Advice please - damaged my car on a speed hump :(

FiremanDave

The solid white line defines the edge of the carriageway, however there's also a kerb to do that. On one had he shouldn't have been over the white line but on the other he is entitled to use all of the road, kerb to kerb.

Daniel_san

Sadly not.
The humps are fine, nothing crazy at all. It's just the road being saggy on one side which has meant the car has dropped down on one side, resulting in it going bang and causing the damage

There are no signs saying you shouldn't use the additional road to drive on to pass cars, in fact it was a regular thing along the access roads.
If it isn't designed as additional roadway, why is the speed hump across the "footpath"? That wouldn't make any sense. Why isn't the "footpath" raised as a kerb and pathway? It wasn't a case of being impatient and not waiting for oncoming traffic to pass, as even that would still mean using the additional width.

Daniel_san

How many paths have speed humps? Are they to stop runaway prams?

Daniel_san

In my mind (and I bet 99% if not 100% of other park users), it's a roadway with a section for pedestrians to use and for drivers to observe that pedestrians use it. It's the only route in and out of the place, so everyone has to use it no matter how they are travelling.

FiremanDave

Daniel_san wrote: »

In my mind (and I bet 99% if not 100% of other park users), it's a roadway with a section for pedestrians to use and for drivers to observe that pedestrians use it. It's the only route in and out of the place, so everyone has to use it no matter how they are travelling.

It's a "road" of sorts so what's your point?

All the photos show a change in road surface either side of the speed bump. Whether it's a defect or repair is hard to say but why didn't you see that before you drove onto that part of the road?

Daniel_san

My point is, that it's clearly designed to be used exactly as I and other road users were, as a road with usable space for 2 cars to pass each other, and not as a single track road with pedestrian walkway that cars cannot use.

I don't recall thinking oh no look at the road, shock horror.....when approaching the hump, whilst allowing room for oncoming vehicles to pass, as I'd not sense any issue on approach. The road wasn't notably dipped or lower on approach. I went over the hump at a slow speed as I always do, so there really wasn't any way I could have avoided contacting the hump. From then on, I crossed it at an angle just to be sure.

AdrianC

Daniel_san wrote: »

My point is, that it's clearly designed to be used exactly as I and other road users were

The road markings tell you the exact opposite.

FiremanDave

AdrianC wrote: »

There are regulations in law as to the maximum size of speed bumps. Whilst they don't, legally, apply to private land, if the bumps are within the legal size, you're going to be hard-pressed to hold them responsible.

Again, on a public road, if you can prove the body responsible for the road was aware of damage to the road surface, they can be held responsible for damage caused to your car. If you can't, they aren't.

Ultimately, responsibility rests with the driver - and taking your car across an area marked as "no vehicles" puts the ball firmly in your court, since the owner of the road can say "Well, no, that area is not suitable for vehicles - and they were adequately warned."

Goodwill is your only hope.

I would say this applies.

They have marked at area for pedestrians to walk on which is where your car was damaged. As its not a road the common sense approach should be taken. The park have clearly marked the edge of the carriageway and you chose to drive over the line at your own risk causing damage. Had you remained within the lines it would have not occurred so your fault.

What do others think?

photome

AdrianC wrote: »

The road markings tell you the exact opposite.

Do they tell him exactly that? when have speed humps been put on footpaths

powerful_Rogue

Daniel_san wrote: »

My point is, that it's clearly designed to be used exactly as I and other road users were, as a road with usable space for 2 cars to pass each other, and not as a single track road with pedestrian walkway that cars cannot use.

The lines are used to mark the edge of a carriageway.

You can see from the pictures the condition of the surface is much poorer then that of the main carriageway.

Im pretty sure their response will be "We have clearly marked the carriageway for vehicles to drive on. The OP decided to cross the 'edge of carriageway' line and as such is responsible to the damage caused to his vehicle"