Let's start PotholePalooza earlier

DC streets are a mess. They are not only impossible to navigate but also dangerous. We went to the Air and Space Museum this weekend which admittedly, was cooler than I expected, but on the way a giant pothole took out a tire. The car made a loud BOOM as we drove over a crater in our nation's capital.

The giant hole in the middle of road took out the rubber part of the tire, bent up the frame, and knocked the hubcap loose. So what causes potholes?

Asphalt road surfaces eventually crack under the heat of the day and the constant stresses of traffic. These cracks allow snow and rainwater to seep into the underlying dirt and gravel. During cold winter nights, this water freezes and expands. Some of the dirt and gravel is pushed out as a result, leaving a hole when the water eventually melts.

DC has had problems with potholes for a long time. As seen here, here, and here. Maybe they need to start potholepalooza a whole lot sooner to fix DC streets. It's really unacceptable to have that big of hole in the roads. But until the marathon pothole repair, you still report the potholes, but I wouldn't hold my breath until they're repaired.

On the bright side, I learned the art of tire changing from an expert tire changer. It's something I have been wanting to know in case it ever happens when I'm driving in my car. Good skill to know. For those of you who don't: How to change a tire.

Then with a temporary tire, we stopped at every tire store we could find until one of them had frames for sale. And let me tell you, used tire stores aren't necessarily the nicest places in the world. But alas, what would life be without a little excitement to make things more interesting? Unfortunately the hubcap is still missing...so if anyone has an extra VW hubcap lying (not laying) around let me know.

Who fills out consumer research surveys?

Toyota's research company dedicated to "buyer feedback and emotional response studies" keeps sending out these customer surveys for me to fill out every few months or so since I bought my car in January; and I keep filling them out. I am such a sucker. They take almost 20 minutes to read and go through, clicking radio buttons from strongly agree to strongly disagree.

Who the heck actually does that?? Is it because I have no life? NO. Is it because I really think they care what I think? NO. Is it because I feel like I am accomplishing something meaningful or doing something nice for someone else? NO. It's because they have a drawing for a $20,000 cash prize that you supposedly get entered into for filling out the anonymous survey. It's because you click on the link and think, yeah, ok, that 1 in a million chance at 20,000 is worth 2 minutes of my time, and then, 18 minutes later you are still trying to decide whether driving a Toyota makes you feel more "powerful" or "secure" or hey, why not both?

It's all about getting customers to click on the link. Once they do, you've got 'em, because they're not going to stop filling the thing out mid-way through. And in my case, I'll click on the intitial link 3 times in less than a year. Clearly I don't learn. Is there anybody else out there who completes these surveys?

Driving in a Little Yellow Car

Ohhhh, I am in car love.

My dad got a rental car because his went into the shop for repair (which is actually a funny story). His car got damaged by a rocket. And yes, I said rocket. Apparently, a high school physics class lost control of their "experiment" in the parking lot and they managed to send a missile right into my dad's car. He he. Needless to say, he wasn't too happy.

But on the bright side, the rental place gave him a bug to use for the week. A bright yellow VW bug (although maybe it's a beetle?? I don't really know the difference). Anyway, I have always said that yellow cars (except for iconic NYC taxi cabs) are hideous, but I have been proven wrong. A cute little Volks Wagon in yellow is about the most adorable thing ever. I'm not sure what Dad thinks though. He didn't take it to go golfing. He said it was because his clubs wouldn't fit in the trunk, but I think it was more what his golf buddies would say that worried him. Ha ha.

As for myself, I drove it a little bit yesterday, and now all I can think of is how far could I drive this thing away until the police caught wind of it and pulled me over for grand theft auto? I think I could make it least Tennessee, what do you think? Bah ha ha.