, but even then, it won't repair/build everything this country really needs.
(Quick story: There was an intersection I visited once in southern CA that was rutted so badly, when you made your left turn, you didn't have to use the steering wheel. The road steered your car for you.)
But your comment on infrastructure spending is spot on. TEA-21 was just extended/renewed, so that will help, but even then, it won't repair/build everything this country really needs.
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jim
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Re: Potholes
There was a guy on TV up here doing the interview from inside of a pothole. I kid you not, it was to his knee caps. You hit that and you can kiss your tires/rims/axles good bye.
I've never even seen anything remotely close to this. It started about mid-Feb in earnest.
I've never even seen anything remotely close to this. It started about mid-Feb in earnest.
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jdk82
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Re: Potholes
Might be a stupid question but does the city have to pay for the damage to the cars?