Quick - Get Me The Number To 911 !

Only In Michigan Is A Pothole A Crime

Is it entropy, karma or something else? Just a few days ago Sam Simon, co-creator of 'The Simpsons' died. Then I heard a TV report saying that, when it comes to potholes, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel wants drivers in his county to report them to 911. That made me think of a great Simpsons scene where Homer, in an emergency holler's "Quick - get me the number to 911 !". Typical Homer.

So what's the deal? I thought 911 was only for emergencys. Well Hackel did say, "If it's one (a pothole) that just blew somebody's tire out ... it's going to blow out somebody else's,". A real emergency in his eyes I guess.

Once a report about a dangerous or damaging pothole is made to 911, Macomb County's Department of Roads would assess and address the issue within an hour, Hackel pledged.

Still, what about the reason for the 911 service? Can't we get in trouble if we use it for reporting a pothole? Here's what the Michigan State Police had to say late Thursday. They sent out an alert which reads in part,

"Please, do not direct the public to tie up 911 lines to report potholes, period. Whether Macomb wants you to or not."

Didn't matter to Hackel. He stands behind his instructions to Macomb county drivers. But is he willing to stand behind bars? According to one source:

The number is intended for use in emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose ( such as prank calls ) can be a crime in over 98 percent of locations in the United States.

Is A Pothole A Crime?

What I am certain of is this; I consider it a crime that a duly hired Michigan Ledgislature did not and will not do the job they were hired and paid to do. That is, budget funds to provide safe - driveable roads for citizens. But don't call 911 to report that !
 

Reminder: Still no Plan B. Get a Bumper Sticker.

• (For a "Fix Our Roads" bumper sticker, go to the top of the page and click on the "Bumper Sticker" tab.)

Drive Careful,
Will

What Causes Potholes ?

Two Very Real Explanations Why Potholes Exist 

 

Even though you may live in a State - or a Country for that matter that is plagued by dangerous potholes, maybe you have wondered just why those things are there and why they seem to grow bigger and more populous each year.

Well wonder no longer because I am going to give the two the Actual Reasons why so many of us live with so many potholes, and just bad roads in general.

 

The first reason is a simple matter of weather and physics which I have explained on this blog in the past in "Reasons Our Roads Are Lousy" . And yesterday, the CBC News website for local Windsor readers has posted a very informative article with an interactive illustration you can use to understand one of the causes. It seems they are having this same problem we have here in Michigan. Go figure. You can click on the image to see it.

Interactive: How Potholes Form

If you visited the link above (thermometer is centigrade), you noticed that the interactive demonstration is actually quite simple and easy to understand. However do not be complacent and feel that this is the Only Explanation why we have potholes - So Many Potholes!

In reality there is one other very important reason for the explosion of the problem of potholes that seems to get worse every year - year in, year out. As I mentioned, I have discussed this before here and feel it is important that you be reminded, less you forget and think the reason will just go away. In fact this other reason really has a life of its own - It Will Not Go Away if we just leave it alone. No, action must be taken to force the reason to go away.

So what is the other, insidious reason for so many terrible potholes that seems to have a life of their own? The reason that must be dealt with soon, and with determination if we will ever make the Great State of Michigan a state of Great Roads?

It is this plain and simple truth: Michigan is littered with... 

Self-Centered Career Politicians With Only One Thought 

 

Yes it is true. This is a BIG one. When tough decisions need to be made to take money from corporate tax breaks, unnecessary programs, eliminate waste, or whatever - to plan ahead - to Really Fix our Infrastructure, our lawmakers in Lansing won't do anything that will jeopardize their chances of getting re-elected. But what about the average voter you may ask? Don't politicians care about us?

They seem to think so, after all they have put their confidence in us, the average voter to do their job. The one they have refused to do. The one they are apparently unwilling or incapable of doing. They have given US the job of fixing our roads. Michigan career politicians have shirked their responsibility and are forcing the issue on us in a May 5th ballot claiming if WE don't vote for it - a raise in our sales tax of nearly 12% - then our roads will simply not get fixed. They will only get worse. All because they are afraid to raise taxes themselves or do anything that will harm their chances of making a career out of politics.

"What Roads? What Potholes? Must Keep Job"

 

So remember the two reasons why we have potholes and lousy roads.
The scientific one, and the one that defies science and reason.

That's it for now. And as always...

Drive Careful

Will

A Road Funding Proposal By Any Other Name - Would Still Stink

"This task was impossible to sum up in 100 words," said John Milne of Saginaw

The Board of State Canvassers finally approved official language for Michigan Proposal 1 of 2015, on Thursday, a 'sales tax and road funding measure' set to appear on the May 5 ballot.

Proposal 1 of 2015 has been called by many a Road Funding Bill. REALLY !

Take your pain medication of choice and read it here:

Read the "Michigan Road Funding" Proposal and Weep

Michigan Bureau of Elections Director Chris Thomas was tasked with crafting a "true and impartial" ballot question in 100 words or less. "This is a very complex proposal that is based on an interplay between proposals to change the constitution and the laws of Michigan," he said.

As Dr. Phil would say 'How's that work'n out for ya ?'

It starts out:

A proposal to amend the State Constitution to increase the sales/use tax from 6% to 7% to replace and supplement reduced revenue to the School Aid Fund and local units of government...

Okay. Right from the beginning, it does not even mention Roads, but says 'increasing the sales tax to fund the School Aid Fund and local governments'. Wow. What about the roads ?? Okay, hold on it will...

Give effect to laws that provide additional money for roads and other transportation purposes by increasing the gas tax and vehicle registration fees.

What the F ? I thought this was all about Sales Tax and Roads !! Now we are talking about the gas tax. And what's with the "other transportation purposes" ? That could be anything. Oh wait. It will also...

• Increase portion of use tax dedicated to School Aid Fund (SAF).
• Expand use of SAF to community colleges and career / technical education, and
• prohibit use for 4-year colleges / universities.

 Hello ! Roads !! What about the Roads !!!!! I know it hurts, but lets read on...

• Increase sales / use tax to 7%, as authorized by constitutional amendment.
• Increase gasoline / diesel fuel tax and adjust annually for inflation,
• increase vehicle registration fees, and dedicate revenue for roads and other transportation purposes.

Well finally, the roads. But still the "other transportation purposes". What other ? Those tubes on the Futurama cartoon ? Finally of course it ends up with the expected...

Should this proposal be adopted?
YES [ ]
NO [ ]
HUH ? [ ]

Alright, so I added the last choice. But thats the feeling I get when I read this "Road Funding Bill". And I have still not figured out what the right vote is. If the proposal passes will the roads get fixed ? That after all is the question. Or will the money from another 1% added to the sales tax go elsewhere. After all, those Lansing people we hired are today talking about taking money from education to fill up holes in the general fund. Talk about patching potholes. Will the Road Money from the 1% sales tax increase be used for who knows what before it actually fixes our roads ? This proposal is full of holes if you ask me.

So my feeling right now is that no matter how I might vote, the proposal does not stand much of a chance of passing. And this blog will just go on like a painful Michigan road trip. Just can't think of much more to say.




Oh, did I mention those tubes on the Futurama cartoon ? No potholes there. Just smooth sailing. For the forseeable future in Michigan that's just a dream.

As always...

Drive - And Vote - Careful,
Will 


P.S.      LLAP Leonard Nimoy

Read my Facebook comment on the great actor. He's not really dead as long as we remember him.

Post by Will Branning.

What Do Potholes And Car Insurance Have In Common ?

They Both Suck ! Insurance Companies Will Raise Rates With A Michigan Pothole Damage Claim.

Saw a report on Auto Insurance companies and how they treat us when we file a pothole claim. They raise our rates. So not only will the State of Michigan not pay for pothole damage (statistically speaking), it may be better not to ask your insurance company to pay either. The increase in your rate may cost more over the long run then paying for repairs out of your own pocket. Unless of course it is a very expensive repair. We'll all have to just do the math.

So why do they raise our rates on a pothole claim if it's not our fault ? After all we did not create the pothole (unless you voted for this legislature :~) Well it's simple they say. Its a "one car accident". Okay I can't argue that. But it's still not my fault.

Not so says the insurance company. Because there is no other car involved, it must therefore be your fault. Like backing into a pole in a parking lot or leaving your car in neutral so it rolls and hits a tree. What the hell ?! What if I had no choice but to hit the damn pothole or otherwise swerve and hit another car ? Would that be a two, or a one car accident since the pothole was evil enough to cause the accident ? It's all really stupid.

So Take This Test: Which one below is Definitely NOT your fault ?

Two Car Accident

One Car / One Michigan Pothole Accident

It's not a trick question. Better get a 'Pothole Attorney' like I said last month.



Drive Careful,
and also - Hello Rowan !
Will

Obama Budget Includes Overseas Profit Tax To Fund Infrastructure

How Should I Vote on the Michigan Sales Tax Increase ?

 
The other day I read this article online about the Presidents proposed budget.
You can see it Here. It is supposed to have a part allowing for an increase on some overseas corporate profits for the purpose of upgrading and repairing the nations infrastructure, i.e. roads. So is the rest of the country passing up Michigan when it comes to fixing our infrastructure/roads ? While I am still trying to decide where I stand on raising the Michigan sales tax one percent to seven percent, I read that article and wondered: 'How can you pay to fix anything without money ?'.

Let's say I spend $10,000.00 this year, cash money for things in this state. If the sales tax were 1% higher than it is now at 6%, then it would cost me $100.00 more in sales tax. Now I am just using the amount spent this year as an example in order to wrap my head around what the numbers really are. But consider this: Last year I spent well over $1,500.00 on pothole related repairs to just one vehicle of mine. Would I rather have spent $100.00 for my share to fix the roads and not have had the damage and expense ? Hell ya. But would the money actually have fixed those potholes I hit, or might hit this year ? What about all the other stuff the tax increase is supposed to be spent on ? Just how much and when will the dollars from a tax increase be put into road repairs ?

So you see, I have a lot of questions about a sales tax increase in Michigan before I can make an educated vote. And I worry that many people will not make an educated vote but rather vote based on the propaganda ,either for or against the tax, that they will see on the TV, in print or on the Internet and such. More photos of holes in the roads, busted cars and maybe Rick Snyder standing in his underwear on TV telling us that bumping up the sales tax 'is a win for motorists' (ask me about the underwear ad and I'll tell you).

That is the BIG Question.

Drive Careful,
Will

Pot For Potholes In Michigan

Is 'Pot For Potholes' a Crazy Idea ? Is a Ballot Proposal to Raise the Sales Tax Any Crazier ?

At the end of the lame duck session of the Michigan legislature last year, the lawmakers in Lansing decided to do nothing about a problem that has been making their constituents scream for at least a decade. They decided to let us do the job of funding road repair instead of doing it themselves. So they put a sales tax increase on the ballot in May.

Was it Pot that gave them such a 'lame' idea ? What about taxing pot ?

'Yeah, maybe that would work. But once they fill every pothole, what do you think they would legalize to fix every crack?'

Actually the idea of using a tax on legalized pot in Michigan for road funding is not a new one. I have seen it talked about in the news for at least two years, sometimes as a joke and sometimes not. But for a lot of reasons expecting Michigan voters to agree to a sales tax increase seems to also be a joke. Such a ballot proposal is already getting a lot of opposition. And if it does fail, so much for any other attempt to raise taxes for anything else, needed or not. But back to the 'Pot for Potholes' thing.  

Over a year ago it was reported on NPR news that a GOP state lawmaker wanted to legalize marijuana to pay for roads. One lawmaker admitted the measure probably wouldn't be enough to address the entire problem of Michigan’s crumbling infrastructure. But he said it would at least help while legislators debate a more comprehensive solution. Remember that was well over a year ago. So as Dr. Phil says 'How's that work'in out for 'ya?'.

Even Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert couldn't help but make fun of the idea in a segment on his show. I think he commented 'Yeah, maybe that would work. But once they fill every pothole, what do you think they would legalize to fix every crack?' Again that was over a year ago, you can try the link HERE (The Michigan mention begins at 2:50)


 

Now more recently it has come up in the news again on a page on MLive.com by Politics Columnist Tim Skubick, also host of "Off The Record" on PBS. I like to read and listen to Mr. Skubick - don't always agree but he is informative.

In the article he said '64 percent of the citizens say they would vote to tax marijuana to fix the roads, compared to only 43 percent who would raise the sales tax to do it'. Not sure where he got the info but it sounds about right. On the other hand he quotes governor Snyder, after seeing the poll as saying, “I don’t see marijuana being the solution,” on how to fix the roads. Read the article HERE. But Mr. Governor, it seems that neither do 64 percent of voters in Michigan see raising the sales tax as a solution.

After The Smoke Clears...

So if taxing pot is not a real solution and if raising the sales tax may not solve the problem of Michigan's lousy roads what else is there ? Think I'll go see my relatives in Colorado and just think it over for a while. Then I'll get back and let you know what I think.




















Drive Careful,
Will

Divorce Lawyers, Bad Drug Lawyers, Now Pothole Lawyers ?

Are There Millions Awaiting Victims of Pothole Neglect ?

If you have been injured in an accident in Michigan involving a pothole, please contact us by phone at ... a Michigan law firm.

You can imagine my surprise when in my regular perusal of the Internet for information of interest to this blog, I came across a page advertising a "Pothole Accident Attorney". Well maybe no so surprised since I have been a victim of bad Michigan roads myself - $$$.

The attorney who has the web page is no small time operator. The firm regularly advertises on TV obviously spending a lot of money on all kinds of advertising. So I assume that advertising for pothole accident cases must mean that there is money to be made on them. But what are the chances of winning a pothole claim in court? Is this something the state of Michigan should be worried about? Could it take a chunk out of the money to fix roads?

In the page advertisement it states the following:

"If you can prove the city had notice of the pothole, and they should have corrected the problem before your injury, you can sue the city for your injuries. There is no cap on damages since you are suing a governmental agency. Since you are suing a non-automotive defendant, the injured person does not need to prove that they suffered a serious impairment of a body function." (italics mine)

There is even a button to click to see if you have a case. There is also some references to Michigan laws relating to accident claims against government agencies. But what about that 'thirty days notice' required about a pothole problem before a person can file a claim? Again the page states:

"This does NOT mean that if a pothole was only there for a few days that the agency would not be liable. 30 days makes it a per se violation, but that does not mean that an agency can wait 30 days to repair a pothole. "

And there is a lot more there to make someone think that making a claim against a city, county or the state of Michigan might be worth the time and effort. Especially if the amount of out of pocket money needed to fix a vehicle damaged by a pothole or other road issue is considerable (like in my case).

Hit a Pothole? Call Today !

The bottom line is this. There is no getting around the fact that the government agency responsible for the upkeep and repair of our roads must KEEP them in good repair or pay for damages to our vehicles caused by bad roads. Maintaining our roads in “reasonable repair” is what we pay taxes for. So, fix the roads or face lawsuits. And if a case is won and a judgement has to be paid don't cry that there is less money to fix the roads.

Message to Michigan Lawmakers:

Do Your Job - Fix Our Roads !

Oh, and if you want a Great Bumper Sticker to get the message out, just click on the "Bumper Stickers" tab at the top of the page.

Drive Careful,
Will

Michigan Lawmakers Have No Guts !!

What is Wrong With Them?

Gutless In Lansing

 

Well my wife hit the nail on the head when it comes to making decisions, the tough decisions about our roads in Michigan. She said that those Hot Dogs in the Michigan legislature don't have it in them. The haven't the guts !

We all know that before the midterm elections, those wimps in Lansing we're too afraid to do anything about the roads because in order to get re-elected they didn't want to raise taxes or take money from anybody or any other program. That wouldn't get them votes. Now everyone thinks they have come up with this wonderful plan to raise money and finally get our roads fixed. The truth is all they have done is figure out a way to be able to continue to say "I never raised your taxes", and instead, put the onus on you and me. To put it on a ballot. That means come re-election time again they can say "I didn't raise taxes. You did, you people, you raised the taxes !!. And by the same token they can say, if the ballot initiative does not pass, "It's all Your Fault. You people didn't have it in You !!"

That will be their story if the ballot initiative does not pass;  "Well the roads aren't fixed because you people didn't want to do anything about them."

So once again, they will have done nothing and will continue to do nothing to fix our roads. Nothing that we hire them to do. They're all a bunch of wimps. We should fire them all. Or better yet, let's just get enough money to buy the concrete and asphalt, put reflective vest and hard hats on them (actually their heads are hard enough as it is) and have Them go out and fix the roads themselves. That's what we're already paying them to do. Oh, and we'll let them take their brand new chairs along, that way when they get tired they will have a nice comfy place to sit down and rest.

Come to think of it, the truth is,

A Michigan hot dog has more guts in it than these wimps in Lansing.

So if you think that there's good news in Lansing and yours and my roads are going to be fixed soon, thank again. The fat lady hasn't sung yet.

Drive careful,

Will

Michigan Gas Taxes: A Primer

Well, I have not posted in a while. At first it was because before the Michigan Mid-Term elections, I was hearing Next to Nothing about what the Career and Wanna-be Career Politicians had in mind for fixing Michigan roads. The silence on the subject during campaigning was deafening indeed. So I decided to wait until after the elections (corporate hiring) was finished. It just seemed to make no sense.

Now I have just seen something and I want to write about it...

Anyway, just wanted to highlight a great video which I highly encourage any and all Michigan drivers to look at. It's just a few minutes and is very informative. After all, we face the reality of gas tax increases in Michigan if the roads will ever get better.

See the video on the Just Fix The Roads website:

Michigan Gas Taxes: A Primer 

So with my Michigan Road Warrior juices flowing again it is time to post about potholes anew. The Pothole Paradise - Michigan.

As always Drive Careful,
Will