Safe Speed Forums

The campaign for genuine road safety
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 08:56

All times are UTC [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 31 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 14:30 
Offline
Member
Member

Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 19:08
Posts: 3434
Quote:
Baffles me as to why they think that they need the bollard at all ?
If it is for ped crossing then why not just have a zebra crossing ?


These bollards are common in Telford where they have reduced good NSL roads to 40MPH. I enquired why they had so many of them, often where it was impossible to cross the roads in some places where they exist, due to armco barriers or nothing on the other side of the road except hedge.

The reason for them is to make the road more "dangerous" and give the perception that a higher speed would be less "safe" due to road narrowing and these bollards (the fact that so many get hit is a testomony to this). So there we have it folks, in order to make good safe, higher speed roads, justify a lower pointless speed limit, they are now making them less safe...you couldn't make this up it's so silly. They also discourage safe overtaking, due to the lack of road space between them and so make life more dangerous for cyclists.

_________________
My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 15:49 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member

Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 23:26
Posts: 9263
Location: Treacletown ( just north of M6 J3),A MILE OR TWO PAST BEDROCK
Seen it - my sympathies . I'd check out the level of claim at your County Court for small claims - I seem to remember it's a lot higher -more like £2.5k. I'd suggest photos of island for evidence ,if you decide to take it further ,as if the County get wind of a claim -they'll get busy .

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 15:47 
Offline
User

Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:29
Posts: 10
Here are photos hopefully uploaded from Flickr. Agree, the undulations in the road, and when sitting in lower position of driving seat, certainly do make the island much less visible.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16142967@N04/6312764660/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16142967@N04/6312238887/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16142967@N04/6312755258/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16142967@N04/6312229211/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16142967@N04/6312224959/ This is possibly the closest I could get to the drivers view

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16142967@N04/6312741710/

I hope that these links all work okay, let me know what you think.

Thanks
Andy


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 17:31 
Offline
Member
Member

Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 19:08
Posts: 3434
Based on those photos (which show that several others have suffered just as you have), I would have thought, that no judge in his right mind, could say that there was any good reason, why you shouldn't claim damages from the council. I would put as big a claim in as you can possibly justify and send a copy of those photos as evidence and I would guess they will be clammering to settle out of court.

_________________
My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 17:39 
Offline
User

Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:29
Posts: 10
Thanks for your reply, yes, others have suffered just like me, and one of the residents who lives very close to the site has seen other drivers taking photographs and heard other impacts!! The council, as is their standard procedure, refuse to acknowledge liability, and if it is of any use I will requote the contents of their reply letter here.

Next question, what should be my next course of action? Do I approach a suitably experienced legal representative? What are the potential costs in doing so?

Thanks again.,

Andy


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 17:52 
Offline
User
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 11:07
Posts: 248
That is crazy. At night on a bike it could be fatal.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 18:07 
Offline
Friend of Safe Speed
Friend of Safe Speed
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 23:09
Posts: 6735
Location: Stockport, Cheshire
Andy4994 wrote:
Next question, what should be my next course of action? Do I approach a suitably experienced legal representative? What are the potential costs in doing so?

I don't know, but might this be something a legal firm would take on on a "no-win no-fee" basis?

I'd agree with others that that island would be very easy to miss in the dark.

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 19:20 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member

Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 23:26
Posts: 9263
Location: Treacletown ( just north of M6 J3),A MILE OR TWO PAST BEDROCK
Had athought -have you got legal cover on your insurance --if so might be worth giving them a bell .

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 23:42 
Offline
Member
Member

Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 19:08
Posts: 3434
To be honest, I would expect that if you claimed for damages off your insurance, then the insurance company should sue the council to recover costs. I have heard of cases where people having cars damaged by potholes have been advised (usually by the council themselves) to contact their insurance to get compensation. Obviously in this day and age not everyone does what you would expect them to do and what might have been done in previous decades.

It doesn't cost very much to take out a county court judgement and even if you lose, (which rarely happens in my experience, the worst that has happened to me is that they reduced the amount of the claim) you are only expected to pay your own costs, no matter how many solicitors the council take to court. In reality, I have found the judge to be very "sympathetic" towards the plaintiff (person making the claim) when representing yourself, especially if the defence employs a solicitor/lawyer to fight you. I would go for it, presenting bills for your losses and photographic evidence and let's see the council wriggle out of something that is obviously their own negligence.

_________________
My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 17:01 
Offline
User

Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:29
Posts: 10
Right, okay, here goes. I have been mega busy at work at not really had the time to move things on this, however I am now going down the road of Small Claims via The Sherriff Court. Not started the form filling yet, but have taken advice and awaiting some more contact from advisor and will proceed very soon. Fingers crossed.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 16:23 
Offline
User
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:39
Posts: 384
Location: Strathclyde / West Highlands / Lanzarote
Best of luck with your claim, hope it goes well for you ... please let us know the outcome.

_________________
You only need two tools - WD40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD40. If it moves and it shouldn't, use duct tape. :0)


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 31 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You can post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
[ Time : 0.019s | 13 Queries | GZIP : Off ]