Someone is hoping a funny photo gets roads repaired in Geauga County, Ohio. The Geauga Maple Leaf shared this photo on their Facebook page.

In it we see a pair of Amish trousers upside down in what appears to be a deep pothole puddle. Completing the picture, an Amish straw hat and a couple items including a lunch cooler lie by the side of the road.

Attached to the photo was this explanation:

Someone on Nash Road near the intersection of state Route 168 in Parkman Township drew attention to the fact there is a serious pothole along the roadway by placing a pair of upside down pants and boots, and an Amish hat and a cooler to look like somebody has fallen in head first up to the waist.

I’ve driven on many a road resembling that one. Best to be in a truck and/or take it slow (speaking from one unfortunate experience in particular).

A report by Cleveland’s FOX19 reveals that at least one township rep doesn’t find these photos so amusing:

“We’ve had pictures of trees being planted in holes, we’ve had pictures of fishing poles with signs go on, fish in,” said Parkman Township’s Dennis Ikeler. “It’s not funny neither.”

However it sounds like it got results:

A supervisor said the photo is from three weeks ago and crews fixed that pothole within two hours of hearing about it.

In their defense, this is a perennial problem, and it sounds like the local road crew is seriously undermanned:

“It happens every year. It just freezes and thaws and it opens it up,” said Ikeler.

The Township Trustee has been at this for eight years now and said potholes are a sometimes losing battle.

There are 17 miles of unpaved roads, 8 miles of paved roads and gravel roads all over the township. Ikeler says it’s a lot to maintain with only three men to fix everything.

A further Amish element:

There’s not just cars to consider. The Amish community makes up about half the population.

“I know they get frustrated with it because their biggest expense are horses and you don’t want a horse to get lain on our roads,” he said.

I think “lain” is a mistranscription of “lame”. Potholes are also a danger to horses’ health.

On a positive note, Geauga County is to be the beneficiary of a multi-million dollar road improvement program, including the addition of buggy lanes.

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