rossd Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Hi all, woke up this morning and the tyre was as good as flat, took it to the petrol station and wouldn't pump up. Back home, took the wheels off and took it to motosave, the guy there noticed a line all the way around the tyre. This apparently is caused when you drive when the tyre is flat and it causes all the metal strands in the sidewall to bend and effectively ruins the tyre. Whilst looking at this I noticed a dint in the alloy, so now it's not just the tyre that's knackered, it's the wheel too. The mechanic said to get a pic of a pothole and claim through the council. I'm wondering, have many people done this before? I want to complain, the roads are an absolute disgrace, can't drive down a road without serval thuds! For anyone nearby me, it must have been around the Morley/ Beeston/ gildersome area of Leeds as the the wheel was fine Saturday night when I was at the 6 acres pub, Any help would be appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabbaranx Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 That sucks mate! Have heard of people claiming from councils for stuff like this, apparently it is possible but there are some technicalities involved, not too sure what they are but something to do with whether said pothole has been reported to them already or not. Maybe a websearch will have some consumer action type forum where this has been done to point you in the right direction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombrady Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Briano did claim and won! Give him a pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arizona Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 You need to contact the local highways department, not the council as its nothing to do with them, Highways will send you out a bunch of forms, you need good photos showing the hole and importantly looking up and down the road (including the hole) so position is proved. Also with a tape measure/ruler or something to show the depth of it in a picture. Pics of damage to the wheel etc as well Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arizona Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) edited.. posted twice Edited January 21, 2013 by arizona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InsolentMinx Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 it's probably cheaper to pay out to the few people who do claim for damage, rather than pay out to get the road repaired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr02mcg Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Simples. Find a hole that has paint markings round it(means its known about) contact your council claims dept and request a claims form. Fill it in then wait. I claimed successfully and got around 400 quid for a wheel and tyre. Hth Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arizona Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 it's probably cheaper to pay out to the few people who do claim for damage, rather than pay out to get the road repaired. it is because they claim on insurance, thats what they are doing instead of fixing properly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Askari Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Having spent some time as Head of a Council Highways Dept I would say claim. The advice from Arizona is sound and if you live in a two-tier Council area, it's your County Council you need not the local District Council. Between you and me, faced with a clear case and evidence, photos etc. many Councils just settle the claim as that's cheaper than fighting it. Probably best not to mention if you've had the car lowered etc. Spare some thought for the Highways guys though - with this weather huge potholes and scrapes can appear overnight and repairing them with water freezing and thawing in the hole every night is practically impossible. You just have to keep filling them temporarily until the spring - everyone hates that even the Council. The other problem is all the metal work and manhole covers in the road that belong to utility companies not the Council - when they start sinking there's not much the Council can do except call the water board (or whoever) and hope they fix it. Ps. Having re-read your email, it's Leeds City Council's highways dept you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aftershock Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Roads are a discrase here in Edinburgh aswell, and i know they cant really fix much in the freezing weather but there are pot holes that have been there since last winter with nothing done about them, its a nightmare just driving to work. Good luck with the claim, just find any suitable pot hole, as said thats been marked for repair already and say it was that one. The fact if a car is lowered should have no effect to the wheel going into a pot hole and being damaged though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Askari Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Roads are a discrase here in Edinburgh aswell, and i know they cant really fix much in the freezing weather but there are pot holes that have been there since last winter with nothing done about them, its a nightmare just driving to work. Good luck with the claim, just find any suitable pot hole, as said thats been marked for repair already and say it was that one. The fact if a car is lowered should have no effect to the wheel going into a pot hole and being damaged though. I agree, being lowered shouldn't make a difference, but why say anything that might make someone who doesn't know better, think twice about just settling a claim? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisSilver Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 This has happened to me twice and I haven't bothered to claim yet. I have reported pot holes on a good website which passes the info on, and guides on claims. www.potholes.co.uk That site did at least, suggest they often are a bit awkward and it takes awhile. Would receipts/quotes for your wheel to buy new, or repair not be required as well? Would certainly want to maximise it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planc Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 What Celica and wheels do you have, the flat spot could have been there for a while and you might have just got a puncture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briano Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Briano did claim and won! Give him a pm. I had to fight for it because the suspension part that broke was not a valid part on my car but it was their fault and threatened them with court and they paid up another time i cracked a hub and bearing and they coughed up straight away, best advice is get pictures of the damage and the pothole. use something to get a scale for them and keep copies of everything you have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossd Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 I'm going to get pictures when I get home, I'm working away through the week unfortunately. The wheels are 18" team dynamics. The garage checked the tyre and its absolutely fine other than the damage caused by it being flat. It happened to me earlier last year, got a tyre fitted and a couple of days later, pop! Thanks to a pothole, was going to claim but they'd filled it in before I had chance to get any photos. Thanks for all your advice guys, given me a little clarity in where to go/ start the ball rolling etc Much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InsolentMinx Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 drive a bit slower and try to avoid them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WheelRepair Posted January 25, 2013 Report Share Posted January 25, 2013 Funny enough I'm in the middle of writing a blog for the website about potholes. A recent Which? Report says that last year councils spent £22m on compensation claims, so I'd be trying at least. The advice on potholes.co.uk is usually spot on. We repair pothole damaged wheels, and I'm not talking about hitting them with a hammer (which I have seen done). We can do it while you wait. The week back after New Year we had queues! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WheelRepair Posted January 25, 2013 Report Share Posted January 25, 2013 (edited) Edited so I'm not repeating mysel! Edited January 25, 2013 by WheelRepair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Chris_ Posted January 25, 2013 Report Share Posted January 25, 2013 For anyone nearby me, it must have been around the Morley/ Beeston/ gildersome area of Leeds as the the wheel was fine Saturday night when I was at the 6 acres pub, A pothole hit hard enough to puncture a tyre and bend a wheel would give a bang big enough for you to know exactly where it is. If the tyre stayed up long enough to get you home would certainly have pumped up had you not driven on it. The main tyre damage would have been while driving flat, and I suspect the wheel damage too. A flat tyre will leave the rim so close to the tarmac that a small stone or a drain cover could impact and damage. Seems very unfair to blame a council for something that probably isn't their fault, more likely a nail in the tyre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossd Posted February 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2013 its not a nail in the tyre, ive looked and so have a garage. i agree the tyre is probably my fault. But no way is the wheel damaged from me driving on it, i was going about 10-20 miles an hour. You may now say thats enough to damage it but i know i didnt go over any bumps/potholes or anything as i was going so slow, i could easily move around them. Thanks for the helpful comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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