UK mein pothole ke compensation claims even though kaafi increase ho rahe ho, but in numbers ke behind real riders hai. Jaise Richard Cheshire, jo ek pothole se hit hokar crash ho gaye, or uske baad zindagi bhar ke liye paralysed ho gaye.
RAC ne FOI (Freedom of Information) ke through new data nikala hai, jisme dikh raha hai ki 2021 se local authorities ke paas jaane wale claims 91% tak increase ho gaye hai. But motorcyclists ke liye potholes ka real loss most of the time kahin bhi officially count hi nahi hota.
Ek rider hai richard Cheshire, jo maybe is baat ko sabse achhe se jaante hai. Aaj se approx. 15 years back, unki bike ek pothole pe hit kar gayi thi. Crash itna bura tha ki uske baad wo chest se below tak paralysed ho gaye. Us time wo sirf 19 years ke the.
"15 years ho gaye hai, or roads bilkul embarrassing condition mein hai," unhone BBC se kaha. "kuch bhi change nahi hua."
October 2010 mein Richard lifeguard ki job ke liye bike se ja rahe the, tab Meden Vale, Mansfield ke Netherfield Lane par unki bike ek pothole se hit kar gayi. Bike se throw ho kar wo direct ek fence se ja lage or unki spine ko bohot serious injury hui. Unhone around 6 months hospital mein spent kiye, or ab wo full time wheel chair use karte hai.
"Main walk karne se direct wheelchair pe aa gaye," unhone kaha. "Mujhe dobara relearn karna pada ki life kaise jeeni hai. And honestly, abhi bhi lagta hai ki mere jaisi ek or injury bas hone hi wali hai."
RAC ke figures ke according, 2024 mein councils ne potholes ke compensation ke liye approx. £3.5m pay kiya, or sirf 26%claims hi settle hue. Ab socho, ek car driver ko maybe £500 ka repair bill aaye, but agar same pothole kisi biker ko hit kar jaaye, then control suddenly jaa sakta hai. Car jaisi koi structural protection nahi hoti bike par, isliye motorcycle riders potholes ke case mein kaafi zyada vulnerable hote hai, or agar crash ho jaaye then damage kaafi zyada serious, Even catastrophic bhi ho sakta hai.
Richard ne khud compensation claim karne ki try ki, but wo successful nahi hui. Uske crash ke baad road ko re-surface kiya gaya or speed limit bhi reduce kar di gayi, but kisi ne responsibility nahi li. Richard ka kehna hai, "Us time kisi side se bhi koi accountability nahi thi."
Ab 34 ke ho chuke Richard spinal units mein work karta hai or Whizz Kidz charity ke liye wheelchair skills co-ordinator bhi hai. Unka kehna hai ki roads ko theek se fix karna long run mein zyada cheaper padta hai, instead of after avoidable injuries ke liye zindagi bhar care ka expense bear karna.
Unhone kaha "NHS poori zindagi mera expense bear kar raha hai," usne kaha. "Main adjust kar gaya hoon, but main differently aged ho raha hoon. Body or mind dono pe bohot farq padta hai."
Jab se pothole ke claims continiously increase hue hai, riders ye naturally keh sakte hai ki UK ki roads kitni or warnings ignore kar sakti hai, or kitne or motorcyclists ko price dena hoga before kuch really change aaye.