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Payout after hedge debris causes crash
Tuesday 23rd September 2008, 1:35PM BST.
A disabled cyclist has been awarded compensation after he was thrown on to the road when his bike tyres were punctured by hedge debris left in the road.Now Andy Ebben has issued a safety warning and urged landowners to keep country lanes clear.
Mr Ebben, a health and safety consultant from Market Drayton, was cycling between Cheswardine and Adbaston when the tyres of his recumbent bicycle were punctured by hawthorn and blackthorn debris.
He was thrown on to the road, suffering severe cuts, bruises and grazes and his £2,500 bike was badly damaged.
His spinal injury meant he was unable to get up and was forced to call for help from the roadside.
Mr Ebben has now been awarded compensation to cover the cost of repairing his bike following the accident in November.
The 55-year-old said it was his determination to prevent similar accidents happening which motivated him to take legal action.
Mr Ebben said: “I work from home, but go out every day on my bike. On the day of the accident I came around a blind corner and immediately saw the debris.
“The tractor was on the opposite side of the road and drove past me, debris was flying everywhere and although I slowed down I felt the tyres go and I hit the ground hard. If there had been warning signs, I would have taken an alternative route that day.
“I accept the occasional puncture is inevitable and I do face the risk of coming off the bike. However, there is a clear responsibility to warn road users of potential hazards and to clear the road as soon as possible. This was not an isolated incident.”
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Self seeling inner tubes. I use them and as soon as the tyre is punctured the gel inside the innertube seals the puncture.
They work for me on all terrains and as a very keen mountain biker I can tell you that they work extremely well.
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It’s a shame if farmers get sued for this sort of thing.
How are they supposed to keep this sort of debris off the road?
We either have to have over-grown hedges or put up with a bit of debris on the road from time to time.
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I do feel very sorry for Mr Ebben in having this kind, or any other kind of road accident.
I also know someone who almost lost her life in a car accident a couple of years ago due to “mud on road” Get mud off road as soon as possible, it’s not much to ask, tractors have all sorts of attatchments today for varous tasks, including brushes etc. When we had our hedges cut along our small lane, out I went to make sure that all the debris which may have been a hazard to my neigbours was removed. The tractor belonging to one of our local farmers used to cut the hedges also had a blower attatchment, this pushed a lot of the smaller cuttings, thorns etc. into the verge, so yes, farmers can and should be responsible for making sure the public highways are safe for all, not an extension of the farm.
I am sure if one or more of my tyres was punctured because of hedge debris I would also be visiting the persons responsible with the bill.
That also goes for the coming season of maize cutting which also seems to be done on the wettest day in October. Roads are caked with mud, much of it removed by peoples cars to there homes. Businesses in general are expected to adhere to regulations on keeping premises, and the surrounding environment tidy, clean and safe. Farmers should not be exempt from this, after all they are also a business premises.
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