Earlier this month was the car-lover’s favorite time of year: the Cleveland Auto Show. The show gave people the opportunity to marvel at over 1,000 concept and exotic vehicles that could be ready to sell this year or the next.

In addition to celebrity visits and a prize worth $2,000, there was a Car-A-Day Giveaway and “Ride-N-Drive,” which gave people an opportunity to drive a couple of the cars around the International Exposition Center.
Anyone would jump at the opportunity to drive a car from the Auto Show around town, but would anyone make it past Cleveland’s potholes?

This time of year may bring warmer temperatures as it melts all the snow, but it leaves behind potholes that are as wide as your torso and deep enough to mine for diamonds.

A lot of craters have been spotted around campus, especially on Ford Drive and East 115 Street. Some of the latter were repaired before our last snowstorm, but the former street is still in pieces. Literally.

These huge holes cause many diversions in traffic, such as abrupt braking and swift dodging. These evasive maneuvers may work, but they are dangerous for oncoming drivers headed in your direction.

If you decide to charge full speed ahead towards a pothole, be ready to shell out some cash. You can cause hundreds of dollars of damage to your car and you will most likely be held liable. According to News Channel 3 WKYC reports, last year 74 percent of pothole damage claims filed to the city of Cleveland were rejected, and the remaining 26 percent were paid an average of $48 in restitution.

So remember: if you don’t want a dent in your wheels, your wallet or your attitude, remember to drive carefully until the roads are smooth again. You can also report a pothole to the city’s Department of Law Moral Claims Division by calling (216) 664-2510.