Am I to blame for hitting a pothole?

[Drago]

Perhaps it's a job for Wanksy?

https://www.boredpanda.com/wanksy-p...oogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

 

[Sharky]

There's a reason for the rule 'Never ride through anything that you can't see the bottom of'.

Also, flints and debris are likely to be washed into pot holes and dips, so best avoided to reduce risk of punctures. Even when the water has drained away, best to avoid the dips for this reason.

 

[tom73]

If you think your in the right go for it. Pretty crap to say it’s your fault. Wonder if they’d say that to a car user?

I’ve reported a few potholes sadly my town hall clowns don’t even use danger to cyclist as a criteria for repairing potholes.

 

[Slick]

I was sent a questionnaire about this just yesterday.

https://www.fillthathole.org.uk/

You could always lend them a bit of support to try and improve the picture nationally.

 

[Bonus]

That's what the council wants. It's up to you; you might succeed if you pursue it but you definitely won't if you don't claim.

Was about to say the same. Their aim is to put you off. Don't let them. Become the biggest pain in the ass they've dealt with in ages and I'm sure you'll have some success.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Fillthathole is NOT reporting it to local authority - that site is Cycling UK's.

It is indeed CUK's site but my understanding is that the software decides which council is responsible and then reports it accordingly. It's useful having the "which Council" thing as I'm never exactly sure if I'm in Worcs, Gloucs or Hereford around here. The boundaries are very tortuous. I have had stuff repaired as a result of using Fillthathole

 

[straas]

That looks like it's probably been there for a while, have a look on Google Street view to see if it's on there?

 

[MBosh]

Just looked on Google street view but the pothole isn't there. You can see that the tarmac is starting to crumble slightly though.

 

[figbat]

The council’s initial response may have played into your hands. One might be able to claim that they have implicitly agreed that the roads are in an unfit state.

”You should have looked where you were going”

”Why would I need to do that?“

”To avoid the potholes, obvs!”

”So you admit that the roads aren’t maintained to a reasonable standard? That the only way to navigate them safely needs care on my part?”

 

[Drago]

The carncil will come out with all sorts of flannel and claim all sorts of legal justification for not paying out - almost all of it will be flannel.

A less honest person might get a friend to report the pothole today, and then the victim can claim they hit the pothole in a couple of days time. However, such tactics are dishonest and I could't possibly countenance them, so don't let me catch you pulling off such a sneaky trick young man! It's quite alright for the councils to duck, dive and even outright fib, but not for victims to do the same.

 

[Smudge]

Its sadly a fact of life that roads are badly maintained these days. The council just dont have enough funds to properly deal with them. They can only do so much with the budgets they have.
More investment needs to be put into road maintenance, but that will only happen with higher taxes. Which people wont be happy with either.

 

[vickster]

How dare cyclists complain about the state of the roads? We don't pay road tax after all

 

[Drago]

I had a bit of a terse conversation on the phone a while ago with the lady from the highways dept at Poshshire Council.

"There's simply not enough money in the budget to repair every pothole quickly, Mr Farquhar."

To which I replied...

"Yet there's sufficient money in the budget for your company (Kier) to make a profit for its shareholders out of not repairing them quickly." You could have heard a pin drop.

 

[Globalti]

The fact that it was flooded is irrelevant. If it's deeper than 40mm and has already been notified, you have a case. You need to check for an existing report then go and take a photo with a tape measure then get a claim form to submit with your photo and repair bill.