As part of its ongoing tradition, Panda Tire & Auto is once again holding Moose Jaw’s Worst Pothole Contest throughout the month of April with the chance to win a limited-edition Monroe shock stool.
To enter the pothole contest, all you have to do is upload a photo of the worst pothole you’ve seen in Moose Jaw between April 1 – 30.
“The worst pothole contest is just kind of something fun we do every spring,” explained Curtis Moggey, the owner of Panda Tire & Auto.
When it comes to taking a picture for the contest, Moggey said the rules are fairly slack and the best pictures provide contrast – such as an adjacent parked vehicle or an individual posing with the pothole – to give an indication of the road feature’s dimensions.
The idea for the contest came as a way to make light of the pothole season around three years ago.
“I know everybody wants their pothole fixed first, but there’s lots of them out there to be done,” Moggey said. “So, it’s a topic every spring, of course.”
Moggey wanted to specify that neither he nor the staff at Panda Tire & Auto are calling out or picking on Moose Jaw’s road repair crews.
“Our city workers do a great job,” he wrote. “It’s pothole season everywhere, and our city is no exception.”
The primary culprit behind the formation of potholes is the natural freeze-thaw cycle typical of Saskatchewan’s climate. As temperatures fluctuate, water seeps into cracks and then freezes, expands, and repeats, until portions of the road’s surface break loose as traffic passes over.
Hitting just one pothole can be enough to knock your vehicle out of alignment. This makes steering difficult and can lead to irregular tire wear, which means you may need to replace your tires earlier than is otherwise necessary.
Some of the most common forms of pothole damages include tire punctures, bent wheels, and damaged suspension components.
In all cases, the best practice is to have your vehicle inspected when you change to summer tires or alongside regular maintenance, and the team at Panda Tire is one option available to help with a specialized pothole inspection if you book your appointment in advance.
Pothole driving tips
Of course, the best way to avoid pothole damage is to avoid striking potholes with your vehicle altogether – which can be easier said than done in some cases.
Understanding the difficulty in avoiding potholes entire, the staff at Panda Tire & Auto has offered a few pieces of advice for motorists to minimize the impact on their car, as well as their wallet.
Keep tires inflated: if your tires remain properly inflated, this will help absorb a great deal of the force from hitting a pothole. If tire pressures are too low, the resulting pressure can result in unrepairable sidewall damage or even a bent wheel.
Beware of puddles: in many instances, a puddle of water could be hiding a depression in the road and every puddle of water on the driving surface should be treated as a potential hazard.
Slow down: if hitting a pothole is unavoidable, the best practice is to slow down as much as possible before going through it. Moggey pointed out that applied braking shifts the weight of your vehicle forward, and if brakes remain applied when you strike the pothole, this can cause more damage to the front end of your vehicle. The best practice is to release the brakes at the last moment before impact to avoid this outcome.
Maintain a safe distance: when following other vehicles on the road, it’s always best to maintain a safe following distance. This gives you more time to react to any potholes that may otherwise come as a surprise.
Report potholes: any potholes you encounter can be reported to the City of Moose Jaw so road crews can prioritize dangerous locations as they conduct road repairs this spring and summer.
To enter the pothole contest, simply visit PandaAutoService.com or visit the Facebook page, "Panda Tire & Auto."
Panda Tire & Auto is located at 888 Main Street North and can be reached at 306-691-0080.
