Dear All;
Just few weeks back my gut was telling me to go for iron metal rims for alumenium rims may break in case of a strong bump (due to my rough and speedy driving habit). So I went to the market and got my self 13 inch rims.
On Saturday the 9th of September, near evening I was just about to reach Balakot, just passed a village namely "Shawal" I was following a swift about 15 meters away and suddenly a big hole in the middle of the road. I hit it so hard that car went a little out of control but I managed and put the car aside. Disappointed to note that edges of both rims were badly bent and both tires at driver side were flat.
It was all my fault. Due to the fact that it was near evening and I had to reach at least Kewai or if I could make it to Kaghan then it should be Before dark and my eye sight is weak and little difficult for me to drive while there are lights from opposite side, so I was racing my car to speeds like 80 - 90 on straights and bang. Quite stupid of me to hurry like that. It was my past that took me to levels like that. Been into bikes racing and stuff that younger part comes along sometime.
Any way if it were alumenium, the rims would have been broken for sure and the results would have been devastating. I would say that the Old is Gold.
I went back to see the hole in the road and found that It was about 3 feet long and 2 feet wide having a depth about 6 to 7 inches. I picked up big stones from the side of the road and filled that up. Went back to Shawal village and fixed the rims, filled the air and hit the road. The other day i noticed that it also cracked the frame a bit at the driver's side. I took it to a mechanic in Balakot, who was of the view that you can take your time to fix it as it is so minute and my car is 1989 model, so the body is tougher than new mehran. I checked it out in Peshawar and still the crack is the same. Soon I'll fix it up.
To share this story I mean to tell you guys out there. Be careful, the road to Balakot and kaghan Naran valley is so damaged at places.
While putting stones into holes a local driver came along and told me that your car is not the first one having this accident there had been a number of accidents due to this hole. And I asked him "am I the first and only person fixing this hole and you locals pass by and never do something about it, even after seeing so many accidents?" He replied: "it is the matter of Government to fix the road" The question is "Are we that Insensitive to realize that few minutes of our time can save a life or lives may be"
Be safe and don't hurry enjoy the weather and scenery while driving to Kaghan Naran valley.
Wassalam