Kwinana Freeway surface warning

irdonn · 08-12-2012, 09:08 AM

Morning guys,

Just a warning for anyone using the Kwinana Freeway towards the city today.

Between South Street and Cranford Avenue there are loose stones over the surface. There is no warning of this, nor is the speed limit any less than 80km/h. My front bar and bonnet is now covered in stone chips and my windscreen has little cracks in it. This occurred just after 5:30am.

I am pretty upset so I thought I'd direct my anger by warning others.

I've sent a few emails to the contacts listed on the project's website but no doubt it will be my issue.

Cheers,

Ian

Jim Goose · 08-12-2012, 09:21 AM

Trucks/ trailors can be seen quite a lot without a cover, hence why its a requirement to cover your load. (im assuming the road is bitumen?)

Have seen rocks as big as your fist dumped on the bruce highway (few weeks back, main roads arrived to sweep it up) as well as rocks dumped across a level crossing (called QR to get them to come out).

Not much you can do about it to claim damages as you cant prove who dumped it..

irdonn · 08-12-2012, 01:43 PM

The freeway's in the process of being widened. Apologies I didn't mention that. It's all associated with the works they're doing over night there. I've spoken to the Public Relations staff member of the company with the contract who's asked for some photos to be forwarded to them.

**Full Noise** · 08-12-2012, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irdonn

The freeway's in the process of being widened. Apologies I didn't mention that. It's all associated with the works they're doing over night there. I've spoken to the Public Relations staff member of the company with the contract who's asked for some photos to be forwarded to them.

1. Next time, buy an in car camera and use it.

http://www.onsitecameras.com/blog/pr...-page/cameras/

2. Report the situation to the road authorities.

3. Remind the road authorities of the contractor’s duty of care to leave the road in a safe condition to drive on, and essentially exposing them to liability for not erecting signage to advise of a loose road surface.

If this is as you say, part of the roadworks, it’s not the same as a road that is deteriorating, and the contractor doing the work would be well aware of this.

Take the matter up, don’t drag your heels about it and don’t take no for an answer. In circumstances like this, the contractor is liable, you just have to be able to prove it.

Good luck with it.

irdonn · 08-12-2012, 06:32 PM

Thanks Full Noise,

Any particular in car camera you recommend?

Main Roads and the contractor concerned are aware of it. Both were contacted early this morning. Waiting for a response now. Been told no later than Monday. There were definitely no 'loose surface' warning signs or similar prior to the area concerned. Sad thing is I can't prove that nor can I prove my front windscreen, bonnet and bar had not a single stone chip on it prior to this morning. A first world problem but frustrating none the less. Any bush lawyers around the traps?

A few photographs. Hard to spot the stone chips. Those bits in my hand were pulled out from the tread of my tyres.

Hope no one else suffered the same fate this morning!

Cheers.

irdonn · 07-03-2013, 05:59 PM

Mini thread mine but had a win with this. All paid for. It appears the trick is to be persistent but reasonable.

Cheers.

2011G6E · 07-03-2013, 06:31 PM

Makes you bloody mad when they do that sort of stuff.
Out here on the Capricorn Highway the standard "fix" is to pull the bitumen truck up at a pothole, dump a few shovel fulls of hot mix into it, then drive the truck over it a few times. First couple of cars through before it hardens chuck rocks everywhere. That's how we did the screen in the G6E shortly before trading it in.

Then there was the time that I rode my motorbike to work...it's only 300 meters, but I decided to give it a run...and between going to work and coming home that night, the council came around town and covered all the roads in loose bitumened gravel. I rode home at 10pm...that was an interesting ride on the corners, I can tell you...

And trying to get damages out of a council is like getting blood from a stone...

drew1491 · 07-03-2013, 06:32 PM

Glad to hear you got a good result, I am actually surprised they paid out, did you get a lawyer to help you?

Nice work mate!

irdonn · 07-03-2013, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

And trying to get damages out of a council is like getting blood from a stone...

I hear you mate. I think they expect most people to just cop it on the chin and I probably normally would. But it was 5:30 in the morning, I was tired and cranky, and the bonnet had recently been resprayed and the whole car paint protected. It started with an email to blow off some steam and it didn't stop.

No lawyers, well from this end anyway. Just a lot of emails. I was ready to take to to Small Claims and see what they'd say though. There was a brand new FG XR6T behind me which must've got absolutely hammered as well. I hope they did the same.

aussie muscle · 08-03-2013, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Makes you bloody mad when they do that sort of stuff.

Trouble is, the alternative is Road Works zones with no workers. something which is also annoying. I know what you mean with the council here shovels the potholes with loose bitumen (sometimes even without tar in the mix). the "fix" usually lasts 5 minutes.

flappist · 08-03-2013, 09:54 AM

Actually the solution is to build roads that do not suffer these problems.

There are a couple of sections of concrete freeway near Nambour that was built in the 1980s which have never had any maintenance at all since are are great to drive on.
There was a similar section on Ipswich road that the yanks built during WW2 which has only recently been upgraded as it now requires more lanes.

These style roads have a major problem in that they are expensive and as our governments seem to only care about NOW and not anything that will happen in the future when they may not be in power money is channeled towards projects projects that will enhance re-election chances.

We are lucky that this has not always been the case otherwise there would be no Sydney Harbour Bridge or Snowy Mountain Scheme but there really is no reason why we do not have the same interstate style road system as USA other than we do not look that far in the future and waste most of our taxes on supporting people in their never ending mission to NOT contribute to the future of this country.

tweeked · 08-03-2013, 10:26 AM

I absolutely hated driving on the concrete sections of the M1 from Surfers to Brisbane each day. Noisiest surface you will ever hear. Would hate it if that became the norm.

Poorboy_racer · 08-03-2013, 11:54 AM

There was a big lump of steel bar sticking out of the road in Bibra Lake. I phone the traffic authority and said if I come off my bike due to it, I will sue. They fixed it the same day I phoned.

johnnymc · 08-03-2013, 05:11 PM

Ohhh That sucks Mate!! I know how mint your car is too! sucks driving round in your pride and joy knowing there's damage to it! Especially as it wasn't your fault

flappist · 08-03-2013, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tweeked

I absolutely hated driving on the concrete sections of the M1 from Surfers to Brisbane each day. Noisiest surface you will ever hear. Would hate it if that became the norm.

What to pot holes, stone chips and almost constant road works slowing down the commute to a crawl are ok provided that it is not noisy?

Winter XR8 · 08-03-2013, 09:35 PM

They have been doing alot of road works on Mandurah Rd between Rockingham and Mandurah lately and my wife got chips on the XR8. She called up WA Main Roads and spoke to them and they have asked her to email them some photos. Fingers crossed they will respray my bonnet, front bar and quarter.

Winter XR8 · 08-03-2013, 09:36 PM

They have been doing alot of road works on Mandurah Rd between Rockingham and Mandurah lately and my wife got chips on the XR8. She called up WA Main Roads and spoke to them and they have asked her to email them some photos. Fingers crossed they will respray my bonnet, front bar and quarter.

Winter XR8 · 08-03-2013, 09:37 PM

They have been doing alot of road works on Mandurah Rd between Rockingham and Mandurah lately and my wife got chips on the XR8. She called up WA Main Roads and spoke to them and they have asked her to email them some photos. Fingers crossed they will respray my bonnet, front bar and quarter.

Winter XR8 · 08-03-2013, 09:38 PM

They have been doing alot of road works on Mandurah Rd between Rockingham and Mandurah lately and my wife got chips on the XR8. She called up WA Main Roads and spoke to them and they have asked her to email them some photos. Fingers crossed they will respray my bonnet, front bar and quarter.

Winter XR8 · 08-03-2013, 09:43 PM

Mmmmm not sure what happened above. Mods delete repeats please.