PR600: Pot Holes

news: for immediate release
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The Path to Road Safety is Not Paved with Pot Holes

For the Nave stock's Parish Council to think, that for one minute that leaving
pot holes in the road is a good idea,
could not be further from the truth, and takes road safety to an ever growing
sinking mire.
"To distract a driver's concentration on pot holes that deliberately go
un-repaired, beggars belief." Claire, co-
founder of Safe Speed continues, "I can easily see many claims for damaged
vehicles and accidents, from this,
they are leaving themselves open to a potential corporate manslaughter charge,
if a fatality occurs."

"What if someone slipped or fell off a bike, or horse, into the path of a
vehicle?"
She went on to explain that, a few years ago a Manchester local MP said a very
similar thing, that the pot holes
would help in slowing traffic, a motorcyclist swerving to miss a pothole
crashed, and tragically died, as a
consequence. She said "You would think they may have learned from this !"
"To subject the public to broken uneven roads, totally fails in their legal duty
of care."

"There are several campaigns running at the moment that note the dangers of
potholes on our roads, and are
helping to notify appropriate authorities, of them. We would strongly encourage
everyone to notify their local
authority directly, and especially for the Navestock area".

Pot Holes can be hard to see, due to variation in road colour and texture.
We glance at the road as we drive, on the predictable belief that good road
maintence is a given, not worrying
about deliberately left potholes to catch out the unwary. To chose to
deliberately leave a road in an ever
increasing deteriorating state is utterly shameful.
We drive attempting to observe all hazards, and at an appropriate speed for the
conditions, but sometimes there
are so many potholes, it is impossible to miss them all.
After a pot hole, event how many people remember to check their wheel alignment,
or tyres for bulges and other
steering issues? Even injury to your hands can occur. The damage to suspension
or other car components may
cause a crash later, and even fatalities, it is an appalling and totally
irresponsible attitude.
We cannot simply ignore that road use requires maintenance. We pay very large
amounts to the Councils to
provide this maintenance but has it really come down to excuses instead of
repairs ?

Common sense should tell them in a flash that this is never going to be safe,
sensible, or, in the public interest. We
urgently suggest that they rethink, as they are putting lives at risk.
Road Safety should never be considered so lightly, we need engineers advising
Councils on all maintenance
issues.

"Pot holes are potentially a lethal problem on the road, a driver / rider may
loose vehicle control, when the vehicle
jerks unexpectedly, or when they swerve around the pot hole. They may also be
unaware of other developing
hazards.

What an appalling casual attitude to human life. The local economy is likely to
suffer as well.
Even when Council cut-backs are likely, there is never a quick, or cheap route
to road safety.


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Since Pauls tragic demise in Dec 2007, Claire Armstrong, Pauls partner,
continues Safe Speed.
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www.safespeed.org.uk
Contact Safe Speed:co-founder Claire Armstrong
------------------------------------
description: Safe Speed road safety campaign
web: http://www.safespeed.org.uk
email: carmstrong@...
telephone: 01862 893030
mobile: 07799 045553 & 07721 331991

Location:
North Scotland

We are always available for further comment on your road safety story.

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