Bad times, bad pot hole

[JamesR27]

Hit a pot hole last night in pitch black just as I came over a bridge and just did not see it at all. Have just checked the checked the car have a misshaped tyre. Surprisingly no marks on the alloys and can't see anything but if its done this damage to the tyre it might have damaged the alloy aswell



Just wondering about trying to make a claim on the council but not sure if I will get anywhere. Has anyone tried? any advice? As obviously its going to need a new tyre at least.

[dubber36]

In the time it would take you to try to claim against the Council, you could probably earn enough money to buy the new tyre anyway. Not worth the bother in my opinion.

[andyr]

Bad luck there James, not a good end to a year eh?!
As I understand it, if the pot hole has already been bought to the council's attention and not been dealt with, then your claim has more chance of success. That's not to say you would necessarily fail if they didn't have it on their records. Take some pictures of the pot hole to help with your claim, especially a 'ground level' shot with a ruler standing up in the deepest part of the hole to show the depth, that is of course if it's safe to do so!!
Do you have access to a free solicitor's service perhaps through your work (or union membership)? Might be worth a punt?

Explain to the council that although the wheel *looks* OK, it will obviously need an expert to test it to ensure safety etc.

Give it a go, you've got nothing to lose.
Good luck.

[mike.]

Bad new James, really annoying, just like the one I did a month after picking the car up.



New tyre was needed, they had only 3000 miles on them, but alloy was fine after checking on a balancing machine.

Tried the council with no luck, funnily enough the hole is now back in the road as bad as ever and has been for over 6 months.

[JonnyG]

Unlucky 

But it looks like you've got away with no damage to the alloy 

I'd check the inside of the rim too with a good light - and look for small cracks as well as any slight buckle

[ajmoir36]

That's such bad news.  I did successfully claim for two alloys and two Tyres £500 worth. It took three months I took photos of the hole wrote a letter to the council and included the photos from the hole and the damage to the wheels and tyres. They never paid as they didnt put the hole there. In the end a little man with a spade and a bucket paid as he was responsible for filling in the hole. It went to BT the Fujitsu Siemans then the man that fills the hole.  By the time it was done Kahn had changed the colour of the alloys and I couldn`t buy them ended up selling the other two on eBay for way less than £500.

[p3asa]

Here is a previous post I posted regarding the same thing. Like I've said below, I don't know if I could be bothered again but if everyone claimed then it would force them to do something about it.

**************************

http://www.potholes.co.uk/ has standard letters to send off.

I claimed off the council for my wrecked alloy / tyre about 8 years ago.
Took about 8 months with constant phoning / letter writing.
I eventually got all the money back but in that time I was running about with the spare on in case they wanted to see the damage in person.
Don't know if I could be bothered if it happened again due to the hassle but the more folk that badger them the more they are likely to act upon it.

If you do proceed, get pictures taken with a ruler measuring the depth, breadth and width.

This was part of my letter to the council!! The other pictures had my son with a steel rule showing depth etc.

[marcos]

iv just done the same on my x5 wheels, caused a awful vibration through the car! wheel is fine but tyre is goosed less than 500mile old aswel only £125 for a new one 

[JonnyG]

That 3rd Photo   

Nearly swallowed your car 

[ajmoir36]

Interesting that they are both dunlop tyres.