This morning I rode through a pot hole which has bent my back wheel. I reported the problem to the council about the pot-hole and this ‘case’ has been ‘closed’ as its been referred to Yorkshire water.

I have also raised a complaint separately with the council about the incident but am concerned that it will get lost in the ether as they may be transferring liability to the Water company.

they haven’t responded to my separate complaint but should my case be dealt with by the council in its entirety?

Try riding round it next time.

That’s helpful.

The road in question is notoriously bad and I didn’t have much choice in the matter.

A few weeks ago I smashed the rear rim on my new Stans 340 Alpha pro’s.
gutted, but you live and learn how to bunny hop further 🙂

Good luck. Dinged an alloy on an unmarked raised curb in the
middle of the road, someone had taken out the illuminated bollards. The claims process is designed to make you give up in frustration.

If you wanted to claim for damages, you’d have to prove the Council failed in their duty to repair the pothole in a reasonable amount of time. Council’s aren’t automatically liable because potholes can appear overnight. If the Council’s routine inspections failed to identify it or you reported it and it didn’t get fixed then you’d have a better chance if you wanted to claim.

The Council have a duty to make it safe, even if the hole is as a result of the water board’s work. Councils can enforce utility companies to do the work or go back and finish work but they should still make it safe.

Get some luminous spray paint and spray around said pot holes.
A. You can spot them easier b. someone may think it needs doing and repair it (this happened to a fella at our work)

Log your holes here; http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/
Then get as many people as you can to log the same hole/s and see how fast it gets repaired

Log your holes here; http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/
Then get as many people as you can to log the same hole/s and see how fast it gets repaired

You’re better off going directly to the council.

Pictures of the hole with something for scale (ruler is ideal), pictures of damage and receipts for repair. Be prepared to argue backwards and forwards a bit.

Log your holes here; http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/
Then get as many people as you can to log the same hole/s and see how fast it gets repaired
You’re better off going directly to the council

Disagree!

I reported 2 holes in the last few weeks. Both had been there a while and i finally stopped to take a picture and report then using above websites app. Both were fixed the next working day. There are lots of other holes on the road yet to be done so it was clearly not the result of a survey, as that would lead to a significant number of repairs (as apparent on adjacent road). This is Newcastle council BTW, other councils may not be so good.

http://www.fixmystreet.com/

Or, report an accident and injury next time.. just make one up as long as you don’t sue. I came off on a badly repaired section of road (created a tram-line effect in the wet, took front wheel out from under me at about 18mph and I lost control), I was cut/scraped up and was narrowly missed by the driver behind, thankfully they were at a safe distance.

Reported it to the Council office in town while still bleeding – the whole section was fixed within a week. No damage to pay for / CBA so not sure if it’ll get your wheel fixed, tbh I’d see that as just riding wear and tear like dinging a rim on a root. I’m more concerned that they keep the roads safe if it’s minor damage.

Lesson learned – they’re scared of no-win no fee lawyers but not so bothered about damage to property claims. I heard of a guy breaking a fork off on a pothole recently, ended up in hospital and the hole was fixed a lot faster than he was.