Holey Ground

Friday nights are a bit frantic for us, involving multiple trips as taxi service to our offspring. This Friday also included 2 trips to the vet, firstly to get an extra catbox and then to take both cats for their annual check, jabs etc. Apparently one of our cats is well on his way to being toothless. This should lower the dead frog quota significantly.

Anyway, Richard was on his way back from the 6th trip of the evening, driving at about 15 mph (fortunately) when he drove onto a metal plate that had been covering a large hole, 2 foot deep. The council have been digging up the road leading into ours to lay a fibre-optic cable (why? I have no idea) all the way from Council House to Outer Mongolia. Allegedly. All the safety barriers had been 'entertainingly' pushed to the opposite side of the road, presumably by mischevious little pixies (and nothing at all to do with the gang of 15-year-olds that regularly congregate in this area). Some passers-by helped push the car back out of the hole, and eventually Richard and a rather shaken-up child arrived back home, safe and sound. Being a good citizen Richard put all the barriers back, then phoned the police to alert them to the strong possibility that the barriers may mysteriously walk the following evening. I bet Bristol police can think of nothing better to do on a Saturday night that guarding 4 plastic barriers.

Comments

jeznash said…
Is the car damaged? If so, get a photo of the damage, and the hole in the road, and get the council to cough up the repair bill. Don't let it affect your no-claims-bonus, if poss.
charity said…
I think I would feel safer knowing the police are guarding barriers on your road than doing all the other things they do.
Ellen Loudon said…
Blimey, what a holey story that was. I once fell down a hole. But that is a long story and more my fault than the councils. I agree with Jez it is well worth putting in a claim to the council. They are not supposed to leave holes uncovered even with barriers around them.
charity said…
How do ellen and jez know these things? Do you gain this type of knowledge with marriage or what?
Ellen Loudon said…
Marriage does help you with issues such as litigation and gaining the moral highground. However, in my case my knowledge is based on having been in the situation where I had to consider legal action against a city council (which will not be named) who refused to take seriously holes in the ground!
Tracey Wheeler said…
Thanks for all your concern guys. The hole was covered by a metal plate, unfortunately this was not up to the weight of a car with 2 passengers. No damage to car though. We saved that for our holiday...and yes, Cha, they give out a manual on dealing with precisely this sort of situation along with your marriage certificate. Other situations covered: exploding washing machines; freezer removals; and getting mysterious stains out of children. Blimey, what an exciting life us marrieds lead.

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