Is this the worst pothole season ever?
It’s certainly the worst in years, according to drivers, auto mechanics, and the City of Ottawa’s own numbers.
In a recent memo the City’s Public Works Department said there had been 3,330 requests for pothole repairs phoned in between January 1st and March 18th of this year. That’s up over 20 percent from the same period last year, and well over double the number from 2012.
David Valois agrees. He’s the manager of Vinette Auto Service on McArthur Avenue. Based on his 24 years fixing pothole damaged vehicles, he concludes “This is the worst.” “In the last month, to see so many at the same time, you know that’s saying quite a bit,” he adds. “And I’m sure all the other tire centres around Ottawa and the region are going through the same thing.”
Some of the damage is obvious, for example blown tires and bent rims. That, says Valois, can run a customer anywhere from $300 to $1,300 per wheel.
But a run-in with a pothole can also cause damage that’s not so easy to detect. It could knock out your alignment which might not be easy to notice on these rough roads. And front-wheel drive cars have a number of parts that can be displaced or bent with relatively little impact. “You could be driving around with a loose ball joint or something that’s not secure in the front end,” warns Valois.
This all coincides with another rite of spring that is keeping mechanics busy, changing snow tires over to summer ones. And that, says Valois, is a good time to have your car inspected for damage. “It takes us just a few extra minutes to do that,” he says. And it could save you from serious problems down the road.
