When you see a story that starts with: Massachusetts MOST DESTRUCTIVE Potholes, does your blood begin to boil?
Well it’s that time of the year. The short period, where we know Spring is near, but, we still suffer through late snow and those MISERABLE enemies of our car: POTHOLES.
About four years ago, I had the WORST experience driving to work on the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Massive Pot Hole
In late January 2018, driving the speed limit, I hit a HUGE pot hole in the right hand lane of the Pike.
It was a rainy cold Monday. I noticed the pot hole ahead, but with the busy traffic and rain, there was no way I could avoid hitting it. It was unavoidable. What’s worse, there was a sharp ROCK wedged in the hole pointing UP. At 65 miles per hour, even driving an SUV (with a higher frame) the car went over the rock. The rock acting like a ninja’s sword, sliced the undercarriage of my two year old SUV, cutting wires, scraping the tail pipe and shutting down the engine, at 65 miles per hour. Well I pulled over to the emergency lane. The car would not start. My smart phone down to 65% juice.
Of course, what is now running through my mind?
- This is dangerous
- It’s cold and raining
- If I stay in car to power smart phone, I could end up on CHANNEL 5 to become the latest tragic video. “Get OUT of the car!
- Call AAA
- Call my boss to sadly say that I won’t be in work today.
Well gladly, after forty five minutes standing outside on the side of the Pike, the tow truck came.
Flash forward one month. After $4000 of repairs, paid by insurance (minus my $500 deductible) I get my car back. The nightmare has ended, so I thought.
It’s Your Fault!
I get a note in the mail from the Division of Insurance with a SURCHARGE claiming hitting the pothole was MY FAULT. The insurance company categorized the pothole I hit as a “stationary object” as if it was a bridge. If I swerved to avoid the pothole it could have been MUCH worse endangering others or myself.
Calling the claims adjuster FIVE times leaving messages, I fought the surcharge saying that I will change insurance companies if this is not reversed. Well the company (who in the past has done a great job with claims) called me back and re-categorized the pot hole-from hell to a “road hazard.” NO surcharge.
This proves that you can fight city hall, sometimes, you can win.
Your Pot Holes
We did a local poll, asking you to share the location of the pot holes from hell near you.
Are THESE Massachusetts MOST DESTRUCTIVE, potholes To fear?
