Two random cement prongs off the side of a Georgia interstate have caused thousands of dollars in damage to a man’s car after he hit them, and the state’s transportation department won’t handle the claim he filed for the damage. Atlanta’s WSB-2 reports that earlier this month, Brian Briggs was on Georgia’s I-285 in metro Atlanta when he became lost while using his GPS. Cutting across the highway’s gore — the triangular area separating the main highway from an exit — to pull over is when he heard and felt large pops. The prongs destroyed the front and rear driver’s side tires on his BMW i3 causing $2,000 in damage.
“When I got out and looked, I was really devastated by what I saw,” Briggs said about the “immediate impact.” Briggs told WSB that he approached the Georgia Department of Transportation so that they could pay for the damage, only to be told they don’t handle claims.
When he sought reimbursement for the damages, Briggs told Channel 2 Action News that a GDOT representative told him they do not offer claims. GDOT says the motorist will need to go through DOAS for claims status. The department does not handle claims against the state, regardless of where in the roadway the incident occurs.
The department in question is the Georgia Department of Administrative Services. Briggs did tell WSB that a rep from the department contacted him and is “working to resolve this issue.”
So just what the hell are those cement prongs and why are they there? The Department of Transportation told WSB they were for a highway exit sign that another motorist had hit. The damaged sign was removed, but for whatever reason the prongs that held it in place weren’t. The department did confirm that the location was fixed on September 23rd. Thankfully, it looks as if the prongs shouldn’t be a problem for any other motorist.