I am not a happy man.

Travelling towards Bromyard on the Stourport-Bromyard road (B4203) early this morning (still dark). I met a relatively wide lorry so was not as close to the middle of the road as usual (though still on normal road surface). I went through a massive pot hole in the road, which made a massive bang. I knew immediately that it had done damage.

Pictures of the pot hole follow:

1) http://dev.twixcoding.com/ed/alloy_wheel_damage_01feb09/100_1755.JPG

2) http://dev.twixcoding.com/ed/alloy_wheel_damage_01feb09/100_1754.JPG

3) http://dev.twixcoding.com/ed/alloy_wheel_damage_01feb09/100_1753.JPG

4) http://dev.twixcoding.com/ed/alloy_wheel_damage_01feb09/100_1752.JPG

5) http://dev.twixcoding.com/ed/alloy_wheel_damage_01feb09/100_1751.JPG

6) http://dev.twixcoding.com/ed/alloy_wheel_damage_01feb09/100_1749.JPG

I got home later today, removed the wheel from my car and discovered a substantial dent in the inside edge of my alloy wheel.

Photos of damage to the wheel:

1) http://dev.twixcoding.com/ed/alloy_wheel_damage_01feb09/100_1745.JPG

2) http://dev.twixcoding.com/ed/alloy_wheel_damage_01feb09/100_1746.JPG

3) http://dev.twixcoding.com/ed/alloy_wheel_damage_01feb09/100_1747.JPG

We rang the non-emergency police phone number and reported the incident so that the hole can be coned off to prevent this from happening to anyone else. I've got a reference number for the phone call and am hoping this will help my case with the council:

I'm hoping to be able to reclaim the money it will cost me to repair this from the council - any advice on any of the following points would be greatly appreciated:

1) Is the damage to this alloy wheel repairable?

2) If not, how much am I looking at for a replacement alloy wheel? I'm assuming I would need to buy a new one or at least one off a Skoda dealer to prove the cost of the wheel? Otherwise I would buy a wheel from a member on here...

3) Has anyone else ever had a similar claim against the council, in which case were you successful, and have you any advice about how to proceed?

EDIT: I've found this claim procedure document:

http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/docs/Transport/Highway_Claim_Procedure.pdf

Thanks,

Ed

Edited 1 February, 200917 yr by yegnold

My headteacher is selling his TT to buy a landrover because of that exact road!

Mum claimed for a punctured tyre from a pothole off Kent County Council when we lived down there so I'd push it. Thats bad road maintenance! Or tell them you want that portion of your council tax deducting for the year as they are clearly ****ing that bit up in the pub on a friday instead of fixing roads with it

Unless there is a crack, which I can't see, it is pretty easily repairable. I have repaired wheels like that at least 5 times. You just have to find tire fitters with the proper hydraulic equipment and skills to do it. 15 mins and the wheel will look as if nothing happened.

At the same time purchase the tax disc holder down this page.

Volkswagen Stickers - Replacement Decals, VW Discontinued Decals, VW Stickers.

that would almost definitely be an mot faliure because it causes the tyre to be out of shape..

I'm rolling on the spare at the moment, but am ignoring the 50mph speed limit on it - I see it as a perfectly rigid steel wheel with the same rolling radius as the other wheels so why the limit? :S

I'm rolling on the spare at the moment, but am ignoring the 50mph speed limit on it - I see it as a perfectly rigid steel wheel with the same rolling radius as the other wheels so why the limit? :S

firstly becasue the wheels dont weigh the same amount so you get uneven cornering forces, and second because it's a spare it will have a unidirectional tyre on it which is probably different to the other tyres on your car

I think a lot of it will depend on whether the council have been negligent. If the pothole appeared in the last day or so, due to the freezing weather then you'll have less luck with your claim than if it's been there for weeks and others have reported it.

Good luck!

Thanks, I'll bear that in mind. I might borrow my parents' spare wheel and run on 2 spares so that the two wheels on the front are the same...

You are lucky to have only damaged one wheel.

When it happened to me, I had both ns wheels and tyres damaged.

At least my wheels stayed in shape, even if there is rim damage.....

Thats a pretty big hole in the road.

Im sure you'll have a claim against them.

You pay your tax so they should be fixing the roads.

firstly becasue the wheels dont weigh the same amount so you get uneven cornering forces, and second because it's a spare it will have a unidirectional tyre on it which is probably different to the other tyres on your car

Not all of them do- my Fabia had 5 identical non directional Conti SC 2s on. I ignored the speed limit sticker- this has come up here a few times and general opinion is that it is *in case* there's a directional fitted.

[searches]

I asked the question some time ago.

There's a lot of nasty potholes at the moment.

I've successfully claimed against my local council a few years ago.

The wheel looks repairable- a good refurber will be able to do it.

Also check the suspension and driveshafts- I've had a CV boot knocked off by a biggish impact before now.

Edited 1 February, 200917 yr by ColinD

Don't the hatches come with proper spares?

Cos my estate came with a full size alloy wheel for a spare which is the same as the others on the car.

Might be worth taking some pics of the pot hole with a ruler / tape measure in it, or some object of known size.

Try to show width, length and depth.

Do it fairly quickly too - I've heard its not unusual for quick repairs to be done so that the evidence disappears once they have a claim.

Oh - and feel free to use tags next time :P

Keep an eye on the tyre, too. I was forced into a similar pothole (in roadworks on the M8). At first it seemed like I'd got away with it, as the alignment was fine. Then, a couple of weeks later, the steering started feeling "weird" and, lo and behold, the tyre sidewall was bulging all over the shop. New tyre time.

The wheel is fixable, however claiming off the council will depend on a number of factors. The most important being, that the pothole must have already been reported as being in the road. Once reported they have a set time to fix it, if they dont then you can claim for damage. If the hole has not been noted or reported, then they will be unaware it existed so the claim will fail because of this.

I know its a big hole, but it could of appeared at anytime including over the weekend or the last few weeks. The council dont survery every mile of road weekly and you maybe suprised to know that they rely on members of the public to report the holes. I have reported quiet a few, and they get filled within 24 hrs mostly.

Keep an eye on the tyre, too. I was forced into a similar pothole (in roadworks on the M8). At first it seemed like I'd got away with it, as the alignment was fine. Then, a couple of weeks later, the steering started feeling "weird" and, lo and behold, the tyre sidewall was bulging all over the shop. New tyre time.

Personally, i would replace it regardless. It has probably been weakened.

Pot Holes & the general V poor state of our roads, really P!$$es me off. You have to Weave every where & map out the Potholes in your mind, Once you have encountered them..

Soon we will all have to change to 4x4's to be able to get about..

Sorry about your Wheel & Good luck in claiming. Get your Alignment checked also & bill them for that if your successful..

Dean

Councils have a 'duty of care' to inspect and maintain the public highway. Usually this means annual or biannual inspections dependent on the councils chosen regime. If you can prove (local witness statements maybe) that the hole has been in existence for more than six months, or ascertain that that the council have inspected the road whilst it has been in existence and failed to repair it (they are unlikely to tell you this), or that it has been reported more than 7 days ago and they have neglected to repair then you have a case. Their insurers will deny liability, they always do. The council will deny liability, they always do. Keep on at them and threaten to go to the papers and write to your MP and they may bend. I managed to successfully claim for a wheel, tire and geometry alignment in similar circumstances, but I also had a witness whom had documental evidence of reporting the pothole, as well as letters to papers, council and highways dept. You also need to go back before the hole is filled and photograph it again with a method of scale to show the dimensions.

On a side note, remember your driving lessons ! Correct position for normal road driving is 1m from the kerb. If you need to go closer then 'less space / less speed'. These two fundamentals may have lessened or avoided the damage.

Thanks to all who've offered advice here.

Question now is; is it worth my time if I'm unable to prove that the pot hole has been there for more than seven days despite knowing it has been? Should I just stomach the fact that stuff like this happens and pay up for the repair and continue with life?

I suppose a secondhand wheel and transfer the tire over would be the cheapest option, assuming the tire is undamaged. Plenty of sets of vRS alloys appear for sale on here, you could end up with three spares for the price of one wheel from Skoda.

The same thing happened to me recently. The tyre was also a write off. A new rim is around £155.00. I bought a couple of good wheels from another member so I have a spare for next time.Don't try getting it repaired/bodged it's your safety at stake. My tyres were all due for replacement so I had four new kumho's fitted, they are just as good as the previous michelins at less than half the price.

I know its a big hole, but it could of appeared at anytime including over the weekend or the last few weeks. The council dont survery every mile of road weekly and you maybe suprised to know that they rely on members of the public to report the holes. I have reported quiet a few, and they get filled within 24 hrs mostly.

I dont suppose you know who we should report this to? As much as its annoying, we cant really expect the council to inspect every road every week.

Report it to your council highways department. If it is over a certain size/depth they are obliged to repair it within seven days, after which anyone else suffering damage has a right to claim compensation as they have neglected their duty of care.

Bradford council admitted that they don't have enough money to repair all their substandard roads due to paying out so much compensation to owners of damaged cars. Catch 22. Reap what you sow !