Pothole Pwnage
Monday, February 25th, 2008 at 3:28 PM in Chicago
There are so many potholes in Chicago, that I’m starting to think the city needs to borrow from Mayor Quimby and The Simpsons for a solution. “There’s nothing on earth like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, six-car monorail!”
Earlier this month, my brother’s car got a flat tire from going over a pothole on his commute to and from downtown Chicago from the suburbs. Upon riding the car back home, the tire was so jacked, we needed to replace it with a new one. Two weeks later, on Saturday, he got another flat tire; this time on a completely brand new tire!
The city is overflowing with potholes everywhere. Every single day, I find myself avoiding some monstrous bottomless pit on the roads, not only in the city, but even throughout the suburbs. Since the weather has been so up, down, and out of control this past month of February, the salt trucks’ constant removal of snow from the roads have absolutely pwned the concrete they pass over. From CBS Chicago:
CHICAGO (CBS) ― The city Department of Transportation says anywhere from 3,500 to 4,000 potholes are filled a day, and it is still not enough. The number of potholes this year is expected to exceed the average of 200,000 to 250,000 by an enormous margin.
Some stretches of road have been in need of repairs for years, and conditions this winter have only made it worse. Mayor Richard M. Daley has said some roads need to be rebuilt because of damage from potholes. Earlier this month, he called on the State of Illinois to rebuild North Lake Shore Drive.
My brother got the tire fixed, but here’s some tips for the winter to avoid having to change to your spare in the depressing February cold. Most of these things you’ll read and think, “pah, I wish I had time for that.” Make some time, otherwise you might regret it later if your tire blows out.
- Check your tire pressure and fill your tires with the right amount of air. Nothing makes things worse than having underinflated tires (which I’ve seen on so many cars).
- Don’t overinflate the tires, either. Read the tire or manual on how much pressure you need and use an actual gauge to measure. Eyeing it can lead to more potential pwnage.
- Don’t drive over potholes blindly. Your don’t drive a tank, you drive a 2000+ lb automobile riding on four pieces of inflated rubber.
- Slow doqn before avoiding pothole. If you try to swerve without slowing down you might hit the driver next to you and cause more damage than a blown tire.
- Get a free tire rotation and air fill up at places like Discount Tire. They usually have pretty decent coffee there, too.
Potholes are being filled all over the city and it looks like some roads will be rebuilt, inshaAllah. Until then, drive safely and take care your tires.
Image taken from a very interesting chicagotribune.com article.
“Is there a chance the track could bend?” “Not a chance my hindu friend”
Faiez | Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
Lyle Lanley: Well, sir, there’s nothing on earth
Like a genuine,
Bona fide,
Electrified,
Six-car
Monorail!
What’d I say?
Ned Flanders: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What’s it called?
Patty+Selma: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: That’s right! Monorail!
[crowd chants `Monorail’ softly and rhythmically]
Miss Hoover: I hear those things are awfully loud…
Lyle Lanley: It glides as softly as a cloud.
Apu: Is there a chance the track could bend?
Lyle Lanley: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.
Barney: What about us brain-dead slobs?
Lyle Lanley: You’ll be given cushy jobs.
Abe: Were you sent here by the devil?
Lyle Lanley: No, good sir, I’m on the level.
Wiggum: The ring came off my pudding can.
Lyle Lanley: Take my pen knife, my good man.
I swear it’s Springfield’s only choice…
Throw up your hands and raise your voice!
All: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What’s it called?
All: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: Once again…
All: Monorail!
Marge: But Main Street’s still all cracked and broken…
Bart: Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!
All: Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
[big finish]
Monorail!
Homer: Mono… D’oh!
SaqibSaab | Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
Stop! The world needs laughter!
http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War/Tanks/I%20Was%20There%20-%20Tanks%20001.jpg
Waasiq | Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
oh man, i could not see them today.
youssef | Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
Is that picture from Chicago? Those look BRUTAL!
The one’s in front of IFS were terrible - alhamdulilah they filled them up. But still, taking 290 to the city and back home daily is ridiculous, my poor Corolla feels like it’ll just break in two after running over some potholes.
Good advice.
P.S. Please provide authentic daleel as to the dealing of potholes by the salaf. We want to stay on the manhaj, Allahu Musta’aan.
AbdelRahman Murphy | Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
How embarrassing I didn’t show daleels; I hope this doesn’t ban me from the manhaj.
http://www.roadandtravel.com/carcare/potholes.htm
You know it’s funny. As I wrote out those 5 pointers, I actually thought, “okay now I need to cite with daleels.” Hehe, we’re too used to it.
SaqibSaab | Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
Wow! Those potholes are enormous! I thought Michigan roads were bad, but I’ve never seen anything like that before.
Drive carefully.
Ayesha | Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
Yeah MI roads are bad. They’re like slabs of concrete laid out on the ground to drive on. And when it snows, they have like no salt trucks out through the night.
You’ll see when you shift to Chicago that yeah, we have to pay tolls, but that brings nicer roads and salt trucks out and about when it snows. The only tradeoff is the pothole increase, which only this year has it been this bad. And it snowed AGAIN last night. Craziest February ever…
SaqibSaab | Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
I always thought potholes were good for my tires
Faiez | Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
Would that explain your Gmail status message of “Darul Pothole”?
SaqibSaab | Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
im 100% ok with potholes. i love them. gives civil engineers something to do which = more job opportunities for me! heheheheh…..now i just need to be done with this whole “school” thing first before i get there. darn.
and btw, I-90 is clean as a baby butt. (or is it smooth? baby butts arent clean) they actually use concrete there instead of the stupid asphalt on 290.
Firas | Mar 5, 2008 | Reply
it’s only fair. you send us your weather. we send you our potholes. sincerely, the great lakes state.
fati | Mar 8, 2008 | Reply
by the way, if you want a scientific explanation of why you brake at a pothole and speed up for rail road tracks, contact sajid siddique.
fati | Mar 8, 2008 | Reply