Pothole Damage

[Scania]

I've got over 15 years experience, most of it in the North where damaged roads seem to be fairly common and I've always managed to avoid them. Picking them out from a distance is a skill you need to have up here if you want to keep up a reasonable speed. Being slightly more cautious after the sort of weather that seems to damage the roads also makes sense.

My main problem is wanting someone else to blame rather than taking responsibility for your own actions.

I've got plenty of experience too, in plenty of northern places also,enough to know damn well that a hole like one in the OP could easily be mistaken for a large puddle, especially in the dark on an unlit road! If you think that's a skill, good for you. This is the UK, not some 3rd world country without road repair budgets, the OP had every right to expect either a puddle or cones & warning signs.
It had been reported, the responsible authority should have at least put warning signs up if not repairing it altogether.
I would not like to have hit that in an HGV, never mind a car.

 

[Richie]

I've got over 15 years experience, most of it in the North where damaged roads seem to be fairly common and I've always managed to avoid them. Picking them out from a distance is a skill you need to have up here if you want to keep up a reasonable speed. Being slightly more cautious after the sort of weather that seems to damage the roads also makes sense.

My main problem is wanting someone else to blame rather than taking responsibility for your own actions.

Given that you are the only person in the entire thread attaching the blame solely on the driver (OP) and everyone else saying otherwise, holding on to your viewpoint is staggering

 

[Matt82]

tbh at 7" im surprised the damage isnt a lot worse, it did fire the airbag afterall

looking at slightly more worse case, you could be looking at bent arms or even subframes

 

[SaBBz]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I was travelling somewhere between 40 and 50 when I hit the pothole (there is a 30 limit just down the road which I was slowing for), and apart from the airbags going off I was quite surprised that the suspension didn't look bent! It wasn't until I was about 5m away from the hole that I saw the 'lip' and realised it was a pothole, and by then it was too late.

I was told the designated garage would contact me today, but I guess they are currently shut as I didn't get a call and nobody answered when I called this afternoon. Fingers crossed they're open before the new year!

I've received the claim form via email from Buckinghamshire County Council, but need to know what my losses etc are before sending it off - obviously this will need to wait until the car has been looked over. Does anyone know if all insurance companies leave the driver to claim against the council for damage caused by a pothole? I do have legal cover, but Admiral don't seem to be bothered about chasing the council on my behalf.

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

Christ dude that's huge, sorry to hear about the write off too

Good to hear you've got the claim forms ready, await the local garage and see what the repair costs are. Would this also then put the car into class C/D territory?

The claim from the council will be to get you back to where you were before their lax road repairs? Is it possible to have a class C/D marker removed?

As for the legal cover I wouldn't think you need it unless the council say no and then you can push a bit harder with your legal cover?

 

[SaBBz]

Just been on the phone to Admiral again, and they are going to pursue the claim for me after I emphasised just how big the hole is. I've now sent them the claim form I received from Bucks CC, along with about 10 photos of the car and the hole. I have also given them the details of the two police officers and the crime reference number. Hopefully that should be enough for Bucks CC to admit liability and pay out.

Now I guess I just need to keep my fingers crossed that I'll get the 2 years no claims back at some point down the line. This will certainly make me think about having protected no claims in the future.

 

[rexehuk]

Just been on the phone to Admiral again, and they are going to pursue the claim for me after I emphasised just how big the hole is. I've now sent them the claim form I received from Bucks CC, along with about 10 photos of the car and the hole. I have also given them the details of the two police officers and the crime reference number. Hopefully that should be enough for Bucks CC to admit liability and pay out.

That sounds like excellent news! You've done everything by the book by the sounds of it... I'm sure once it hits the Council they will fold and pay. You did well getting as much photos etc as you could.

 

[kiel367]

lucky you didn't injure yourself in the English grand canyon!! hopefully the lazy council will get a shove up the backside to fix the roads locally to where this happened

 

[marshallman05]

Everyone blaming the OP for this is dam right out of order. Imagine if it had knocked the car off course and he had careered into the hedge and hit a tree ? 100% the councils fault and if they fail to admit liability I would certainly take them to small claims court as that cannot be classed as a 'pothole' its a whacking great crater !

 

[kiel367]

Everyone blaming the OP for this is dam right out of order. Imagine if it had knocked the car off course and he had careered into the hedge and hit a tree ? 100% the councils fault and if they fail to admit liability I would certainly take them to small claims court as that cannot be classed as a 'pothole' its a whacking great crater !

indeed, the muppets blaming the driver dont actually know the facts, only the driver/passengers wouldve known that, going over that mahoooosive hole would cause any car damage at over say for instance.....30mph, unless some of these people are in their 4x4's lording it over all the rest of us

 

[mark66]

Good work getting the photo's with the Police, I would have thought that would give lots of substance to any claim. How come they attended out of interest?

As for whether the council already knew about it, check the Bucks CC website where they list them: http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/ea_report_problem.page

Case 44973 shows one just outside Cublington, added by the council on the 24/12/12.

Good luck with your claim!

 

[PinkFloyd]

That's an insane pothole :/
Hope the council pay for that, it's shocking that they haven't already done something about that.

 

[Edinho]

indeed, the muppets blaming the driver dont actually know the facts, only the driver/passengers wouldve known that, going over that mahoooosive hole would cause any car damage at over say for instance.....30mph, unless some of these people are in their 4x4's lording it over all the rest of us

While blaming the driver for the pothole being there is daft. I still think that part of the responsibility is on the driver. Roads have been getting worse over the last 4-5 years and I know i am always looking out for them. Put it this way I bet he doesn't hit another pothole like this again. Lesson learnt.

 

[SaBBz]

Good work getting the photo's with the Police, I would have thought that would give lots of substance to any claim. How come they attended out of interest?

I called the police as my car was stuck in the middle of the carriageway and I couldn't move it. I also mentioned the pothole and said that it needed to be marked to stop other cars suffering the same fate as mine!

While blaming the driver for the pothole being there is daft. I still think that part of the responsibility is on the driver. Roads have been getting worse over the last 4-5 years and I know i am always looking out for them. Put it this way I bet he doesn't hit another pothole like this again. Lesson learnt.

To be honest, I do keep a look out for potholes as both the 330i and my girlfriend's Z4 have pretty stiff suspension. I think this must be the first pothole I've hit for years, even though we had absolutely loads around this way in 2010. I didn't see this one until the very last second and couldn't avoid it.

 

[scousegit]

was your car the only one effected do you know? or did anyone else end up getting taken out by this monster of a hole.

 

[Housey]

That is one hell of a crater, unlucky.

 

[eatcustard]

It will probably not be a council road, but the Highways agency road.

 

[Gribs]

Given that you are the only person in the entire thread attaching the blame solely on the driver (OP) and everyone else saying otherwise, holding on to your viewpoint is staggering

It's surprised me so perhaps I am in the wrong on this, though I've got used to roads being in poor condition so drive accordingly.

 

[apeksdiver]

It's surprised me so perhaps I am in the wrong on this, though I've got used to roads being in poor condition so drive accordingly.

Do you drive a 4x4 by any chance?

 

[Gribs]

Do you drive a 4x4 by any chance?

Nope, hate the things. Current car is in the sig, but had a couple of Mondeo's and a 200sx in the last few years. I do prefer stuff with suspension that works though and really don't understand the modern desire for "sports" suspension that's slower on normal roads.