Local Gritters

AtreuS · 31 Jan 2010 at 12:28

So basicly just because the gritter is council owned that means the driver is immune from criminal damage prosecution?

( sounds daft but if someone had damaged your car in any other way it would be classed as criminal damage most likely, so how come gritter trucks are immune? they should have a maximum speed limiter to prevent grit bounce. I have been on the bad end of a speeding gritter truck in an old company van a few years back and i know just how much paint and windscreen damage they can do )

Pudney · 31 Jan 2010 at 12:49

AtreuS said:
So basicly just because the gritter is council owned that means the driver is immune from criminal damage prosecution?

Yes that is daft. It would be something that should be covered under the councils Public Liability insurance.

real · 31 Jan 2010 at 12:56

Settleddown said:
Did you drive under the gritter or something??? I find it hard to see how you can get som many chips from a gritter by just driving past.

I find it hard to believe why you would doubt it is possible. Hundreds of little pieces of grit being spread and swept around if the truck is traveling quickly. The same happened to a friend's car whilst I was a passenger- completely covered the bonnet in chips.

Take photos of the location showing the freshly gritted road as well as your vehicle. Then write to the insurance section of your local authority with all the details and evidence. However I doubt you will get very far unless you happen to find an independent witness...

m4cc45 · 31 Jan 2010 at 13:18

I drove past one on the motor way - it wasn't spraying and was in the middle lane - as I went past at about 60 mph it turned on and sprayed the entire side of the car - havent had a look yet but I guess I'm not gonna be happy.

M.

Lopéz · 31 Jan 2010 at 13:25

Tizzer said:
Its hard to believe I know, but i guess it was because he was speeding so they bounced.

On a 60mph road a 7.5 tonne grit truck fully loaded hasn't really got much opportunity to be speeding, surely?

Gribs · 31 Jan 2010 at 13:32

Tizzer said:
Its hard to believe I know, but i guess it was because he was speeding so they bounced.

It wouldn't have been speeding in a nsl. They have tacho's and are limited so it's fairly unlikely it was doing more than 50mph.

[TBR]MadMark · 31 Jan 2010 at 13:51

Write to the council and explain what happened and where, inc photos of the damage etc. A similar thing happened to me 12 yrs ago, I was travelling on a A road and met a gritter travelling in the opposite direction he showered my car with grit the bonnet of my RS turbo was badly chipped as was the front bumper. I wrote and complained and a chap from the council came and inspected the damage, I also showed him quotes for the repair costs. A few weeks later i received a letter saying that the damage would be paid for in full. So try and see what happens.

typk · 31 Jan 2010 at 14:50

Surely when they are gritting they are only meant to go a certain speed?

[TBR]MadMark · 31 Jan 2010 at 17:40

Tizzer said:
Surely when they are gritting they are only meant to go a certain speed?

If I remember correctly (It was a while ago when I claimed for my damage) a gritter should not exeed 30mph.

dovey · 1 Feb 2010 at 05:27

I've just fallen victim of this. Going down a nsl road tonight I was doing bang on 60 when a gritter going the opposite way showered my car in it, cant really see the damage as it was dark but there appeared to be many scratches all over the windscreen. The gritter was going way faster than 30 and didn't have its yellow warning/hazard light on, it looked like a normal truck to me as I approached so I had no time to slow down. What would be the best way to go about complaining?