About a week ago I had to replace four tires on my Toyota Camry Hybrid. I had noticed a strange feeling in my steering and brought it to a store where I have purchased tires for another car. After spending $140 on the first tire and seeing little difference (I had asked them to check all the tires), I decided to take it to another tire store to have them give me their opinion.
The second store told me that I had another bad tire. This time I was asked if I would consider a used tire. When I asked how used they said that it would be better than any tire on the care except the one I had just replaced (all were Michelins). They told me it would cost me $45 for the tire. A no "brainer."
I replaced it and still had the same odd sensation when I was on the road. Back to the tire store that sold me the used tire. This time I told them to check all the tires and voila, I needed two more tires. All of them had broken steel belts. I had ruined 4 tires by hitting pot holes on the roads in our area.
Last month we had a record snowfall. Snow removal is not a strong suit in Fredericksburg Virginia. Snow removal on Interstate 95 between Fredericksburg and Richmond is not a strong suit either. I recall hitting a gigantic pothole on Interstate 95 while going to Richmond to have lunch with my son and daughter-in-law at Kuba Kuba. On the way back I hit another!
Mind you, these potholes were not there shortly after the snowfall. At least a week or ten days had expired between the snowfall and the incidents.
An article in the Free Lance-Star featured a picture of a mechanic looking at a part from the front end of a car that had come in for repair. The part originally was straight and the picture showed a 90 degree bend in it. The driver had hit a pot hole! The owner put in a claim to his insurance company.
Stupid me. I did not ever think about claiming my tires on my insurance policy. Perhaps that would have lessened the pain. Live and learn.
Nonetheless, I would really like to know how jurisdictions get away with leaving dangerous conditions like those potholes exist without repair. They get on me for not clearing my sidewalks within 8 hours of the snow fall ending. They leave snow on the streets for days after the snowfall. They push snow to piles in excess of 6 feet at intersections (which makes it impossible to see traffic coming from the right at the intersection).
No one polices the cities, counties, and state for the way they care for the roads. I don't get it folks.
How do they get away with it?
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