Didn’t make it back to London this weekend … had a major overheating problem in my van and had to limp back up north. But there are consolations…
I have a place near a 24 hr Asda (its my pantry really) and jumped in my car to get some bits. On route I noticed in my headlights, quite a big tell tale slick down the middle of the road. I followed it for just short of a mile, thru four roundabouts to a bus terminal near Asda where it ended in a big puddle, no lead off. I parked up and stuck a finger in it. It was thick oil.
Back in the motor and 999 on the phone to the local plod while I drove out to see if there was any other hazard. I picked up the trail again. Just as bad … after another quarter mile down the road and two roundabouts (and a junction) I came across a disable Stagecoach bus with a black, single bed sized puddle under it. Bingo !!!
Already talking to the Police I was able to give all the details and asked them to contact the council to get an emergency crew out. This was a clear and present danger to bikers, worse because it was dark. I got a log number.
I regularly call these things in and have been unhappy with the results, this time I had one bang to rights, so I rang the council myself not really expecting a reply at 9pm on a Sat night but the automated switchboard put me thru to an emergency operator. Gave them the details and they said they would send a crew out who could put sand down but if it needed proper cleaning the contractors went home a dinner time Sat.
Never saw the Cops but later the Council had been out and they had indeed sanded half the slick and the puddle with dry sand. It had stuck to the oil where it caught it but the rest presented an equally hazardous surface on a dry freezing cold night. There were kids about on 'peds but hopefully most bikers were sensibly at home.
Today the sand had blown away mostly. In places the oil still moved under the sand.
Come Monday I’m going to be ripping into Council and in turn they will pass a big bill onto Stagecoach. If it hurts them enough in the pocket they will make sure it can’t happen again. The bus driver said he was fed up of telling them. Profit rules.
Last winter i reported a water leak to the water board. This water leak was on a small roundabout where the water was going across one side of the road.
Not 2 days later i was riding along the same road at 6am on a freezing cold morning when up ahead i saw blue flashing lights and i thought oh no not a biker. When i got to the blue flashing lights it was the police, ambulance and a fire engine in the roundabout. There was a car on it`s roof in a ditch full of water. I stopped and asked to speak to the officer in charge. I told the officer that i rang the water board about this and told them that if it froze it would be dangerous or even fatal to a biker or a car driver, the officer took my detailsand said that they will make some calls once they have delt with the car.In the car was a woman trapped with water coming into the car and the fireman were trying to put the car back up right.
On my way home i went past the roundabout and saw that the leak was delt with and stopped and i went into the police staion to ask if the woman in the car was alright. The officer said she is in hospital and wiil be fine which was great news. I said to the officer that if this came to court i would be willing to give evidence against the water board and he said they will contact me if they needed me. Which so far they haven`t called.
This makes me SO ANGRY that it takes an accident for them to act on it.
Approaching a roundabout one day, looking right braking slightly, ready to stop if necessary I suddenly found myself looking at the sceneary sideway amid the sound of grinding plastic. On inspection, I found a large triangular piece of board that for all the world had looked like a sign painted on the road … save it moved … easily. Culprit long gone. No recourse. Self funded repair or increased premium after the excess. With diesel or oil whatever there is a transferable responsibility.
It would be great if London Biker or Kill Spills actually could set up and raise the funding to run a proper hotline for all spills that can cause an accident. Once its reported, a victim has a checkable resource. If its on record and the allowed tiome has lapsed the authority is responsible for any damage or injury. Phone the Police, ask for Council to be notified, report log number and details to hazards record site. I’d pay for info like that if I dropped my bike on someone else’s sh*t.
If you spot something and report it as an hazard, the authorities have a set time to respond. As soon as they are aware of it they have a DUTY OF CARE to make it safe. There is an old precedent set in Donohue v … which sets the case law.
By getting a log number from the police makes them responsible. They don’t want sueing so they will pass it on to the Council, Water Authority etc.
If you hadn’t come across the accident on the roundabout the victim (or Police) may never have known it had been reported and the Water Authority ‘damage control’ lawyers perhaps may have avoided even having to pay a penny denying all knowledge.
If any authority is stung for a large pay out and legal bill they sure as hell will respond lightning quick in future to avoid the penalty (as opposed to saving lives.) After my off, in the first paragraph) I always phone it in and follow up. Makes me a trouble making SOB in the Councils eyes but hey what the hell, might be my buddy who gets hurt. I’d like to think, people would look out for me the same. The point is … to get the hazard moved and save lives, our lives.
Same goes for big potholes etc, phone it in get a log number and keep your ears open until some one puts up a hazard site recorded log.
Having a call log number either from the police or council, this gives you some clout should an accident occur as a result of non attendance by the above or if an accident occurs at the same location. Your log number could be used to assist someone with a claim they may have with the said council, insurance or if they are going higher, the police.
Well done for reporting - And fortunate to witness the culprits. Because of the compensation culture UK has become, council and other authorities will be forced to step their game up! I reported cement powder and un-split bags on a local dual carriagway, obviously fallen from a lorry/van. The rain was just starting with traffic already swerving out of the way. The council called me 20 minutes later advising that an emergency crew are on scene…later that night, you would know anything was there!!
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