Pot Holes

[SR7492]

Whilst driving home yesterday and realising how crap the roads were with pot holes everywhere; it got me thinking about damage liability for road bikes/mountain bikes whilst out riding.

If I or anyone hit quite a nasty pot hole whilst on the road, and damaged the bike; can we pursue the local council for repair? Just as the motorists can claim against the any wheel/rim damaged on their cars?

[selwonk]

You cyclists have my sympathy on this issue. It must be a bloody nightmare!

[ratbane]

More importantly, this is why motorists need to be aware that "scum" cyclists sometimes need to swerve out of the road drainage chanel. It's not like we want to get mowed down by BMWs, it's just that first instinct is not to ride over gaping potholes.

[yellowjack]

Never mind avoiding potholes - local knuckle-draggers in North Essex last year took to nicking the rain water drain covers on rural roads. If you came across one of those in the dark you'd be swerving violently whilst simultaneously needing fresh underpants. All for a few quid down the dodgy scrapyard. Scum. If you missed seeing one of the missing covers in the dark, hitting the 'hole' where it used to be would almost certainly result in a trip to A&E.

[anonymous-user]

On a related issue - I always report nasty ones here:-
http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/

Often the council fix it within 24 hours...

[ratbane]

Jimboka said:

On a related issue - I always report nasty ones here:-
http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/

Often the council fix it within 24 hours...

Yep. I can confirm that that process works. Reported many on my road training loops, and they get filled pdq.