Pot hole blamed for death of cyclist.

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BSRU

A Human Being
Location
Swindon
How can a two year old road become so potholed?
 

gambatte

Middle of the pack...
Location
S Yorks
"There were no complaints about the accident location before this accident."


Prompted me to report a road deformity, through 'fillthathole'
 
But a monthly visual inspection of the road in the previous January had not picked up any defects in the area

I was told the same thing after I came off after hitting a pothole and was shown a piece of paper to prove that the road had been inspected before my accident, anybody with a computer and a printer could produce that and I really don't believe the council goes around looking for potholes
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Crazy isn't it.

I complained about a particular section of road for a number of years - it eventually was re-surfaced under a general road improvement scheme , but prior to that it was lethal - it meant riding primary to avoid the holes on a 40 mph road. They were never filled in despite numerous 'reports'.
 

compo

Veteran
Location
Harlow
I was told the same thing after I came off after hitting a pothole and was shown a piece of paper to prove that the road had been inspected before my accident, anybody with a computer and a printer could produce that and I really don't believe the council goes around looking for potholes

I don't know about now but back in the 1960's I worked for a council and I was paid to walk the Borough looking for bad pavements, pot holes, street lamp defects and play equipment in parks, and anything faulty the council was responsible for. I had a schedule of so many streets per day. I would report the faults, the relevant department would then take up the matter. It was a fantastic job, but other things intervened and I had to quit.
 

compo

Veteran
Location
Harlow
I am close to the Essex/Herts border. I always know when I leave Essex and enter Hertfordshire. The roads in Herts are absolutely disgusting. Essex are not all brilliant, but they are in comparison to Hertfordshire. I have reported a number of dangerous defects but even up to a year or more later they are still untouched. If I was a Hertfordsire tax payer I would be asking questions about where my taxes are being spent.
 
A terribly sad story. Awful for the bereaved, for the other riders with the cyclist and for the driver who collided with him.

I don't ride in larger groups any more, but even in twos and threes it can be tricky to spot and miss every pothole. That's even with a good pointer at the front.

There have been potholes since I first turned a wheel on the highway. I don't know the details of this case beyond what was in the news report, but in general I think people can be quite harsh on the authorities.

When I'm going for speed, I ride a nicey-nicey alloy/carbon road bike with wheels made of warm solder and eggshells. There are roads I avoid when I'm on it, just as the drivers of some penis-substitute supercars avoid sleeping policemen and high kerbs.

I take a fatalistic view that road surfaces wear out and that unless we are all happy to pay 70% income tax with no allowances, they will not get filled/repaired too quickly.

None of which takes anything away from the grief this event will have caused. But it's not crazy; it's just real life.
 

gambatte

Middle of the pack...
Location
S Yorks
It seems that generally Authorities, whether it be plod or council are reactive, rather than proactive and even then prone to short-term action.
The road I live on was reported via fillthathole several times. It got repaired several times...with a cold rolled tarmac. It only lasted weeks, if not days. Eventually it was resurfaced, I guess they realised how much they were being prompted to spend by the regular reporting?
The local school had the usual p*** poor parking by parents. Complaints to council and plod had both of them saying it was the others responsibility. 18 months later a 2 year old was knocked down, hospitalised - and miraculously police and council turned up for the next few weeks handing out tickets.
A bit of time passes and the situation's back to how it was, till the next kids knocked down.
Beats me though how many people don't want to complain to the right people. They'll moan amongst their mates ands neighbours but not approach those whose job it is to address it.
 
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