Potholes - Broken Wheel

JimboPlob
JimboPlob Posts: 397
edited February 2014 in Commuting chat
Hi

On Friday I was coming home (in that torrential wind and rain!). As I came over a bridge and down the hill the other side, I hit what can only be described as a crater. It was hidden under water and I luckily managed to stay upright (was travelling about 20Mph).

It has written off my front wheel and could have been a lot worse!

I had a proper look last night without the rain, and this thing is huge! No idea how nothing worse happened!

I was wondering if there is any way of a) reporting this to the council and b) trying to claim for my wheel? It was in London.

Thanks

Comments

  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Boris. Is that you?
  • fat_tail
    fat_tail Posts: 786
    http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/ for reporting of holes.
    Ridley Fenix SL
  • gbsahne001
    gbsahne001 Posts: 1,973
    you can try claiming for the wheel but it's an uphill struggle, as you'll need to prove that the councils system of road checking has broken down and that they spotted it on a previous check but neglected to do anything about it.
    Winter Hack
    Everyday Commuter
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    Boris. Is that you?

    My immediate thought too.

    OP, I recommend not seeking reelection.
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    Am about to go into battle with my LA over their shoddy roads

    If possible, take a photo of the hole as evidence. They'll probably want receipts for any losses (eg new wheels, etc).

    If you're in the CTC or British Cycling, they might be able to help
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • JimboPlob
    JimboPlob Posts: 397
    Thanks

    I am going to take a photo tonight (with a scale, will post on here also). I will also take a photo of the wheel and have gladly got receipts to prove I need a new wheel!

    I am sure I am not the 1st person to hit it. Its on a well ridden area and only inches away from a manhole cover.
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    I've never managed a successful claim and I've tried for the bike and the car...photographs, witnesses, previous reports...still got pushed back and was not worth the hassle pursuing further. I'm usually pretty good at this sort of thing too, had various vouchers for shoddy goods and managed to get my house down banded for council tax!

    I have however managed to get every hole filled that I have reported on the aforementioned site.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    The issue is whether the council knew about it (or should reasonably have known about it) and did they repair it in a timely manner.

    If they didn't know, then they are not liable, and if they did know and haven't reasonably have time to fix it, again not liable. you need to check all the 3 big pothole reporting sites as well as do an FOI on the council for their inspection reports for the road.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • JimboPlob
    JimboPlob Posts: 397
    The Rookie wrote:
    you need to check all the 3 big pothole reporting sites as well as do an FOI on the council for their inspection reports for the road.

    Thanks,

    Do you have links to those sites?
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Sorry, I only have fill that hole bookmarked, but there are 2 other common ones.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    I think fixmystreet is one, and possibly potholes.co.uk
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    Just google "fill a hole" and CTC. Did some recently - must check on progress!
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    SecretSam wrote:
    Just google "fill a hole" and CTC. Did some recently - must check on progress!

    I would set your pron filters to the max before you google that :lol: :?
    FCN = 4
  • sketchley
    sketchley Posts: 4,238
    http://www.potholes.co.uk/claims/step_by_step_guide
    --
    Chris

    Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/5
  • jimothy78
    jimothy78 Posts: 1,407
    The Rookie wrote:
    The issue is whether the council knew about it (or should reasonably have known about it) and did they repair it in a timely manner.

    If they didn't know, then they are not liable, and if they did know and haven't reasonably have time to fix it, again not liable. you need to check all the 3 big pothole reporting sites as well as do an FOI on the council for their inspection reports for the road.

    I also heard that to make a successful claim, you have to show that the hole was "unavoidable" - ie you had no choice but to go through it - that's the stumbling block for most claims, because it's very hard to argue that you couldn't have stopped or gone round. Obviously, as the hole was hidden by the standing water, you might have some grounds there, but of course they might equally turn round and say you should have avoided the water altogether, as I'm fairly sure they could argue that proceeding through a murky puddle of unknown depth was contrary to "due care and attention" or something like that.
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,822
    Far as I know roads are all subject to a maintenance plan and if the hole was not spotted and then dealt with within that then they would escape a claim. Major roads get more regular checking, back roads can be something like once a year.
    Except if they have been alerted to the road defect outside of their plan.
    And then they could have examined the hole and determined that it was not serious enough to repair - someone I know of that has dealings with the roads people told me what the min depth of a hole needed to be for them to fix and I was shocked at how bad a hole could be and still escape repair.
    However having said that I posted in the Anti-rants today about a hole that was not too terrible (there are worse on my commute) which the council fixed on the same day I reported it via fillthathole so there is obviously a big margin for an individual to decide to repair or not.
    If it is a road in an urban area on on a major route then I guess it could/should well have been examined - has it suddenly appeared or got worse over a long period ?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,309
    Spotted a crater for the second time this week... on the CS7 just after Clapham, descending into Stockwell... probably 3 inches deep and a good couple of feet wide... the report a hole process with TFL is very tedious and requires the precise address, as if one checked the house numbers... as if houses had numbers on busy commercial streets like the A3.... :x

    If someone knows better, please report it... it's an accident waiting to happen
    left the forum March 2023
  • sketchley
    sketchley Posts: 4,238
    Isn't there an app that does the reporting for you, take picture + GPS location and send?

    edit: http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/ - iOS only at the moment http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/iphone
    --
    Chris

    Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/5
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,309
    Sketchley wrote:
    Isn't there an app that does the reporting for you, take picture + GPS location and send?

    edit: http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/ - iOS only at the moment http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/iphone


    Much better site and finally managed to report it... thanks :D
    left the forum March 2023
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Spotted a crater for the second time this week... on the CS7 just after Clapham, descending into Stockwell... probably 3 inches deep and a good couple of feet wide... the report a hole process with TFL is very tedious and requires the precise address, as if one checked the house numbers... as if houses had numbers on busy commercial streets like the A3.... :x

    If someone knows better, please report it... it's an accident waiting to happen

    Why would you worry about that Ugo - it's not as though there was ever any chance you'd ride into it! :wink::lol:
    Faster than a tent.......

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