Highway robbery after breakdown
Discussion
As a word of caution to my fellow petrol heads,
I have recently had the misfortune to breakdown on the M50, I lost water and I mean clean clear water not rusty or any antifreeze mix, from the engine, so as the temp gauge alarmed I switched everything off and coasted onto and stopped on the hard-shoulder.
The traffic officers soon pulled up to have a laugh at my misfortune, sorry I mean "see if I needed assistance", they told me to mop up the water puddle which I did using an old towels. It was about 1 litre lost in total maximum.
They were happy & left, 10mins Later an Amey lorry turned up the driver had a look at the damp patch said "nothing for him to do" and left,
The rub is 2 months after I get a bill for £530 and several emails letters and photos showing that they had chucked granules all over the hard shoulder and pointing out they are not backing down, so this will have to go legal, oh what joy.
I am not sure what happens when it rains it will cost a fortune to clear that up........
I have recently had the misfortune to breakdown on the M50, I lost water and I mean clean clear water not rusty or any antifreeze mix, from the engine, so as the temp gauge alarmed I switched everything off and coasted onto and stopped on the hard-shoulder.
The traffic officers soon pulled up to have a laugh at my misfortune, sorry I mean "see if I needed assistance", they told me to mop up the water puddle which I did using an old towels. It was about 1 litre lost in total maximum.
They were happy & left, 10mins Later an Amey lorry turned up the driver had a look at the damp patch said "nothing for him to do" and left,
The rub is 2 months after I get a bill for £530 and several emails letters and photos showing that they had chucked granules all over the hard shoulder and pointing out they are not backing down, so this will have to go legal, oh what joy.
I am not sure what happens when it rains it will cost a fortune to clear that up........
Really & honestly this is no joke.
Invoice and letters from Amey LG limited combined recovery unit, McNeil Drive Motherwell, ML1 4ur.
I so wish it was a joke, its not not what I needed after seizing a new cosy engine because the plastic water pump sheared.
If I knew how I would scan in all the documents to show tell everyone how ripped off I feel.
Invoice and letters from Amey LG limited combined recovery unit, McNeil Drive Motherwell, ML1 4ur.
I so wish it was a joke, its not not what I needed after seizing a new cosy engine because the plastic water pump sheared.
If I knew how I would scan in all the documents to show tell everyone how ripped off I feel.
This is the first result when i searched for "highways agency charge". Must admit I never knew about this, whilst I think that there is probably a need to clear up any debris etc, the charge seems outrageous. I'd be asking for a full breakdown of the costs for starters then speaking to a Lawyer.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19833237
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19833237
The daft thing is they have not disputed that it was just water, they have stated several times on thier work sheet and in their letters it was "not oil spill it was coolant I.e. Water"
Also they nicely point out "it is not our intention to victimise drivers but we will peruse responsible parties for reimberusment of our outlays"
Boy oh boy I wish I was irresponsible !!!
As for garage bills I do all the work on the car, so I have no bills to counter claim.
Also they nicely point out "it is not our intention to victimise drivers but we will peruse responsible parties for reimberusment of our outlays"
Boy oh boy I wish I was irresponsible !!!
As for garage bills I do all the work on the car, so I have no bills to counter claim.
Bodgerbennett said:
The daft thing is they have not disputed that it was just water, they have stated several times on thier work sheet and in their letters it was "not oil spill it was coolant I.e. Water"
Also they nicely point out "it is not our intention to victimise drivers but we will peruse responsible parties for reimberusment of our outlays"
Boy oh boy I wish I was irresponsible !!!
As for garage bills I do all the work on the car, so I have no bills to counter claim.
Do they sue mother nature when it rains on the motorway!Also they nicely point out "it is not our intention to victimise drivers but we will peruse responsible parties for reimberusment of our outlays"
Boy oh boy I wish I was irresponsible !!!
As for garage bills I do all the work on the car, so I have no bills to counter claim.
These are the type of rip off people I tell firmly what they can do with their bill
If you'd damaged an ARMCO on the Nurburgring then I could see the point of a bill, but not for leaking a patch of water on the Highway
Absurd - if it was a holed radiator you could be issuing a counterclaim due to their inability to maintain a debris free motorway.
Radiator plus labour plus coolant easily tops £500 notes so you could suggest that each party covers their costs....
All hypothetical of course!
Requesting a breakdown of their costs is probably the wrong way to go.
Asking why the costs were not agreed beforehand might be better...
Radiator plus labour plus coolant easily tops £500 notes so you could suggest that each party covers their costs....
All hypothetical of course!
Requesting a breakdown of their costs is probably the wrong way to go.
Asking why the costs were not agreed beforehand might be better...
Edited by psychoR1 on Saturday 7th September 13:01
You say it was clean water not antifreeze, but surely your car had antifreeze mix as coolant, not fresh water?
If so, and they deemed it necessary to clean it up, why shouldn't you pay for it, why should the rest of us taxpayers foot the bill?
There is clearly more to this story that OP is saying. First, why would plod say, 'mop it up with towels' unless there was a lot of spillage. And secondly, if it was just water, why would they say that, at all?
What car was it? How old, any previous water loss problems with it, ie is that why it was ' fresh water' in it? Wy did plod or hatos whatever hunk it needed a clean up crew. They must have warned you that they were sending one.
If AMEY crew turned up, who called them? How long were you there, did you call your recovery company or did Amey recover you off the motorway?
There's not enough details at tow hat exactly happened, but there has to be far more than the op is saying, otherwise how would they know who to bill. Op if you called the hatos in yourself , you've only yourself to blame tbh.
If so, and they deemed it necessary to clean it up, why shouldn't you pay for it, why should the rest of us taxpayers foot the bill?
There is clearly more to this story that OP is saying. First, why would plod say, 'mop it up with towels' unless there was a lot of spillage. And secondly, if it was just water, why would they say that, at all?
What car was it? How old, any previous water loss problems with it, ie is that why it was ' fresh water' in it? Wy did plod or hatos whatever hunk it needed a clean up crew. They must have warned you that they were sending one.
If AMEY crew turned up, who called them? How long were you there, did you call your recovery company or did Amey recover you off the motorway?
There's not enough details at tow hat exactly happened, but there has to be far more than the op is saying, otherwise how would they know who to bill. Op if you called the hatos in yourself , you've only yourself to blame tbh.
Edited by s3fella on Saturday 7th September 13:18
Edited by s3fella on Saturday 7th September 16:41
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