Mud on the road: Is this a chargeable offence

[camerafodder]

No offence intended, just think it thru
cops - no chance
solicitor- nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
pic to local paper/council ? maybe

Police in South Cumbria have prosecuted a farmer for this recently. Its extremely dangerous for motorcyclists and if wet it can be like ice. Not nice when suddenly come around the bend to be confronted by it.

Farmers are supposed to clean up. I used to carry a small pressurized backpack to wash the the wheels of my mog when It had been in muddy fields.

 

[bennesspipers]

One way iv used successfully to make cops take notice is to throw this into the conversation - "Im a Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, can i have your name & number officer, for my report ?"....it works nicely ;-)

 

[davidjpowell]

I have sympathy with the OP.

A couple of months ago, minding my own business at night, driving on a dual carriageway section of the A66 I came across what can only be described as a field crossing the carriageway that I was on.

I slithered across. A bike would have been on his back.

There was a hand painted 'mud on road' sign placed to see a second before hitting the mud.

My speed was 80mph, so not excessive, and the dull mud on a dull road does not show well until well in the main beam glow.

 

[bennesspipers]

If a farmer puts a 'mud on road' sign up, hes admitting the offence !

 

[Rupert44]

We suffer from this but this year is the worst.

Left with 3 inches deep on the road. They did come an "clean" it up after a week.

These are contractors and they travel from farm to farm harvesting the maze.

I challenged the contractors and was told to FO and mind my own F Business.

Reported it to the PCC, No reply.

Just have to wash the car weekly.

Price to pay for living in the country.

 

[JohnBar]

I live in Wiltshire. Loads of lanes and farms.
Wiltshire Council has an app to report all manner of things, one of which is mud on the road with a phone number if urgent.

I can't believe that Wiltshire is in the forefront of technology. Worth seeing what your council has.

 

[Dieselman]

I live in Wiltshire. Loads of lanes and farms.
Wiltshire Council has an app to report all manner of things, one of which is mud on the road with a phone number if urgent.

I can't believe that Wiltshire is in the forefront of technology. Worth seeing what your council has.

They might have an app, but do they have a server at the other end?

 

[JohnBar]

They might have an app, but do they have a server at the other end?

They do indeed. I reported some graffiti on some road signs yesterday and received an e mail this morning telling me they will deal with it.

Maybe you could adopt a less cynical attitude?

 

[st13phil]

As others have already mentioned, a road plastered with mud is a significant hazard to motorcyclists and I personally knew someone who was paralysed as a result.

Lincolnshire Police were very sheepish about failing to act on earlier reports of mud on the road when called as witnesses during the compensation hearing.

I live in a rural area and accept that some mud on the road is inevitable, but some farmers seriously take the p*ss. They need dealing with.

 

[Satch]

In reality Plod will not want to know unless there is a possibility that mud on the road caused an RTA involving serious injury or a fatality.

The Highways Department of the County Council is primarily responsible for mud or debris on road, the District or Borough Council for mud or debris on the pavement but a lot depends on location and context.

In a farming district it is to be expected to a certain extent but "excessive" amounts (obviously subjective) reported on a regular basis are not tolerated because of the risk that the Country Council could get dragged into litigation because they have a duty of care.

"Reported" is key there.

In an urban environment construction sites are the main culprit and almost all big sites will now have guys whose main task is to clear away mud on the road. As many will know, this is particularly evident in the City of London, where enforcement is almost manic.

As for getting money off somebody for the cleaning mud from wheel arches, I really would not bother. Devote you energies to getting the County Council Highways Department engaged

 

[neilrr]

Farmers around here are habitual scofflaws.

They drop their **** on the road, trail mud onto a fast A road & build up enormous queues behind their 20 mph progress on 50 mph roads.

What is particularly annoying is when they sail past ¼ mile sections of the 'old' A road & continue along the 'new' A road when they could divert, let the huge amount of frustrated traffic built up behind pass & continue their journey with virtually no delay.

They give the couldn't care less & generally do as they please.

 

[Deleted member 11979]

On my route home from work there is a field where workers have been dragging mud all over the road for a couple of days now. The quantity of mud on the road is unbelieveable, and it is spread out over quite a distance - not just at the field gate.

Is a chargeable offence? Who can bring charges for messing up the highway?

Local plod seem to be sympathetic, but don't seem to think any offence has been caused. This is a regular offender who has done it before.

Quite apart from the annoyance of getting the car all dirty, it is a real hazard.

I really want to get the cars cleaned now - properly all under the wheel arches - then send the bill to the culprit. Have i got any good case for expecting him to pay the cleaning bill?

If you want to pay more for your milk, beef, veg and anything else that comes from a farm, I suspect the farmer would be only too pleased to clean it up and pass the charge on to you, we have plenty of mud around here at present, and it is bloody annoying not to be able to drive to town without getting crap all over the car.

However, one of the local offenders to me also cuts my hedges for free with his tractor, his wife babysits our children, and he lets us walk the dog in his fields, so I'm OK with it.

 

[st13phil]

In reality Plod will not want to know unless there is a possibility that mud on the road caused an RTA involving serious injury or a fatality.

While I tend to agree with your assertion, were you or I to string a wire across the road, approx. 4 feet above the road surface, Plod would definitely take an interest and we would be on the wrong end of a very serious charge. That they actively ignore mud on the road until it actually causes an RTA involving serious injury or a fatality is indicative of their strange priorities when it comes to road safety matters.

 

[Deleted member 11979]

While I tend to agree with your assertion, were you or I to string a wire across the road, approx. 4 feet above the road surface, Plod would definitely take an interest and we would be on the wrong end of a very serious charge. That they actively ignore mud on the road until it actually causes an RTA involving serious injury or a fatality is indicative of their strange priorities when it comes to road safety matters.

I can see what you are saying, but here in rural Devon the roads are chock full of hazards. On my way to work I will encounter horses, tractors, mud, an old guy walking his dog on a narrow road, and on my way back sometimes a milk tanker driver that hairs down single track roads at stupid speeds.

You have to expect these hazards and drive accordingly. It's interesting to see how the tourists cope, they can be spotted quite easily as they simply drive too fast, usually in a 4x4

Country driving is far removed from urban or main road driving, you have to expect to round a corner and be expected to slow down or stop on a mud covered road, yesterday I rounded a bend to be met by a queue of cars stopped as a tractor and trailer had jack knifed on a tight downhill bend.

 

[bpsorrel]

Regular occurrence where I live. Narrow lanes often blocked by selfish tractor drivers doing 15 mph, dropping their carp all over the road in front of you and even when there's a pull in to enable the cars behind to go by.... do they pull in? Never, ignorant swine!

Farmers around here are habitual scofflaws.

They drop their **** on the road, trail mud onto a fast A road & build up enormous queues behind their 20 mph progress on 50 mph roads.

What is particularly annoying is when they sail past ¼ mile sections of the 'old' A road & continue along the 'new' A road when they could divert, let the huge amount of frustrated traffic built up behind pass & continue their journey with virtually no delay.

They give the couldn't care less & generally do as they please.

 

[Satch]

While I tend to agree with your assertion, were you or I to string a wire across the road, approx. 4 feet above the road surface, Plod would definitely take an interest and we would be on the wrong end of a very serious charge. That they actively ignore mud on the road until it actually causes an RTA involving serious injury or a fatality is indicative of their strange priorities when it comes to road safety matters.

In a world driven by targets and with limited resources, there is nothing in it for them but that does not mean such even should not be notified to them as well as the County Council.

BTW, if an incident does occur then the HSE can become involved and that is the most effective and immediate sanction. They can serve a Prohibition Notice that shuts the offending farm or site down until the hazard is resolved.

 

[st13phil]

BTW, if an incident does occur then the HSE can become involved and that is the most effective and immediate sanction. They can serve a Prohibition Notice that shuts the offending farm or site down until the hazard is resolved.

Must admit that I hadn't considered the HSE - thanks for the tip

 

[cinek]

Must admit that I hadn't considered the HSE - thanks for the tip

I would be extremely surprised if HSE as much as blinked at any case involving mud on the road.

 

[swannymere]

Whilst i agree that the mud can be dangerous the whinging about tractors driving at 15mph comes across as though the posters think its personal.

 

[chris200]

I would be extremely surprised if HSE as much as blinked at any case involving mud on the road.

If it's reported with supporting evidence I'd be extremely surprised if they DIDN'T blink an eye.....or maybe even two. If it isn't HSE then there has to be a department who will take swift action on matters like this. If they are informed about it and don't act then what is likely to be the public and media reaction if it results in serious injury or a fatality?