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The pothole that ate our car
Jan. 15th, 2013 09:26 pmSo we had a sudden warm spell. (Warm, in Ottawa in January, means +5 to +8.) After the roads were covered in snow and ice for three weeks. This leads to something called a "frost heave" where the road shrinks and expands.
Do you know what happens to road surfaces when there's frost heaving? Cracks. Bulges. Potholes. Normally we get these in March; this year it seems there'll be two rounds (thanks, global warming!)
All this to say, when we dropped child off at school on Friday, we hit one of the aforementioned pot holes, on the off-ramp coming off Hwy 417. Did I mention rain and sludge makes it impossible to see them?
Bang. BANG. Pffffft.
One tire blew immediately (the hole was 5 cm long), the other just ... bulged. Like it had cancer or something. Luckily hubby knows how to change a tire -- the cop was most impressed, said no one does that anymore, let alone have a shovel in the trunk so wife (moi) can clear the snow away for the jack to get good purchase. He (the cop) did, however, comment on our licence plate, which includes the number 666.
Now I have to make a claim to the city for two new tires ... Wish me luck.
Do you know what happens to road surfaces when there's frost heaving? Cracks. Bulges. Potholes. Normally we get these in March; this year it seems there'll be two rounds (thanks, global warming!)
All this to say, when we dropped child off at school on Friday, we hit one of the aforementioned pot holes, on the off-ramp coming off Hwy 417. Did I mention rain and sludge makes it impossible to see them?
Bang. BANG. Pffffft.
One tire blew immediately (the hole was 5 cm long), the other just ... bulged. Like it had cancer or something. Luckily hubby knows how to change a tire -- the cop was most impressed, said no one does that anymore, let alone have a shovel in the trunk so wife (moi) can clear the snow away for the jack to get good purchase. He (the cop) did, however, comment on our licence plate, which includes the number 666.
Now I have to make a claim to the city for two new tires ... Wish me luck.
