A
Alex Graham
Guest
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
----------------------------------
[email protected]
http://alexpg.ath.cx:3353/cycling.php http://www.westerleycycling.org.uk
----------------------------------
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
----------------------------------
[email protected]
http://alexpg.ath.cx:3353/cycling.php http://www.westerleycycling.org.uk
----------------------------------