Two dead tires, cracked rim, and who knows what else...

[Alexander van Gerbig]

    Well after a horrific, rainy, eye straining 5 hour drive from RI to VT I
became a victim of shotty construction work.  I dropped a fine young lady
off at a dorm on the UVM campus.  I pulled out of the parking lot and
accelerated slowly.  Unbeknownst to me and many other motorists there was a
trench dug in the pavement to install new wiring for the hospital.  Luckily
the rain had taken away most of the dirt/sand fill, leaving a nice 90 degree
angle lip in pavement.  There were no cones or markings on/or around the
ditch, except for one cone on each side of the sidewalk, totally out of a
driver's view.  Suffice to say I hit it going 10mph and launched the car a
few feet in the air.  My passenger and I glanced at each other in utter
amazement, my heart starting beating again shortly after that.  I pulled
over to find two flat tires and a cracked front rim.  I also happened to
park next to a lady with someone changing her front tire which had been torn
apart by this ditch.
    Got security and showed them the ditch.  They called the contractor and
had them come by and fix it right away, thanks guys, but not very much and a
little too late.  Security told me they would take my bills and forward them
to the contractor, so they can pay them voluntarily, ha!
    The shock also seems to have exploded and the tow truck driver said he
saw what looked like a bent control arm plus a possibly cracked subframe.  I
had my snow rims and tires in the car 14" stuff.  So I could fit those on
there because of the big brakes.  I could have lifted the left rear, removed
that 16" rims, replace with 14" rim, and then put that 16" rim up front on
the right, but they are directional tires and I was a bit angered while
waiting for the tow truck.

What a day,



Alexander van Gerbig -- '88 80

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