Greasy road: beyond diy?

[Douglas de Lacey]

Having just scraped a cyclist off the road on a corner nearby and heard from a friend that a colleague of his had an identical accident a day or two ago, I tried to ring the authorities to report a dangerously slippy road. The Highways Agency said "not our problem: call the local council"; the local council took details and said "nothing the HA will do till the 29th; let's cross our fingers". What's the point of having an emergency line if they can't *do* anything? More to the point, is there anything I can do, preferably without making myself liable for any personal damage or death which may result if another cyclist slips there?

Douglas de Lacey

[Ascro]

Make a couple of signs saying "Very Slippery Road" and place them a little way in each direction. IANAL but I think anything else could leave you liable for any future accidents.

[Dave Fawthrop]

|=20 | Douglas de Lacey wrote: | > Having just scraped a cyclist off the road on a corner nearby and = heard | > from a friend that a colleague of his had an identical accident a day= or | > two ago, I tried to ring the authorities to report a dangerously = slippy | > road. The Highways Agency said "not our problem: call the local | > council"; the local council took details and said "nothing the HA = will | > do till the 29th; let's cross our fingers". What's the point of = having | > an emergency line if they can't *do* anything? More to the point, is | > there anything I can do, preferably without making myself liable for = any | > personal damage or death which may result if another cyclist slips = there? | >

| > Douglas de Lacey |=20 | Make a couple of signs saying "Very Slippery Road" and place them a | little way in each direction. =20

A computer printer and a cheap laminator makes good signs. Make the paper a bit smaller then the laminate, then punch holes without touching the paper and tie them onto lampposts with Cable ties. Nobody will complain when you act as a good citizen.

--=20 Dave Fawthrop Register your mobile phone=20 IMEI *free* on

Keep the username and password. =20 If it gets stolen report it your provider to get it blocked. To hopefully get it back report on or 08701 123 123.

[Jim Gregory]

Well, you did your duty and told those non-doing idlers about a hazard. And then in disgust you sought to place the total experience on record here. You can tell them you have exposed their "game" to an interested audience. BTW the salting trucks on standby here in Bexley only come out after a certain official temperature drop. Jim

[Gary Cavie]

When it comes to highways, I don't think that there is anything that you can do yourself.

A few years ago, when my youngest was just a few months old, my wife went to see some friends. Their road had no street lights, and a badly broken-up pavement. Whilst carrying the baby from the car, she tripped, and went head-first into the pavement. Fortunately both she and Harry were fine, apart from severe bruising around the head on her (she had the presence of mind not to let go of the baby).

I phoned the highways department of the council to talk to someone about the state of the pavement, and was told that they knew all about this road and that it was on their emergency action plan, and would be dealt with in the next 2-3 years! When I argued that it was a severe risk to life and limb, I was told that there was nothing else they could do in the meantime, and that if I wanted to sue, they would be happy to give me the name of their solicitors. I pointed out that I wasn't interested in suing, at which point the guy sounded quite dissappointed!

True to their word, 2 years later the pavement was re-surfaced, but still no street lamps - it is in a rural location, and has no other ambient light, but at least the pavement is level and unbroken!

[Mike Harrison]

Get a mate to take a ride down there, 'fall off' and issue legal proceedings against the council, who have previously been informed of the hazard and can therefore be shown to have been negligent. Councils tend to take more notice when it looks like costing them money...

[Douglas de Lacey]

Yes. Now, where do I get a laminator this time of night? I hope a plastic sleeve and cardboard will be adequate: the problem is printing it big enough to be visible: even putting DANGER the full length of A4 landscape is not that visible:-(

Douglas de Lacey

[Matt Helliwell]

Try the local police. They may be willing to put warning signs on the road if it means them being called out to fewer accidents.

[Dave Liquorice]

I guess beacuse he knew if you sued and went to court the money to sort that bit of pavement would be magically found overnight and the job done within a month.

Couple of bikers richoceted of the front of a landrover turning right after a corner by us the other year. Both moderately injured, one was Air Ambulanced out. Signs appeared within 3 months showing Farm Traffic and "Tractors Turning" text.

Pah, townies who come to the country side. Dark is dark out here, really dark, can't see you hand when it touches your nose dark.

[Dave Liquorice]

I wouldn't risk trying to treat the slippyness.

Thats about as far as I'd go but even then I'm not sure if it opens you to the fact the signage is not offical, of the right size and type etc.

I wouldn't put money on it. Some have been succesfully sued by people slipping on footpaths cleared by the "good citizen" that lived nearby. It's a nasty litigious society we now live in were "somebody" is to "blame" for every damn stupid mistake anyone makes. Common sense has gone out of the window.

[Gary Cavie]

No doubt - what a sorry state of affairs though :-(

OI!! - I've always lived out in the sticks - can't imagine anything worse than living amongst sodium street lights and neon signs!

[Douglas de Lacey]

Ye-es. Took 35 minutes before the phone was answered (pretty typical for Cambs Constabulary). No, sir, we can't put up signs in a poorly-lit area. However, they think they may have more clout with the Highways Agency, so I've left them to it. Meanwhile it's now so foggy that my signs will be invisible -- let alone their wording.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Douglas de lacey.

[Matt Helliwell]

Oh well. The ones in Woking were OK when I went in to tell them about a diesel slick on the road. But then I was lucky enough to call in at a time when the station wa actually open.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Are cyclists not aware of slippery roads these days?

Next time hit the bastard on the head with a mallet, and think of it as evolution in action.

[Ed Sirett]

When I phoned up about the Diesel spillage in the main road (B550) near here the police thanked me, and said it was quite in order to use 999.

[Pete C]

Road was probably slippery because some brainless f****it in a diesel vehicle overfilled the tank or left the filler loose.

If you're not aware of this maybe you could do with a mallet blow to the head yourself...

cheers, Pete.