Bloody Pot Holes!

Recently my car was in for repairs and it cost me over a grand to get my merc fixed. I was not a happy person.

Those of you who will know this, Mercedes spare parts cost a bomb and one of mines cost me over £400.

Anyway the garage was totally baffled as to how these certain things got broken, he asked me had I been in an accident? Answer was no.

The car had started making funny noises after I went over this really pot filled bumpy road. It was like a something was rubbing against something. He goes that must have been one helluva road. I replied to him that if you go on Vicky Road you can see for yourself. He very sternly told me that he never drives his car down there for that very reason, the speed bumps and pot holes.

Well thanks for telling me, but  a little good advice a little too late. Twat!!

One of the rods under the car near the hub or on the hub (don’t know what it’s real name is – I’m a female ok  – don’t need to know these things!) was cracked. He had removed it and called me over to look at it, it was made of really heavy metal and weighed a ton and lo and behold it had a crack in it. How the hell does metal just crack like that.

Because of the bad weather the roads are in some state, I now drive more carefully and slowly and avoid any stupid holes I see in the road now. Sometimes I find myself zig zagging along the road trying to avoid them. One day I will be stopped for being under the influence whilst driving 😛

The mechanic did say that I should sue my local council as it’s their jobs to keep these roads in good condition. After seeing this article today I wish I had, they so bloody deserve it…

£2,000 pothole win to open floodgates?

A garage estimated it would cost £2,000 to repair the wheels of Hamilton Bland’s Merc due to local Coventry potholes. Despite threats of huge legal costs from Coventry Council, Bland persevered, took the council to court – and won. Other councils, take note!

If you’re in a hole…

Or if you’ve got a hole, fill it. That’s the advice to many councils following Bland’s victory. It’s thought private drivers spend up to £500m collectively on repairs to their car following pothole damage. But many cash-strapped councils will be reluctant to, for all the usual reasons.

Many will be get away with it, because most of us don’t have the time and energy to pursue a claim. Part of the reason UK roads aren’t maintained is that nothing like the amount of revenue raised by private motorists through taxes is channelled back into maintaining them.

Cars are also heavier these days. Think of all the 4x4s thundering around. Even the average ‘small’ car easily weighs a ton. Look at the latest sixth-generation Ford Fiesta: a standard petrol model tips the ton at 1,041kg curb weight; the original 1976 model weighed in at around 700kg.

Take action

“Taking the council to court was a risk I was prepared to take,” Bland told the Mail. “I always felt I was right – you don’t have to be the world’s greatest detective to know the road had some dangerous potholes. Had a cyclist hit one of the potholes it would have been very serious indeed.”

Potholes.co.uk may be able to help those with the determination to take on their local council in the meantime. Take photos, report the pothole, use the Freedom of Information Act, and don’t be deterred.