Is this reasonable/possible....

[richjthorpe]

Hi all,

One ot think on.....

We've just bought a mk4 Golf on an 'S' plate on Tuesday and on Wednesday my wife took the car to take our kids (2 1/2 and 12 months) to the playgroup. She went her usual route down a road that has speed humps (Sleeping policemen which has 2 wheel tracks/divets leading to and over it) and in the mk3 Golf we used to have, this wasn't an issue.

Due to the nature of the hump and the lower, wider track than our last car, the sump has hit the hump and cracked it leaving oil to pour out.

My wife isn't a speed freak, far from it, and was doing 15-20 mph down the road at the time which is well within the speed limit for the road.

Do you think we have a case against the council to claim damages to the car ? I'm not saying the hump shouldn't be there, but due to the lack of maintenance means the wheels are in the tracks leaving the top of the hump to smack the sump.

Is this unreasonable and is it possible ?

Regards,

Richie.

[ChrisF]

I think there's a maximum height for speed bumps - measured from the base to the crest. I believe (but stand to be corrected) that there is also a maximum slope angle. I'm fairly certain that the maximum height is 200mm. The best thing to do would be to check with your local council

[Sam]

Take photographs of everything (including the damage), especially of other cars going over said humps.

A friend of mine managed to get the council to pay for repairs to her wheels after bending them on a stupidly high speed hump.

[onzarob]

As long as the suspension is standard/original fitment and the road of poor quality. You may have a case.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Rob

[RickT]

As long as the suspension is standard/original fitment and the road of poor quality. You may have a case.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Rob

as above... as long as everything is standard.... however.. the would expect there to be more people complaining as the Mk4 is not that low...

A mate of mine managed to get £550 for a Alloy wheel after hitting a pot hole from the council. as long as you take photos of the car and hump you should get in touch...

Ever if it means going back and staging the photos! (joke)

RickT

[richjthorpe]

as above... as long as everything is standard.... however.. the would expect there to be more people complaining as the Mk4 is not that low...

A mate of mine managed to get £550 for a Alloy wheel after hitting a pot hole from the council. as long as you take photos of the car and hump you should get in touch...

Ever if it means going back and staging the photos! (joke)

RickT

Thanks for the replies, I was wondering if I was being hypocritical as I don't like the whole blame culture and the "Tripped over your own foot in the past 5 years, then contact us to sue God" claim companies.

I've taken pics and emailed them with a letter to the insurance department of the council so we'll take it from there. I've found that it's not the top of the hump the sump hit, it was on the way back down again that the car grounded on the road. Still, it happened because of the poor maintenance of the road.

Will keep you updated,

Richie.