Photo by caribb, Flickr.

With the winter snows subsiding and many of us hitting the road again for the first time this year, it’s important to remember that we’re not the only recent additions to NYC roads.

Spring is pothole season in NYC.
The combined effects of the past three months of freezing temperatures, road salt, plowing, and thawing mean the city’s roads are in the worst shape of the year yet again. Growing out of the earth (or should we say falling from) like evil versions of the season’s crocuses and daffodil bulbs these menaces are every scooter’s sworn enemy.

The New York Times ran a story last week on Mayor Bloomberg’s public effort to put the city’s two millionth pothole out to pasture. And while we applaud Mr. Bloomberg taking his brand new shovel to every new hole over the coming months (good luck with that,) it’s also up to us to bring these bad boys to justice.

Here’s what you can do:

The New York City Department of Transportation categorizes these puppies as street defects. A category that includes a whole cast of characters – potholes, cave-ins, hummocks, ponding conditions (where water sits and stagnates), manhole covers, street hardware, failed street cuts, old utility cuts or the dreaded “open street cut.”

The DOT has a page detailing street defects, with guidance as to what to do to report one. Generally a call to 311 is suffice, but depending on the condition, completing a street construction complaint form may be necessary. The DOT also has an online pothole report you can use to report the offender and have it short-listed for pothole death row. The feared fill-in.

If your scooter is damaged by a street defect, you can file a claim with the city of New York by visiting the NYC Comptroller’s web site, or calling 212-669-3500. According to a New York Times article, if you yourself are damaged by the accident the city may be responsible but under the 1979 Prior Written Notice Law only if it can be demonstrated that the city was aware of the defect (as reported by a previous complaint) but has failed to address it.

But you’re not going to let that happen to you, are you? Ride safe and master the swerve, and for the next couple of weeks take it slow on your regular routes until you’ve had a chance to add new potholes to your mental list. I for one have ID’d two particularly nasty ones for 2010 on my morning commute that wouldn’t think twice of swallowing a Vespa’s 10” wheel whole.

Ride safe.

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