Vauxhall Astra J VXR - Stone Chips after unmarked re-surfaced road.

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 18:51
Vauxhall Astra J VXR - Stone Chips after unmarked re-surfaced road. - SamS

Hi

I live in Aberdeenshire, and I take immense pride in my car. So when this afternoon I was driving home the road quite suddenly and without warning was full of those horrible wee stones. The limit was 30, which was what I was doing behind a lorry. It kicked stones all up my front and my own car was kicking stones along my side. Of course I slowed right down but it was a bit too late.

I went out and photographed the road, and the way it was looking on my side of the road. And how it wasn't signposted for a possibility of loss of traction only a diversion which had been in place for several days.

I'm not sure if I could have any case here, because I am sick in my stomach I spend a lot of time and effort detailing my car and I would have happily spent extra money on fuel to avoid any possibility of damaging my paintwork.

Here is a crudely drawn picture of the road in question blue indicating my direction of travel.

i.imgur.com/SbL4liw.png

Regards

Sam

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 19:11
Vauxhall Astra J VXR - Stone Chips after unmarked re-surfaced road. - RobJP

So, you take immense pride in your car, but you were driving so close behind the lorry in the 30 limit area that, as soon as it went onto the newly-surfaced area, it was kicking stones up onto your car.

Sorry, but I think you've got no case at all. The simple answer is that the lorry will only kick up stones for a certain distance behind it. Councils also have to do road repairs. In addition, as you've already said yourself, your own car was kicking up stones onto the sides, so you are responsible for some of it too.

If you drove a bit further back from other vehicles it's quite likely that it wouldn't have been so "sudden and without warning"

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 19:21
Vauxhall Astra J VXR - Stone Chips after unmarked re-surfaced road. - SamS

I forgot to mention, but I do have dashcam and it would be easy to see how far away I was from the lorry (About 5/6s) I usually drive well back anyways seeing as the common state of the roads up here are usually appaling and it's in the village.

But I guess you do have a solid point, I am responsible for some of the damage as the stones kicked up the side too. I do believe I couldn't have done anything to stop this from happening under the circumstances that I wasn't aware at all of the conditions of the road that afternoon.

Sorry if it seemed childish, I am just frustrated.

Thanks for the swift reply, I appreciate it :)

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 19:25
Vauxhall Astra J VXR - Stone Chips after unmarked re-surfaced road. - gordonbennet

Must admit i avoid freshly chipped roads where possible, i can control my own speed and don't tailgate anyway so that's not a problem.

I do however have a big problem with the half wits who overtake you or travel at equally break neck speed from the other direction, spraying stones everywhere, especially annoying when lorry drivers do this because they above all should know better.

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 19:37
Vauxhall Astra J VXR - Stone Chips after unmarked re-surfaced road. - SamS

I won't be doing anything about this, looking on it more logically even if I did make this a case. Anything i'd get is money the council can't spend resurfacing the roads and they b***** well need it.

I guess mostly just looking to blame something because I was/am angry about it all.

Thank you both.

Sam.

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Thu 7 Apr 2016 21:25
Vauxhall Astra J VXR - Stone Chips after unmarked re-surfaced road. - RobJP

Sam, my initial reply might have been a little bit blunt. I'm sorry for that.

I can understand where you're coming from, though. Whilst I don't take huge care of my cars, it must be annoying, when you do (and I do know people who detail cars to a wonderful level) to then get all those little chips happening all of a sudden. Days of work wrecked in an instant.

Me, I make sure I wash our cars using 2 buckets and gently washing and hosing downwards, and that's about it.

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Fri 8 Apr 2016 14:18
Vauxhall Astra J VXR - Stone Chips after unmarked re-surfaced road. - Brit_in_Germany

Too late now but there are such things called "clear bras" for protecting the front paintwork.

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Fri 8 Apr 2016 15:21
Vauxhall Astra J VXR - Stone Chips after unmarked re-surfaced road. - SteVee

I would still complain to the roads authority (the council?), especially if you have photographs. The lack of signage is bad news; especially for 2 wheel vehicles. The dashcam video might be especailly useful.

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