Do You Try To Dodge Potholes / Rough Pavement When Possible?

[90LS400Lexus]

I have always been a freak so to speak when it comes to missing potholes and rough pavement in general, when its possible and safe to do so, but I have recently noticed (people in front of me, or behind me) that there are a number of people that run right over the roughest part of some roads when it is easily avoidable. OR, they will fly over bad patches of road. If its an area that cannot be missed at all safely, I will slow way down if safe to do so. Today there was a guy in a new Ford F150 in front of me. He sailed over some railroad tracks, which I knew was rough. I went real slow over them and still managed to catch back up to him at a traffic light. Then he turns onto another road I have to go on... where there is road work. There is a bad drop-off at a intersection where a new bridge is going in. He hits that 3 inch drop-off about 35 mph, where I slow down to about 5 mph. His truck was bouncing like it had went off of a waterfall.

I just got to thinking am I just overly "protective" of my cars by dodging even small bad spots? I mean even if I am driving someone elses car- I try to miss the bad spots where possible. (I occasionally may drive grandpas car, moms car, or my aunts car), especially if we are all going somewhere together - I am always the one elected to drive, even if we take someone elses car. Maybe not as much missing them as if I was in my car, but I hate to see a car take unnecessary torture. This takes a toll on steering, tires, suspension and even the interiors integrity. That unnecessary jolting and shaking could prematurely lead to squeaks and rattles- which I loathe.

The roads here are not perfect by no means, but they are not as bad as I am sure they are up north where they get alot of snow and the roads freeze and bust. We do not get that much snow, but we do get below freezing many nights in the winter, which leads to road damage when water freezes on the road and cracks up the pavement. There may be a rough patch here and there and some potholes- which the city normally hesitates to do repairs to in many parts of town, or will overlook some bad areas that need attention. The county (rural areas) around here have very good roads, but its the city that is lackluster in some areas. Mostly because they will "dig up" the pavement to replace water lines. I have seen them pave a road with all new pavement and a week later, dig it up to replace a water line!

With all of that said, I am wondering if there is anyone else out there as obsessive as I am about missing bad pavement/potholes.... so far, I have not seen many people that do... around here anyway. Sometimes I will avoid all roads all together. Whats worse is that my daily drivers are not new cars. My newest current car is a 1991. If I owned a new car- I would really be in a hurt. I would never drive it! LOL.

[Lexusfreak]

I do my best to avoid them as much as possible (keeping your distance from the vehicle in front of you & looking far down the road helps a great deal with this too) especially in the winter when the roads have a tendency to heave. My success rate is about 85% I would say lol. I shake my head when people just run right into them when they had pleanty of time to see & avoid them.

[scottmcc]

Here in Michigan where pot holes are more linke 2 foot sink holes, I have to say that while driving my Lexus or Camaro I am extemely sensitive to pot holes, speed bumps, rail road tracks, etc.. But while driving my S10 or Durango not so much.. In fact while coming home the other day from work driving my Durango, instead of pulling into my freshly snow blown driveway I chose to barrel my way through and over a four foot snow drift that was at the beginning of my driveway.. Why..? It was just down right fun.. My Durango was bouncing back and forth, up and down and I about smashed my head against the drivers window... I walked into the house and my wife was just shaking her head with disbelief but did not say a word..

You get a certain feeling of invincibility to these things when you are driving a truck with big tires...and I am sure that the guy in front of you driving the new F150 felt the same way.. That is not to say I abuse my vehicles (trucks) but you know what your suspension and tires can handle. A pot hole that would not affect a truck at all could certainly cause damage to a rim on a car..

[dcfish]

At this time of the year the roads here in Mn. are horrible. I pick and choose my routes very carefully, Potholes are everywhere and worse in some spots. The DOT here is horrible. :chairshot:

[Tigris]

Absolutely! I had when any of my cars bottom out...especially on these crappy MI roads.

[jcrome04]

There aren't TOO many where I'm at, but I do try to miss them. I hate smashing through pot holes and wrinkles in the pavement and just hearing the vehicle jarr around and shake... almost as bad a bottoming out in a lowered car B) hehe

[Avi2880]

I always try to avoid them but usually in the process, end up going over some other road deformity that causes me just as much aggrevation. Just my luck I guess.

[denslexusgx470]

All the time! ;) But funny, what you guys think are bad potholes, isn't so bad for me! Let's take the 3 in pothole that 90LS400Lexus mentioned. IF I never lived in the Philippines, I would say "Ya that is a really deep hole" but I've seen potholes that have to be at least a foot deep! :o

I experienced a 12in hole once. It was a rainy night, my driver was driving my 1995 Mitsubishi Strada 4Dr 4WD (aka Mighty Max in America) and as he exited the highway, there was this 12 in (looked like it, probably deeper) hole that he couldnt avoid becuz he didnt see it right away! So he ran over it, and EVERYONE and EVERYTHING in the car jumped and hit the ceiling! I hit my head on the ceiling for sure. There were two 5 gallon waters in the back, and those things jumped and hit the ceiling of my camper shell! I mean this hole was HUGE.

Surprised as I was, my truck was perfectly fine! :blink: lol. I would have though the alignment must have just broken right then and there, or maybe the wiring to my headlights might get screwed up or something, but no, everything was fine! hehe. =)

But in short, I try my best to avoid even the smallest road irregularity. It's a good habit, and it keeps me alert on my surroundings all the time as i need to always know if i can swerve into another lane to avoid any rough road on my lane.

[RFeldes]

I know why DC has to miss those potholes....It would knock those champagne glasses off.... :D

[denslexusgx470]

I know why DC has to miss those potholes....It would knock those champagne glasses off.... :D

Lmao! :lol: :lol:

[Rya]

I avoid the holes when possible. Obviously if there is traffic around me, I just do what I can.

I don't like bumps & rough roads anymore (in my old Cherokee - bring it on - but not in the Lexus!). But like many earlier posts, N.E. Ohio roads get pretty bad with our winters also.

[dcfish]

I know why DC has to miss those potholes....It would knock those champagne glasses off.... :D

Lmao! :lol: :lol:

The ride is so smooth, There is no chance of the glasses falling ;)

[Rya]

The ride is so smooth, There is no chance of the glasses falling ;)

Or the bubbly spilling

Had a few sips of this this weekend:

Red Kiss (Sweet)

(SILVER Medal - 2006)

A seductive blend of red wine and chocolate! Great for dessert.

Yummy! But a whole glass would have been overkill. This one was good for sharing.

[RFeldes]

RYA..you hurt us and I tip a toast to you... :whistles:

[90LS400Lexus]

Yeah I would not be suprised if he did not mess up his alignment. It was an area where they had cut down the road and had not leveled it back up yet. The other direction is a "3 inch lift" that I have seen some people lunge over. I try to avoid the road all-together when I am in my Lexus. Looks like I am not the only one thats careful on here not to hit holes and bad pavement, but even this morning I noticed people hitting some of the worst areas of road that I normally travel. I go on the smoothest parts. These are roads I have traveled on for many years, so I have my "trail" made out. lol. This morning, one bad area I noticed a girl in front of me in about a 2005 Accord hit the worst spot on that road (even when the bad spots are clearly seen), while she was on her cell phone!

I guess we are lucky though that the roads here are not as bad as places up north. From what I have heard up there, roads are terrible.

I got really angry when I hit a huge roadside drain hole on a road I am on daily. Its a old road in town and about every .2 of a mile, there is a storm drain that sinks down about 6 inches! They are on the inside part of the curb, in the road and stick out about 15 inches! If you are not careful, you can hit one easily. My aunt lives on that road and one day I glanced over to her house to see if she was home and next thing I know, " B A M - B A M"! I went over a little too far (but still on the road) and I hit one of them! I was in my grandmothers old 1973 Pontiac Grand Ville (which is now my car). The car shook and shuddered violently, because this car is 4700 lbs and has super soft suspension and it bottomed out at both passenger side tires. I thought I had busted a tire! I did not though, but since then, the car has developed strange noises from the suspension and the car has developed interior rattles, which I blame on that event! This car was rattle free before.

All the time! ;) But funny, what you guys think are bad potholes, isn't so bad for me! Let's take the 3 in pothole that 90LS400Lexus mentioned. IF I never lived in the Philippines, I would say "Ya that is a really deep hole" but I've seen potholes that have to be at least a foot deep! :o

I experienced a 12in hole once. It was a rainy night, my driver was driving my 1995 Mitsubishi Strada 4Dr 4WD (aka Mighty Max in America) and as he exited the highway, there was this 12 in (looked like it, probably deeper) hole that he couldnt avoid becuz he didnt see it right away! So he ran over it, and EVERYONE and EVERYTHING in the car jumped and hit the ceiling! I hit my head on the ceiling for sure. There were two 5 gallon waters in the back, and those things jumped and hit the ceiling of my camper shell! I mean this hole was HUGE.

Surprised as I was, my truck was perfectly fine! :blink: lol. I would have though the alignment must have just broken right then and there, or maybe the wiring to my headlights might get screwed up or something, but no, everything was fine! hehe. =)

But in short, I try my best to avoid even the smallest road irregularity. It's a good habit, and it keeps me alert on my surroundings all the time as i need to always know if i can swerve into another lane to avoid any rough road on my lane.

[Rya]

RYA..you hurt us and I tip a toast to you...:whistles:

:P

[90LS400Lexus]

I used to know a crazy girl that aimed for all rough spots/potholes.

[scottmcc]

The City road crew just came through our neighborhood and slapped a bunch of tar in all the pot holes.. Now you have to watch out for the holes and loose tar that comes up and sticks to your car. By the way, they do not do a very professional job here in Michigan as far as road repair.. Typically 8 guys standing around a hole with two guys with shovels throwing tar into a hole from a pick up truck or trailer. No compaction with a roller or anything like that..

Like they say around here, we have two seasons.. Winter and road construction

[90LS400Lexus]

Ew, sounds messy.

I bet that LS 430 takes those potholes with stride though huh?

I noticed a ES 330 in front of me the other day... some of the bumps that were not moving my car that much was giggling the ES around a little more. I guess it has firmer suspension, but it may have been taking the bumps in stride as well.

The City road crew just came through our neighborhood and slapped a bunch of tar in all the pot holes.. Now you have to watch out for the holes and loose tar that comes up and sticks to your car. By the way, they do not do a very professional job here in Michigan as far as road repair.. Typically 8 guys standing around a hole with two guys with shovels throwing tar into a hole from a pick up truck or trailer. No compaction with a roller or anything like that..

Like they say around here, we have two seasons.. Winter and road construction

[cardona6569]

My kind of girl for a weekend getaway, but not to drive my car anyday!

CPR

I used to know a crazy girl that aimed for all rough spots/potholes.