Reporting road spills?

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longers

Legendary Member
It's not something I've come across before and don't remember seeing it on here.

I came across two patches of oil or diesel on my ride to work today. This stuff was slippy as my back wheel stepped out on one of them.

Who would be best notified about these? Local council or Police? Would they do anything about them?
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Not sure if they would do anything, but worth reporting to Highways Dept in the Council - they may sand it.

I came off on spilt dairy produce - kid you not....... coming down off the Cat and Fiddle on a hot day (just shorts and top), doing at least 30, saw some white stuff trailed along the road - hit a patch on a corner and was off........ 6 inch square patch removed from my arse - no hair grows their any more.......:biggrin: I reported it though as it was lethal, whether anything was done, I don't know.
 

Maz

Guru
I think I'd tell the council about it.
I did just this about a water leak. No big deal to motorists, so they'd be unlikely to inform the council, but come the big freeze and it would've turned into a sheet of ice.

...then sue them for damages if you have a fall!
 

goo_mason

Champion barbed-wire hurdler
Location
Leith, Edinburgh
Do councils have any duty to grit the shared NCN cyclepaths / routes ? And could I sue them if I fell off and damaged myself & my bike after having reported the problem and asking them to grit it before someone has an accident ?

Just curious....
 

gambatte

Middle of the pack...
Location
S Yorks
Jacomus-rides-Gen said:
E-mail to the local Police force is step 1. They will arange for it to be cleared up.

Hopefully....

Someone decided to cut the fuel lines on a diesel Carlton I used to have. I'd just filled up £50 worth of diesel (at prices 10 years ago!) all over the road. Reported the vandalism to police and mentioned the spill. They said contact the firebrigade.

No one came out
 

LLB

Guest
I've dialled 999 before now. Diesel spill can kill. they are indiscriminate of their targets. All are at risk who pass over them. They must attend if they have been notified - dereliction of duty and all that
 

John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
goo_mason said:
Do councils have any duty to grit the shared NCN cyclepaths / routes ? And could I sue them if I fell off and damaged myself & my bike after having reported the problem and asking them to grit it before someone has an accident ?

Not sure of the legalities Goo - Cheshire County Council do give their priorities for gritting/salting, and say of cycleways;
Cycleways are salted where they form part of the 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometres) of salted roads. Footpaths alongside carriageways and other cycleways are not treated except where frosty/icy conditions last for several days. Footpaths and cycleways may then be treated when we have the capacity to do it.

(From http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/gritting/)
They prioritise A roads, roads leading to hospitals, schools, emergency services locations etc, which seems fair enough.


It might be worth looking up the info for your local borough - I'd imagine you get ice more often than we do down here.
 

02GF74

Über Member
yep council or police. in the past I reported escaped sheep and stolen drain covers!!

the worst case was when a lorry carrying sugar collided with one carry strawberries that I reported before it caused a jam.
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
Supposedly diesel spills are dealt with, too may motorcyclists get into serious grief, enough people now sue to focus minds
 
OP
OP
longers

longers

Legendary Member
I had a good look at both patches today and the rain we've had seems to have washed them clean. I guess next time I'll tell both council and police to be on the safe side.
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
it's most dangerous when it's fresh laid but thereafter it sinks into the tarmac, when it rains it floats up again, that's when it does the rainbows, nothing like a s dangerous then
 
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