Pothole Nomenclature

Time for another bumper crop of potholes, and instead of thinking there is one with my name on it, I've decided to name them first. Here's my categories for potholes:

Asphalt Acne: rough, rumbly surface, not too deep, just damn annoying
rip in the space-time continuum (long broken seam)

The Post-Hole: about 10 inches a round, but about 10 feet deep.

Crater Lake: a puddle with a nasty surprise, it may begin with Acne but degrade into Post-Holes or worse.

Humpback Whales: Those odd lumps at bus stops, the wheels create a big swale of pavement.

Broke Bike Mountain: Anytime Streets and San fills a pothole to create a mound.

The Rip in the Space-Time Continuum: long narrow trenches along the seams in the road.

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Permalink Reply by Natalie on March 6, 2009 at 12:51pm
Is a Mole-Man anything like a C.H.U.D.?

Reddog said:
There is a huge, very deep hole on Humbolt ave. right by the bridge near the field house, east side of the road. Some thoughtfull city workers put an oarnge cone in it. However, only the top four or five inches of the cone are sticking up out of this very deep hole.

there is another very deep hole at Division and Halsted. I think I saw a mole-man down in it.
Permalink Reply by Jim "Niterider" on March 6, 2009 at 9:54pm
Good post Anne, like the fine use of ideas for a common enemy. I slammed a bus load of acne out on Delany road the other night with the Townie. It handled it well. Have another you can add to the list. The Great Abyss: A hole in the road that is so large and deep that seems like there is no bottom to it. Yes Natalie, a C.H.U.D. is like a mole-man but unlike Bud does not want to eat you. He only wants a date. HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOL CHUD was a 80's film for all of you under 30. Do they have it on DVD Natalie? Have not watched this in years.
Permalink Reply by Anne on March 7, 2009 at 8:30am
I think it's if you can see the rooftop of a Mini down there? I love that checkerboard or British flag paintjobs they do.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
But what's the definition?

Anne said:
another new name: "Mini Cooper Trap"!!!

Natalie said:
I was excited to see that the city had patched the cluster of Crater Lakes in the eastbound lanes of Chicago Avenue leading up to the bridge. Those were nasty. How is the eastbound lane of Grand leading up to that bridge? I hit that in the dark one morning a few weeks ago when it was raining and was amazed I didn't trash a rim. The explosion of profanity was quite impressive, too.

There's a huge pothole on Milwaukee just north of Division, in the righthand northbound lane. It is sort of a combination Humpback Whale/Crater Lake--the hump disguises the abyss that's just beyond it. I think I saw a Mini Cooper trapped down in there on my way home from work yesterday.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 11, 2009 at 1:49pm
Great Abyss - good name! I saw a few of those on North Ave. last night.

Got another name for you - Swiss Cheese: pavement so pocked with holes that it's more holes than solid pavement. Good example: the crosswalk on WB North Ave. at Sedgwick is swiss cheese right now.

Jim "Niterider" said:
....The Great Abyss: A hole in the road that is so large and deep that seems like there is no bottom to it.
Permalink Reply by Natalie on March 11, 2009 at 1:54pm
Swiss Cheese-->Willow Street, by Goose Island brewpub in Lincoln Park. I turned there from Clybourn to get to the parking garage of Trader Joe's last night. I nearly had to dismount, it was so bad. And of course all the potholes were filled with water.

Anne Alt said:
Great Abyss - good name! I saw a few of those on North Ave. last night.

Got another name for you - Swiss Cheese: pavement so pocked with holes that it's more holes than solid pavement. Good example: the crosswalk on WB North Ave. at Sedgwick is swiss cheese right now.

Jim "Niterider" said:
....The Great Abyss: A hole in the road that is so large and deep that seems like there is no bottom to it.
Permalink Reply by Reddog (Cliff) on March 11, 2009 at 5:08pm
I've discovered a catergory. "window into the past" or "time tunnel" That is when you can see the rails from streetcar lines and old brick paving down there. There is a pretty good sized Time tunnel on California ave near Armitage. A street level rail line used to run down that street.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 12, 2009 at 12:32am
A friend mentioned seeing some of those time tunnels on Wells St. this week.

Reddog said:
I've discovered a catergory. "window into the past" or "time tunnel" That is when you can see the rails from streetcar lines and old brick paving down there. There is a pretty good sized Time tunnel on California ave near Armitage. A street level rail line used to run down that street.
Permalink Reply by koala on March 23, 2009 at 2:12pm
Reddog said:
I've discovered a catergory. "window into the past" or "time tunnel" That is when you can see the rails from streetcar lines and old brick paving down there. There is a pretty good sized Time tunnel on California ave near Armitage. A street level rail line used to run down that street.

I used to think of these as "archaeological digs," but now that I hear it, I like "time tunnel" better.
Permalink Reply by Dr. Doom on July 12, 2010 at 2:55pm
King Drive from 51st to 43rd might have the best collection of impressive holes in town right now, with multiple caved-in manhole covers that are easily big enough to swallow a front wheel and really look more like bomb craters than potholes. I always think of these as Punji Pits.
Permalink Reply by Lee Diamond on July 12, 2010 at 2:58pm
I know that whale!

There is a career-ender just as the lane merges over the I-90 bridge heading west bound on Lawrence. Geez oh man is that thing big!

BK said:
Bump. I was thinking about this one today...right as I encountered a Humpback Whale northbound on Milwaukee at Belmont.
Permalink Reply by oncewasenough on July 12, 2010 at 3:06pm
There is a nasty pit with a sewer grate and a road cone that is barely peeking out of the top just east of Halsted on Chicago. I'm always nervous that some hurried driver is going to force me into it.

Dr. Doom said:
King Drive from 51st to 43rd might have the best collection of impressive holes in town right now, with multiple caved-in manhole covers that are easily big enough to swallow a front wheel and really look more like bomb craters than potholes. I always think of these as Punji Pits.
Permalink Reply by Reddog (Cliff) on February 17, 2011 at 5:09pm
Just wanted to give this thread a bump, as I encoutered many of the various species of holes that grace our streets today.

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