 Pothole induced damage
OK, so it's only to my car and not as potentially disasterous as it could be to someone on a bike.
BUT...
Driving Mrs Jools back from a hospital appointment today and took a back road home, just for a change more than anything. It's only a little country road, probably not even a B road, but still plenty wide enough for two cars to pass easily.
Anyway, driving gently down this little road doing no more than 30 mph and I drove through what looked like a puddle. Next thing I knew there was a huge crash from under the car as the left front wheel dropped into a pothole. It was violent enough to snatch the wheel out of my hands, it burst the front tyre (17" 45 profile x 245 - so not cheap) which was only a couple of months old, looks as if it could've done for my BBS split rim alloy and has wrenched the tracking out so that the car now pulls hard to the left.
I know the local highways agency is responsible for all adopted roads and I've read somewhere on this site about claiming the cost of the damage back from them - I'm gonna have to replace a tyre, get the tracking checked and I guess inspected for steering damage, get the wheel checked at least and possibly replaced - could be looking at what? £4-500?
Having to pay out that sort of wedge for something that's not my fault or responsibility p isses me right off - for the principle as much as the money
Surely the highways agency have a duty to keep the roads in a state of repair that doesn't rip cars to bits? Or am I p issing in the wind? |