MSE News: Thousands make pothole damage claim 26 January 2015 at 1:49PM in Motoring 6 replies 1.6K views

Former_MSE_Helen

"Almost 50,000 drivers made claims against councils for damage caused to their vehicles by potholes in 2013/14..."

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Thousands make pothole damage claim



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gavrc

Fixing potholes puts me in mind of the classic involving barn doors and bolting horses.
Simply put many of our roads were constructed in a manner no longer appropriate for today's higher traffic volumes and vehicle weights. Thought needs to be given to a rolling replacement of roads to bring them up to a 21st century standard of quality and safety. Road surfaces, drainage and foundations all need modernised.

gav

Jillaroo

In principle I strongly disagree with claiming from local authorities for damage caused by driving into potholes. It is our responsibility to drive appropriately to the road conditions - that means being observant, driving at appropriate speed, and avoiding potholes. I detest today's 'blame and claim' culture where few seem willing to take responsibility for their actions and expect someone else to pay for their mistakes or carelessness, I also think it immoral of MSE to promote the practice. You've lost some of my goodwill, Martin Lewis.

Jimx26

Jillaroo wrote: »

In principle I strongly disagree with claiming from local authorities for damage caused by driving into potholes. It is our responsibility to drive appropriately to the road conditions - that means being observant, driving at appropriate speed, and avoiding potholes. I detest today's 'blame and claim' culture where few seem willing to take responsibility for their actions and expect someone else to pay for their mistakes or carelessness, I also think it immoral of MSE to promote the practice. You've lost some of my goodwill, Martin Lewis.

Cool story....

A._Badger

I'm no fan of 'blame and clam', either but the fact is that motorists are taxed to the teeth and council tax payers forced into penury in some cases to pay bloated charges for what are, certainly in the rural area where I live, negligible services.

Most councils seem to be able to find the money for non-essentials when it suits them (often political hobby horses of one kind or another) and yet neglect a vital, statutory, duty - to maintain safe roads.

In my area, some surfaces are so bad that I am amazed motorcyclists haven't been killed by the 9"- 1' deep potholes which scar the roads.

Perhaps instead of suing the council, tax payers should be able to sue councillors. It might tear them away from their council provided iPads and generous 'expenses' for long enough to do the jobs they were elected to do.

matttye

Jillaroo wrote: »

In principle I strongly disagree with claiming from local authorities for damage caused by driving into potholes. It is our responsibility to drive appropriately to the road conditions - that means being observant, driving at appropriate speed, and avoiding potholes. I detest today's 'blame and claim' culture where few seem willing to take responsibility for their actions and expect someone else to pay for their mistakes or carelessness, I also think it immoral of MSE to promote the practice. You've lost some of my goodwill, Martin Lewis.

Not all potholes are easily visible or avoidable. Sometimes they're just around bends or on bends.

You can only claim from the council if they've been negligent in some way, eg. If they have ignored reports of a pothole or have somehow been negligent in their road maintenance procedures. You can't just claim from them willy nilly.

6_6_6

Jillaroo wrote: »

In principle I strongly disagree with claiming from local authorities for damage caused by driving into potholes. It is our responsibility to drive appropriately to the road conditions - that means being observant, driving at appropriate speed, and avoiding potholes. I detest today's 'blame and claim' culture where few seem willing to take responsibility for their actions and expect someone else to pay for their mistakes or carelessness, I also think it immoral of MSE to promote the practice. You've lost some of my goodwill, Martin Lewis.

The local authority has an obligation to maintain safe roads, where is the motivation for that without financial penalty and accountability. Your argument that if you didn't see a pothole its your fault is lamentable garbage of the highest order. Tantamount to rounding up all claimants and doing them for driving without due care.

To think people with such messed up views might be in posistions of power or influence, is horrifying.