FOAK Road Damage

My mate is just back from a bimble on his immaculate R80RT 1983. He hit a
pot hole and put a lovely flat in the front wheel.
Anyone any experience of winning any compensation from the Council
responsible for the roads or are you farting against thunder.
The wheel alloy quality appears to be shit but nevertheless.
He is pretty pissed off but I would reckon no chance of comp even with
photos etc as there were no witnesses and he remained upright.
I did agree to ask the question though!
Ras
--

 

I succeeded some years back when the car dropped into a hole and bent
the suspension (now I drive a Landy!). Went back, took some pictures and
wrote describing the incident. Wheels do turn up on eBay (see sig), IIRC
about £100 for a good one, but as mine is fine I've not taken huge
notice.

<barrack-room mode> I believe they have a duty to maintain the
carriageway in a safe condition, which it demonstrably wasn't if it
caused damage to the bike. I think also that they claim in turn from
whichever utility/contractor made the hole or whatever </>

For the sake of a letter etc., I'd go for it, and in any case they often
allow the roads to become dangerous for bikes, so there's a moral
crusading element too!

Regards,

Simonm.

 

I vaguely seem to remember that if the council didn't know about the
pothole they're in the clear or something like this.

If the pothole was marked using a bit of paint, it'll definitely be
worth it. Nevertheless I'd contact the council and let them know about
the pothole so they get a chance to fix it...

 

depends on the conditions. sometimes you can't spot 'em in the dark.

Took out the driver's mirror on both my transit and the one coming the other
way last night. Narrow main road, 40 limit (I was at or near 40), dipped
lights 'cos of the oncoming traffic.

2 bloody idiots walking 2 abreast on the wrong side of the road. One all in
dark clothing, one had a white or light top but dark trousers, and on dipped
lights with oncoming traffic, not visible until quite close. Snap decision
that it was better to pull out and just miss them rather than try for a
maximum braking stop (wasn't 100% that I'd stop without hitting them).
Unfortunately, road only wide enough for 2 idiots, 2 trannies and 1 door
mirror, so mirror-to-mirror at closing speed of about 80. exit 2 door
mirrors.

Naturally, they legged it pronto into the campsite nearby and weren't to be
found.

Had they been facing the oncoming traffic as they should have been they
could presumably have got further over, in theory at least. Had they been
wearing lighter coloured clothing then they'd have been visible further off.

but there is also the point about how difficult it can be to spot things in
the dark, even with good headlights. And yes, another point about how I
could have been going slower - However, given that it's a straight road I
wasn't going silly-fast, either.

Conversation with the locals discovered that a petition for a path alongside
the road was turned down on some feeble grounds.

 

<snip>

Well he is just back to biking at the age of 73 after a 25 year break. I
will be frogmatched down to photograph said hole in road later on... if it
is of interest or in any way a possible claim I will put the photo's on
some site or other. Anyone got views on the quality of the alloy on Beemer
wheels circa1983 the alloy appears to be pretty soft.
If you have any spare Beemer wheelsof that aage and type there are beer
tokens available.
Time he gave up again and flogged it to me coz it's very tidy otherwise.

Ras
--

 

If the impact is bad enough to have buckled the wheel, I'd say you'd
probably wanted something slightly soft.

fleabay or Motorworks.

 

Chers Timo got one in the fleabay watchlist will have a look round
Motorworks. anything else from the Beemer range that fits.

Ras
--

 

Rasman99 () gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying :

Ah. Observation skills a bit rusty?

Obviously hard enough to last for 23 years of use.

 

Any twin-shock R80/R100 cast wheel should fit and there should be
plenty around.

 

Fair comment but bike is very low mileage and having had a look at the hole
he hit which was 3.5 inches deep I will withdraw my last comment about the
quality. More the quality of the rider!

Ras
--

 

SpamTrapSeeSig () gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying :

You can avoid it, though.

THIRTEEN INCHES DEEP?

That's not a pothole. That's roadworks.

 

Adrian wrote

"There I was, digging this hole..."

 

When I went back to photograph it, it was obvious that it wasn't obvious
(if you see what I mean). The council put a traffic cone in it before it
was repaired, but there wasn't much sticking out!

Regards,

Simonm.

 

only if you see it in time. I hit one in brum once while riding in traffic.
thing in front straddled it and by the time I saw it it was too late to
swerve round it. ISTR shutting my eyes and praying... bloody great crash,
"heyho, we still seem to be rolling"...

 

Hagon offer cast wheel repairs

http://www.hagon-shocks.co.uk/HagWheel.htm

HTH?

 

Certainly true in the wet. After once finding a very deep puddle when
not expecting it I treat them with a bit more caution. Mind you just try
telling that to some clueless tail-gating w*anker in a cage, ho hum

 

#...hole in the ground...

 

Thus spake Pip Luscher () unto the assembled multitudes:

#...big and sorta round...