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

[Richard Beels]

Virtually all road construction contractors have insurance for this and/or 
the municipality/company that the worked is being done in/for carries road 
hazard insurance just for these eventualities.  Get a couple estimates and 
call the GM of the construction firm (his name will be on the big sign in 
the construction zone).

On the "yeah, right" side, I personally don't care how fast you were going 
but 10mph in your car ain't enough to launch you a few feet in the air, 
unless you have "jump shocks" and time it right...  :-)  Only admit to the 
speed limt....

At 21:36 11/26/2000,  Alexander van Gerbig was inspired to say:
>     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.


Cheers!