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Make the authorities pay

21 years ago

My 6 year old Opel Astra failed the National Car Test for suspension imbalance on the front axle. The guy conducting the test said it was likely due to the fact that there are so many potholes here on the nearside that one side of the suspension gets all the wear and tear.

I am paying nearly EUR500.00 a year road tax on top of fuel duty so I expect decent roads to drive on. Has anyone here been successful in gaining compensation from the local authority for damage done to their vehicle by driving on substandard roads? The repair bill for my suspension came to over EUR 300.00

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Comments (6)

bill_h
21 years ago
compensation for bad roads hahahaha! the roads in detroit look like the surface of the moon! if the roads dont kill a car by a 100k the salt will.
DaveUK
21 years ago
I don't know what the authorities in Ireland are like, but with the local council here - if you are the first person to report a pothole, I don't think you get any compensation, but if you are the second or third and they haven't fixed it then they have to compensate you for it. That kind of makes sense, in a vague way, although I think even the first person to report may get something sometimes.

Not having had to deal with it, I don't know the exact details, but I know people do get money out of councils if they aren't repairing the roads quickly enough.
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earthworm
21 years ago
A problem we have in the states is that too many penny-wise, dollar-foolish men vote down proposed gasoline taxes(in pennies per gallon)..
The same applies to salt use, there are substances that can be used, are reasonably effective, but cost more..
Michigan needs federal aid and a revival of the auto industry..
This will take an extraordinary effort from its citizens..

Its all economics, damn the damage to the concrete, water supply, and the automobiles..
plaidthumb
21 years ago
Another problem is that roads are built by the lowest bidder...

I read a few years ago (Popular Science, maybe) that in the Scandinavian countries, road-building is bid on the 10-year cost of the road, (expected maintenance costs) not just the original installation. Supposedly their roads are much better and last longer.

Don't know if it's true or not, but it sure makes a lot of sense. Too bad that here in the states the idea of a company taking responsibility for its workmanship is no longer considered important.
earthworm
21 years ago
Sweden was an empire in Europe when we were a bunch of savages killing off women and the natives due to ignorance and intolerance..
To this day there is much we can learn from them, and the Europeans..
And they can learn from us, I am sure..
cheshiremoggy
Original Author
21 years ago
An interesting twist to the tale here. You may or may not be aware of the recent school bus crash in Navan, Co. Meath in which several girls between the ages of 15 and 18 lost their lives. This was given international coverage on the TV (as I can verify by seeing foreign coverage via satellite). If you're not familiar, a fully laden coach lost it on a bend approaching temporary roadworks, did a 180 degree spin and ended up overturning in a ditch after hitting at least two other vehicles. Preliminary investigations confirmed that the temporary road surface warranted a temporary mandatory speed limit of 50 km/h which was neither signposted nor enforced, so the national speed limit for a regional road of 80 km/h reigned. Secondly, warning signs of roadworks and temporary trafic control were totally inadequate. This has lead to speculation that Meath County Council will be held liable, at least in part, for this tragic accident.

Results of the Garda interview with the driver involved have not yet been made public.

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