Snow Blowers

Winter is almost over and most people cannot wait for it to be finished. Yet old man winter just keeps bringing one more storm to bother us after another and dumps all kinds of snow on us. Fortunately, most of this snow now is a combination of snow, wet snow, and rain and even if it does accumulate, we know that it is not going to last long. Winter also brings thaws and freezing cycles which is what causes these huge potholes all over the place.

They damage our cars and cost us thousands every year. City expenses are going up at an astronomical rate due to pensions and management costs, so they are cutting in other areas. Our roads are getting worse every year as repairs are not being made as fast as they should and this means that there are going to be more and more potholes to contend with.

Potholes

We really have to be careful of the potholes that form in the streets. Potholes occur when there is a lot of fast freezing and thawing. When the water gets under the pavement, it freezes and pushes up a small section of asphalt and then the asphalt disintegrates as cars and trucks drive over it, leaving a hole in the road. There can be thousands of these potholes and they can really damage your car if you are not careful.

Damage to Your Car

In Toronto the other day, a man was knocked out when his car hit a pothole. Which was violent enough to trigger the airbag to be deployed. The airbag knocked him out as it deployed. He must have hit that pothole pretty hard at a fast rate of speed. How about that and it is a real story.

If you hit a large hole too hard, you can trigger this kind of reaction in your car. You can do even worse damage. Your tire could be punctured giving you a flat tire. You can also cause your alignment to be pushed out of whack. This will not show up for months until one day you notice that your tires are wearing unevenly. Then it is the cost of a new tire and an alignment. Which can go into five or 6 hundred dollars if you are not careful.

Potholes All Year Long

Although potholes seem to be the worst during the spring until the road crews are able to make repairs, there can be large potholes from at other times of the year as well. These are sections of pavement that are weak to start with and the continuous pounding of traffic will dislodge some of the asphalt leaving a hole. Drivers need to be watching the road at all times and trying to avoid these large potholes no matter what time of the year.

A monster pothole opened up one day after a rainstorm. Actually, it was a sinkhole that formed in the middle of the road. The road was undermined by a culvert that collapsed and the driver drove his car right into it. He was lucky to get out alive. His car was a write-off.

Slow Down Around Potholes

If you must go through a pothole, slow down and take your time. No damage to your car and you will not get knocked out or worse. My neighbor hit one. It cost him close to one thousand dollars to pay for the damages to his car. So what if it takes a little longer to get to the office. You will save yourself a lot of money, not to mention the frustration of having to get your car fixed!

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