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On my last training ride for the above event I came off on Howey lane in Frodsham. I hit a pot hole on the across carriage way speed bump, bent my (new) front wheel and spiralled across the road launching the bike into the air and on to an oncoming car who had slowed for the speed bump. I fell on my right side and rolled over releasing my legs from the cleats and catapulting the bike skywards. (probabaly at least a 9 for artistic interpretation) I was a bit bruised and bloodied, but hands and head OK - bike in bits. I am here to tell the tale and thankful for that
I am healing up but won't be on any bike for a week or so - but I took the bike into the shop and then got myself checked over by the doctor. I have reported the pothole on CTC's fix that hole site and notified all the insurance bodies. The doctor encouraged me to sue the council? I wondered if anyone had experience with this?
Frank
Unlucky Frank. There's plenty of good reading on the Internet about the subject of potholes and your chances of making a claim against the Council (who are legally obliged to keep the roads safe). If you haven't already done so, I'd go back to the scene and take a few photographs of the hole. You could place a familiar object in it for scale. Your case would be stronger if the hole has already been reported on the CTC website.
Good luck and hope to see you out on your bike soon.
Ditto Jed's advice Frank..get photos, lots..Just glad that your OK, bikes can be replaced, you can't.. be good and heal well..
Thanks for the tips - yes I have taken photos with my water bottle in the holes and the pothole has been logged on CTC fill that hole. Its reported as fixed - so I will return to the scene and have a look.
Thanks for you best wishes I am healing up but still sore. All the paperwork is a hassle but thankfully the bike was insured and so was the 3rd party liability through CTC membership (glad I took Sid Rimmer's advice 😀 and signed up)
Frank
How are you doin Frank?
I am back on the bike. Did a 32 mile leisure ride with my son - on his mountain bike (me that is. I have bought myself a new posher bike, with the insurance payout and am now ready to get back on the road bike. I am going to have a go with the CTC legal people about the pothole, which had previously been reported. Thanks very much for asking
cheers
Frank
Glad your out and about,
Fellow member Tony Booth has also had a off due to a pothole,[just over a week ago]
done his AC joint on his collar bone [ ? weeks off the bike] and wrote his bike off,, he too is going after the council/BT ...
get better soon Tony..
Nasty. Hope you're both back to 100% soon.
After being contacted by "the Brief from CTC" I collected up what he requested. Pictures of my wounds, pictures of the bike, pictures of the rut and potholes, pictures of the rut and potholes with rulers in them to show scale, a witness statement from a nearby resident to say the road repair was a disgrace. He rang today (after about 4 weeks)to say he could not help me, the hole was not big enough to affect a car.
I had sort of expected that if I am honest - I think to qualify as dangerous the hole needs to have its own ecosystem and be inhabited by man eating sharks! 🙂
Anyway I have learned that the hole really needs to be a monster and big enough to damage a car to have any chance of recompense. Jim suggested I post what the outcome was and so here it is
I was lucky - I am back on the bike and did not injury myself that badly (head and hands OK - back, backside, shoulders, knees and elbows all scuffed but no real lasting damage - some people pay for this sort of treatment I understand).
Good luck to all the other accidental pot holers
Frank
