Speed Bump Damaged My Car

[Mycousinbillybob]

A speed bump damaged my car causing just under £300 worth of damage to the sump and sump-guard causing total loss of oil. The speed bump was in a residential street in Lambeth, cars were parked either side of the street and the speed bumps were in the centre of the road (so you have to go over them). My car cleared the first one, but managed to hit the second one. It was obvious that this one had been hit loads of times before, as there were alot of scrapings on the front side of the bump. Lambeth Council have refused to admit to any liability, despite the fact that not only is this bump higher than the rest in the street, but also that this was the only bump which my car got anywhere near hitting. Fortunately I was only a short 2 min drive from work, but had to suffer the aggro of getting the AA to collect my car in the evening.

How can I get Lambeth to cough up for the repairs...?

[vandermerwe]

Hi billy bob

 

Sue.

 

Go through the small claims court - no need to get involved with that expensive firm Sue, Grabbit and Runne, but please go first to Honest John as this is a comprehensive and reputable site and

HJ absolutely hates the despicable practice you've described.

 

If you give my scales a click (the blob between the globe and red triangle at the bottom left) I'll follow your case, as a moderator may move it to a more appropriate site.

 

Good luck!

 

Vandermerwe

[Mycousinbillybob]

Great thanks..! I'll give it a go...!

[freakyleaky]

Van, as you have posted on this thread you are now subscribed to it. Even if it gets moved your subscrpition will remain.

 

I think you are after more green blobs the easy way really!?

 

Have a read of this thread "How do I...?" A Dummies' Guide to this Forum not that you are a dummy in any way Van but it might just give you a few tips for the future.

 

And no comment on the Rugby!

[vandermerwe]

No comments on rugby Freaky?

 

And there I was thinking you were at death's door so I shouldn't mention Fiji and the Springboks out of respect;)

 

Couldn't help but put my ten cents' worth in for billybob - bloody councils.

 

The whole forum has gone a bit dead now hasn't it, though pd invited me into the bear garden? Started reading - gee how does she build up so many pages - until I reached your 'scalped' page. Oh dear! Have never understood the snow covered chair either.

 

But will continue to the end because (just 'tween you and me') I've gorra bit of a crush on pd!

 

Is a green blob the same a a green square?

 

I'm actually bewitched, buggered and bewildered at the moment with the fin.sit. and in urgent need of TLC - any idea where Dee-Dee is?

 

Glad you seem back in form.

 

Cheers.

 

Van

[freakyleaky]

Hi van. I think we all know of your crush! What does Mrs Van say?

 

Your 10 cents is as usual good advice and I hope you continue. I was not critisising your advice I was just trying to point out that you don't need a rep on a thread in order to follow it. You will see it in your subscribed threads in your user cp now that you have posted on here.

 

Has dee dee disapeared then? Send her a PM and see what shes up to.

 

I am feeling well enough for you to talk about the lucky wins of Fiji and Sb's!

 

I think you would need to be a qualified psychiatrist to understand the chair!

 

Keep on keeping on!

 

Freaky!

[vandermerwe]

Hi Freaky

 

Jeez you track me down!

 

Now just keep off the subject of Mrs. Van...please...

 

I've only just managed to convince her all the calls from the Philippines are from some s..t bank called Honkers and Shankers and not some bird called Honky.

 

But they do have such sexy voices don't they?

 

Now for major problems. Tomorrow, to be precise.

 

Problem (a) Mrs. Van doesn't like rugby

 

Problem (b) I have a close affinity with Argentina apart from the obvious connection.

 

It's going to end in tears and, as you suggest, I'm going to have to PM Deedee.

 

Wonder if pd reads this site?

 

Hope not 'cos I'm feeling lower than a snake's arse.

 

Van

[pinkduchess]

yes i do!! whats up van? PM me if you get no response from deedee

[livelylad]

Thread moved to General consumer issues forum.

[patdavies]

The following item was published in the Telegraph's Honest John column yesterday

 

These foolish things

As a former R&D executive for a large American company, there is no way I would ever have been allowed to release a product without thorough testing. If my product were road humps and we had conducted the same amount of testing that the DfT has done, I would have been fired for even suggesting we should test them on the public. The lawyers wouldn't have let us release them anyway - the potential for litigation is too high.

But… The DfT has written to me advising that if I have an unhealthy spinal column I might suffer a prolapsed disc if I cross too many speed humps. This is based on test data from just six vehicles crossing road humps at different speeds and the results are, as expected, very different for each vehicle (a Vauxhall Astra and a London taxi were the only cars).

For the DfT to base its conclusions on such a small sample of vehicles is foolish, yet it states that it has no intention of testing all types of car as this would be "impractical". In my view this gives the green light for legal action against the authorities for owners with spinal, suspension or uneven tyre wear problems because there is no actual data on how the majority of vehicles react to road humps (during the tests, the taxi's steering became misaligned at a mere 15mph). The situation in some areas is worse as local authorities have fitted humps up to 33 per cent higher than those recommended by the DfT without any safety testing, while no tests have been conducted on how road humps affect disabled people. Testing to ensure our safety and wellbeing when crossing road humps is therefore totally inadequate. In an attempt to expose this crazy situation can I suggest the following? Anyone worried by road humps should write to their MP, to ask whether their specific type of car can safely traverse road humps at all speeds within the posted limit without damage to their car or injury to themselves. The lack of testing of the health effects to the disabled should, in my opinion, in itself warrant the removal of humps nationwide.

H.W., Aberdour

 

This may also be of interest

[Zamzara]

A speed bump damaged my car causing just under £300 worth of damage to the sump and sump-guard causing total loss of oil. The speed bump was in a residential street in Lambeth, cars were parked either side of the street and the speed bumps were in the centre of the road (so you have to go over them). My car cleared the first one, but managed to hit the second one. It was obvious that this one had been hit loads of times before, as there were alot of scrapings on the front side of the bump. Lambeth Council have refused to admit to any liability, despite the fact that not only is this bump higher than the rest in the street, but also that this was the only bump which my car got anywhere near hitting. Fortunately I was only a short 2 min drive from work, but had to suffer the aggro of getting the AA to collect my car in the evening.

How can I get Lambeth to cough up for the repairs...?

 

Send a letter before action, then sue. Don't waste your time getting any further involved with them.

 

I had a similar experience on the Isle of Wight with a hump that is clearly and demonstrably above the legal height and is covered with impact damage. Despite this they would not admit it was over 100mm and insisted there had been no other problems and that its safety was confirmed by testing. When I eventually got to see the report from this testing, it did not test for danger to vehicles at all and was only concerned about water drainage and similar issues. Their dealing with my complaint was a textbook example of denialism and the Gish Gallop. For example, they attempted to prove the hump was within the 100mm legal limit by finding a point on it that was 100mm even though it wasn't the highest part. They had also ignored government guidance that the maximum safe height in most cases is 75mm.

 

I didn't sue as I couldn't prove the damage (exhaust hole) was caused by the impact, and for £40 I didn't feel it was worth the risk of costs. But you shouldn't have this problem as your damage was immediately obvious and much more extensive.