Improperly placed manhole covers=bad
 

So I am driving home after work and dont spot it in time. Yep a manhole cover that wasnt placed right and is sticking up about 3 inches or so tore the hell out of the bottom of my car. Just started dealing with the insurance about this, but just looking from the backside, the rear left lower control arm base (if thats what it's called, where ya adjust the alignment) got tore up bad. I can see something else farther up that got tore up, and when ya put any weight on the back of the car there's a very ominous creeking.

Car is drivable but I feel jittery while doing so.

Anybody else have anything like this happen? what did it cost to fix? I may drop by a local shop later today to get them to take a quick look with it on a lift.

*sigh*

did u stop and get a picture of the man hole cover? there was a huge pothole in the road in mass. i was driving my 86 monte carlo hit it it bent my rim took pictures to the city and they paid for a new rim for me.

No, and I checked it today and the cover was removed completly

Wouldnt have been able to stop anyway since it is a very busy intersection.

OUCH!! Genom, sorry to hear about that...it hurts me just thinking about it.

I'd have your insurance company get you a rental car till this is fixed. Mazda 3 here you come!

Well, I called them and they are gonna schedule me to drop it off. I told them to hurry cause I will be out of town next week so they can save themselves a weeks worth of rentals if they get a move on.

Wow, never heard of anything like this happening. Sorry to hear about this.

As someone already stated.. if you took pictures afterwards you could have or maybe if your lucky still have the city/town pay for all your damages if not part of it. It was their neglect that caused you this damage. If all else atleast call up your city/town hall to look into this.

What? So you say that the cover was completely removed - does this mean that there is an open manhole in a busy intersection? :Eyecrazy:

City would have to assume some responsibility for that. Manhole covers are heavy. People don't just move them for kicks.

ouch...

aw man sorry to hear that, hope everything works out for you

Manhole covers. September 1988 IMSA had a race in downtown Columbus Ohio. Down the back straight lined with Buckeye trees it was a treat to watch the Lowenbrau Porsche 956 complete with full ground effects haul ass clipping about 180 or so with twin votexes of buckeye leaves blowing out the back.

After a few laps of the first practice Bobby Rahal comes blowing by in a GTP car that scoops up a manhole cover (which was welded shut prior) and jurls it down the road. The Spice GTP is about 600 feet behind, dosn't see the new hole and rips away the front left corner - honeycomb tub and all - still approaching turn 1 at about 160 MPH with no front brakes. Instant write off, although the driver was OK. That was the same day Al Holbert was killed on his way to flying home for his son's football game.

I drove an RX7 in the Firehawk race there that weekend. Last time I raced a Mazda. First time I beat Randy Pobst then driving a supercharged MR2. It was a weekend of sweet sorrow and somehow I think of it every time I am reminded of manhole covers.

Genom, couldn't find you last night to ask about the car- any news?

The city is useless. I spent 6 hours trying to find out WHOM to talk to. I actually had 1 lady call me back just to tell me that she didnt know what city I had to speak with, and to find out. The friggen city doesnt know if it's the right city??

It's not a manhole cover per se. it's a smaller cover, like maybe for some sort of draining. About 8-10 inches across. It's an open hole right now.

Anyway, the most helpful city employee told me I had to have gotten a police report immediately for them to do anything. That didnt happen so they say no deal. my best bet for the city is to take them to small claims court. But since the cover was removed entirely, I'd have to prove it was even there to begin with.

Next my insurance company says that by my description, I'M AT FAULT. So I can expect my premium to go up. I am fighting them tooth and nail about this though, having sent them pictures of what the road looks like during traffic, the area where the cover was, etc.

At the end of the day I am paying the deductible to have it fixed, and if these ***holes try to raise my premium I will sue them and get another insurance company. Whats the point of "insurance" if they dont give you any kind of backing/security? I've given them over $3000 since I got the car for insurance purposes and now they wanna screw me? If I'd saved the money and invested it I could pay for my own damn repairs wherever and whenever the hell I felt like it.

Sorry, I am steaming mad at how retarded South Florida is. I wish I could get out of this hellhole.

I say what you do is don't report yourself to insurance, go looking for another manhole, run over it again just not as hard, call the police calim this man hole did something to your car have them fill out a report and send the bill to the city.

This is exactly what i plan to do with my 2 passengerside wheels that have gigantic very dangerous bubbles in them, i don't know what pothole caused it so im on the hunt for a new one. See pictures let them pay for 2x 255 dollar PS2's.

"I pulled over officer because my TPMS light turned on right after hitting the pothole and im inspecting the tire for damage and found this."

I guess it could have been worse. The manhole cover could have been completely removed and you would have had some major problems.

My guess is that this is the work of those no good TMNT. They run around the city fighting crime which is great, but then half-ass it on the details and leave manhole covers askew. This is why turtles can't be trusted.

Looks like your tires have tumors.

"It's not a tooma!"

Nice. :lol::lol::yelrotflm

That would have worked Polak if I hadent spent all day yesterday talking to insurance companies, mechanics, and city folk. As it is, I gotta work with what I got for trying to be honest about it.

well honestly did you give your full name to any city folk? did you mention the color and model of you car? did the guy at your insurance company make any notes on your policy number?

Most important DO YOU THINK that any of those people will remember your name when the bill comes to the accounting dept, probably not.

you have no obligation to be honest about it, you pay highway/road taxes, you deserve to be compensated when you don't see them in effect do not think you are the bad guy by lying about which manhole, pophole, or cover it was, there is nothing morally wrong about it. :)

I'll leave it at I disagree with your viewpoint on morality and lies.

Go get pictures of it now.. maybe even take measurements and everything.

I have. I have my viewpoint of the area, photos of normal traffic at that time, cars going over the hole, etc.

well then perhaps you are a better man than I :icon_no2:
VIVA LA REVOLUCION!