Just wondered if anyone does… I read this story and although its a cyclist, not a motorcyclist he got 6K for a pothole having him off.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford_messenger/news/2010/january/20/pothole_payout.aspx
I think I read of a motorcyclist successfuly suing a Council just recently.
Apparently you have to prove negligence by the Council (read “Highway Authority”) and the best way of doing that is to find evidence that they failed to act when the pothole was reported to them.
This guy used the Freedom of Information laws quite cunningly and got a list of all potholes reported to the Council in the last six months and found “his” pothole had been reported twice.
I hit one in the car on tuesday and it has caused a vibration from the wheel now. Was actually thinking about claiming that from the local council. There are loads around my way at the moment, mind you it does look like someone has been filling them in with tarmac, but not all of them mind.
i know people that have claimed for wheels before being damaged by potholes.
Same thing happened on my way home on the Leighton Buzzard Road towards Hemel, it was pitch black and I hit a pothole it yanked the steering out of my hand to the left. I thought it had ripped the tyre off but didn’t, though it caused me to have a flat once I got home and the flippin wheel is all marked and scratched. 
I had the same this morning and reported it to the Bucks Council, they gave me a reference number and will send out a form, but he told me immediately that there is no guarantee to get some money for the tyre back and if yes, it could take some month 
Greetz Carsten
well the recent snow falls will give you loads of ‘opportunities’ to claim!! :pinch:
yeah it all stands on whether they knew about it first or not. they can claim ignorance.
Would it be immoral tio get a mate to report it one day and you to make a report two days later? Yes, I’m sure it would and quite possibly illegal.
Ummm… isn’t hitting a pothole pretty much a failure on the rider’s part to see where the **** they are going? And how would that be the councils fault? Yes, they are crap at maintaining their roads, but you live in Lontdon, this should hardly be news.
If you can’t make out a detail like a pothole in time to avoid it you are going too fast for the lighting conditions.
Just sayin’. This USA style “if there’s a blame there’s a claim” compensation culture is spreading to the UK surely. Take some personal responsibility people.
yes because a pot hole filled with water at night with rain coming down is the riders fault.
ps I personnally dont mind lawsuits like this if it will make councils actually do the job I pay council tax for them to do.
If I rode slow enough to avoid every pothole in London I’d be overtaken by mobility karts!! :w00t:
Just logged three on the tfl site, thanks for the reminder.
I hit one two years ago in my BMW took a tyre out and a front wheel, £900 for the wheel £200 for the tyre. Never got anywhere claiming as I had to prove negligence. so gave up.
I logged 3 last year and they were all repaired within days. Now I know why. 