oil slicks

Riding down the bus lane this afternoon there was a coach ahead of me apparently parked in a bus
stop (not that unusual). As I approached I braked so as to filter back into the traffic and go round
it. However my brakes had worryingly little effect, I felt my rear wheel stop turning (fixed gear)
and wobbled along like that for a short while before ending up lying in the road in an oil slick,
although I wasnt aware of it at the time).

An old bloke appeared and said 'be careful of the oil' and as I looked back at the road and down at
my left leg I realised what he meant - there was a streak of oil left by this coach whose engine had
clearly blown up. I must have ridden down this streak. I didnt even see it as its hard to
differentiate between oil and a skidmark or anything else.

Now: There was no warning triangle or person standing there. The police, I was told, knew about it
although there was noone there. I saw a policeman directing traffic after I'd passed the bus but I'm
not sure if he was the policeman who was aware of it or not.

Ive got some oily (but black so that doesnt matter) shorts, oil on my jersey and gloves, and a patch
or two of gravel rash as well as a general covering in engine oil.

Stupidly it didnt occur to me to note down the bus company name or anything but if I had would it
have been any use? Do I have any right to any kind of compensation in a case like this? I have no
knowledge of this type of thing. If someone could tell me what kind of cases I might do that would
be helpful! Ill try and remember to note down details like bus company names in the future

--

-Alex

----------------------------------
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http://alexpg.ath.cx:3353/cycling.php http://www.westerleycycling.org.uk
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On Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:08:18 +0000 (UTC), Alex Graham <[email protected]> wrote:

>I didnt even see it as its hard to differentiate between oil and a skidmark

One os on the road the other in the underpants surely - or am I missing something?

>Stupidly it didnt occur to me to note down the bus company name or anything but if I had would it
>have been any use?

I'd have claimed off their insurance, and the Police might be able to give you the coach company
name in order to do that. If you ask nicely. Guessing, of course, but IMO you can't o far wrong
sending a letter to the bus firm's insurers claiming the fifty quid for pain and damage; at worst it
will go to small claims court where you will almost certainly win because it would cost them more
than the amount you're claiming to turn up and defend it.

Or you might get such a nice apology back from the bus firm that you decide not to pursue. Oink,
flap, oink, flap.

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:08:18 +0000 (UTC), Alex Graham <[email protected]> wrote:

> One os on the road the other in the underpants surely - or am I missing something?

Hehe, I had oil on my underpants today

> I'd have claimed off their insurance, and the Police might be able to give you the coach company
> name in order to do that. If you ask nicely. Guessing, of course, but IMO you can't o far wrong
> sending a letter to the bus firm's insurers claiming the fifty quid for pain and damage; at worst
> it will go to small claims court where you will almost certainly win because it would cost them
> more than the amount you're claiming to turn up and defend it.
>
> Or you might get such a nice apology back from the bus firm that you decide not to pursue. Oink,
> flap, oink, flap.

ta for the advice

I wish I had taken the driver and the bus companies names. damn. I might ask the police for the bus
company name though.

>
> Guy
> ===
> ** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
> dynamic DNS permitting)
> NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
> work. Apologies.

--

-Alex

----------------------------------
[email protected]

http://alexpg.ath.cx:3353/cycling.php http://www.westerleycycling.org.uk
----------------------------------

 

Alex Graham <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> I wish I had taken the driver and the bus companies names. damn. I might ask the police for the
> bus company name though.

As Guy says, the police attended so they must have all the details. I would be tempted to try to
report it as an injury accident involving a motor vehicle. You got a bit of road rash after all.
They will then have to correlate your report with their record of the breakdown. I would get some
photographs of the road rash, however slight, and the ruined clothes. Also check your bike in minute
detail for damage in case there's something you've missed. Cranks and pedals, for example, may be
bent in a spill.

Please go after them as it might encourage them to be less negligent next time they dump oil all
over the road.

--
Dave...

 

Alex Graham wrote:

> Ive got some oily (but black so that doesnt matter) shorts, oil on my jersey and gloves, and a
> patch or two of gravel rash as well as a general covering in engine oil.

Hmmmm... I think you got off lightly...

Just done a fairly similar performance (this morning, on the way in for 3 hours of exams and,
typically, on the one day I decide to ride my shiny bike in to school!) Going round a corner so
leaning slightly and suddenly went over what I later found to be a small patch of oil - wheels just
went straight out from underneath me and I ended up sprawled all over the tarmac :-( Grazes up right
leg and left arm and, after exam with arm rapidly patched up in makeshift sling and several hours
sitting around at Charing Cross hospital, badly sprained left wrist - ligaments/soft tissue damaged,
flexitube, high arm sling, ice & Ibuprofen 3 times a day, up to three weeks to heal. Another exam
tomorrow... (last one though). Argh... still, could have been much worse - could have been a week
ago, could have been my right wrist, could have been broken, could have been a car behind me

Nice that passing cyclists stopped to help, though. If you're listening, cheers for that

Simon