Cracked windshields on the Coquihalla

[Bsuds]

That's cause they spit up golf balls..

[samsquench07]

Waah, just replace yer damn windshield yearly through ICBC's two hundred dollar deductible and be on your way.

It's a hazard of highway driving in the winter, there is no way around it. Accept and move on.

I think there is a way around it.. Ultra Violet posted about contacting the road company at some point, and they said because its cheaper to put bigger rock on the road...

I would guess that to be true, as they can by pass sifting etc... but how much cheaper.....

It gets so bad, that there should almost be a provincial regulation... If there are no set of rules, the road companies could care a less how big the rock is that they throw down

[Dizzy1]

Which is fine if you plan on never passing anyone.

Or not getting passed by anyone LOL!

I find that some years the gravel seems to be bigger than other years, back in the late 90s it was the worst, pebbles the size of marbles on the connector ... by the end of the winter I went through 2 windshields which were battered ... a couple of years later ... not one. Just got my first one this past summer.

[samsquench07]

I also read the ministry of hwys allowed for bigger size rocks on hwys, because it was cost effective, and it stayed on roads longer.......... around the same time, ICBC discontinued its free windshield replacement for good drivers program. go figure.

At the very least,,, maybe make mud flaps mandatory.. or something

[Relentless]

At the very least,,, maybe make mud flaps mandatory.. or something

Seeing as how no new laws and regulations will be introduced, the smartest thing is for road maintenance companies to grow a brain and quit spreading "big rock" on the roads, and they do not stay on the roads longer if they are bigger!

Privatization removed all common sense, and only increased the "greed" factor along with the "we don't care" factor.

[matai]

Privatization removed all common sense, and only increased the "greed" factor along with the "we don't care" factor.

They would care if they would receive a class action lawsuit against them for the cost of replacing our windshields.

[GoStumpy]

Do you guys know how windy it gets up on the COQ and Connector? And from passing vehicles?

Sand would just blow off an be useless. Larger crushed rock actually stays on the highway and provides traction.

[bob vernon]

Screening gravel down to pea size takes money. And if they can save on that by putting down coarse gravel, they will.

[GoStumpy]

Screening gravel down to pea size takes money. And if they can save on that by putting down coarse gravel, they will.

Makes sense. I wouldn't care about whining motorists complaining about a broken windshield either.

IT'S MADE OF GLASS!

[Scowl]

TIP: Most people travel in the inside lane which displaces most of the offending rocks to the left and to the right. When people pass you in the passing lane, they kick up the displaced rocks and they fly into your windshield. If you travel in the passing lane(when weather conditions allow), then when people pass you, they are passing in the inside lane where all of the rocks are already gone and therefore there is a less likely chance any rocks will hit your windshield. I used to get INFURIATED at the drivers who passed me in the passing lane and promptly pulled in 50 feet in front of me kicking up all of the rocks at me....
Courtesy and common sense.........just sayin.

[Relentless]

I wouldn't care about whining motorists complaining about a broken windshield either.

IT'S MADE OF GLASS!

Yes made of glass, but not free of charge!
Probably thousands of windshields get replaced due to this "oversized rock", at a $250 average per windshield.
I say road maintenance companies should pay the glass replacement bills, with all the money they are saving, compared to years ago when the Department of Holidays actually looked after the roads properly, and had consideration for rock impact with glass and paint!

Privatization has once again caused more problems for the general public, by cutting corners and not using common sense.

[GordonH]

Making mud-flaps mandatory on all vehicles would be good start. Something covers the compete width of rear tires and with only 7.5 to 8.5 cm gap to ground.

Would go a long way to lowering windshield damage, impo.

[Bpeep]

I say road maintenance companies should pay the glass replacement bills,

haha, ya, now you're really dreaming.
Think hard about that.

[rideforever]

Not tailgating is a good way to reduce the amount of gravel hitting your car. You can still get hit by cars passing you but most of it comes from tailgating.

When I see a car with a bunch of chips in the front I think about all those times I've seen someone tailgating me with their wipers on when it's not even raining. Absolute stupidity, they don't even realize it's not raining, they're driving in my roost and backing off 100m would make for a much more pleasant drive.

I dated a girl once that would get mad at the car she was tailgating for flinging rocks at her. Clueless.

[Relentless]

I say road maintenance companies should pay the glass replacement bills,

haha, ya, now you're really dreaming.
Think hard about that.

Actually, I had a brand new windshield installed in my car a few years ago, on my first trip on the connector heading towards Merritt, a pickup passed me at 150 kms/hr and threw a huge rock into my windshield and took a huge chunk out.

I was so *bleep*, that I contacted the road maintenance company and they said they would gladly pay for it, providing I had proof that the rock was on the road and was picked up off the road.

I laughed, and asked how could I prove that ?
They said, if I had a video of it, they would cover it, or some witnesses.
I said, it's pretty hard to video something your not expecting, and not everyone has a camera turned on when they go for a drive.

I would like to know when road maintenance companies become liable for damage done to your vehicle????