So there I am driving back from Woodhall Spa and I see this....


With 3 cars coming towards me and zero time to react, I went through it and heard the dreaded hissing noise. Pulled over to this....







One buckled wheel with cut tyre!


The wife went back to take some photos of the crater while I fitted the spare.


So I made it home and thought I’d check the front wheel to. Well there was some rubber scuffing on the out side and on the inside...


So I’ll be filing a claim with Lincs County Council for defo 1 tyre and 2 wheel repairs and if the garage advise it 2 tyres and 2 repairs or replacements.

I’ll probably need a full alignment but is there anything else I should be having done? 2019 5.0 SC SVA (Current)
2012 5.0 SC AB. Sadly written off by a campervan
23 plate Focus ST (Current)
1942 VEP Ford GPW Jeep (Willys) (Current)
1943 Whites M16 Halftrack (Current)
16 plate Eurofighter Typhoon, 2 x Eurojet engines with 20,000lbs thrust each. 1380mph

Not good about your wheel, but I hope you have pictures with an item of known size to prove the size/depth of pot hole? I've heard of claims being refused as they couldn't prove size or depth and as the council had nipped out and repaired the hole then it was too late. If you don't already then it might be worth nipping back there with a ruler and take pics with it. 13MY Range Rover Sport Autobiography SDV6 - mine
14MY Range Rover Evoque Dynamic SD4 Black Pack - wife's
99MY Defender 90 TD5, Soft Top Conversion - my toy, and bairns favourite

Isn't there a way of checking with the local councils or Highways England if somebody else had reported it. Just gives you that little bit more of info if it was or they were slow to react.

Steve. 2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE in Cairns Blue.

I’m going back this morning to measure the whole with a tape measure.

Not sure about there being an online way to see if a report has been made but I will be making a FOI for the maintenance logs for the road.

My wife reported a huge pot hole about 2 months ago and it’s still there, they’ve just painted a white circle around it which I guess is some sort of gauge for them. Trouble is it’s very deep and it may be just OK in a car but it will catch a cyclist out and it’s a V fast road. 2019 5.0 SC SVA (Current)
2012 5.0 SC AB. Sadly written off by a campervan
23 plate Focus ST (Current)
1942 VEP Ford GPW Jeep (Willys) (Current)
1943 Whites M16 Halftrack (Current)
16 plate Eurofighter Typhoon, 2 x Eurojet engines with 20,000lbs thrust each. 1380mph

The increasing preference for big wheels and short sidewalls will mean more of this sort of problem, sadly, especially as council budgets get squeezed ever harder by Govt, meaning fewer road repairs.

Your sidewalls are nearly 2 inches shorter than mine, for example, (285/35 vs 255/55) and I wince and swear when hitting similar holes. Luckily, without incident so far.

What's even more worrying is the people who, unlike you, swerve out in to the road to avoid the hole! Nearly being taken out by them a few times. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Thanks for all the comments guys.

I went back this morning and took more photos with measurements. It’s 6 foot long overall, 2 foot wide and 6 inches deep at the deepest point. It’s 5 foot from the centre white line which is pretty much right in the way of vehicles left wheels. It must be well known to the locals as all the cars I watched all drove into the opposite carriageway to avoid it!




 2019 5.0 SC SVA (Current)
2012 5.0 SC AB. Sadly written off by a campervan
23 plate Focus ST (Current)
1942 VEP Ford GPW Jeep (Willys) (Current)
1943 Whites M16 Halftrack (Current)
16 plate Eurofighter Typhoon, 2 x Eurojet engines with 20,000lbs thrust each. 1380mph

Looks like they've been patch repairing that road edge for some time - there are a number of patches visible in your photos. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

i believe if they are aware of it (and previous patch work suggests they might be) they might not pay out, as they need a period of time to arrange its repair

For this road they have 28 days to repair, I think this hole has been there much longer. From what I have read, they are more likely to pay if it has been reported as they are now aware of it and negligent if they do not action. The hole is also visible on google street view but is much smaller. Anyone know how to find the date of google street view? 2019 5.0 SC SVA (Current)
2012 5.0 SC AB. Sadly written off by a campervan
23 plate Focus ST (Current)
1942 VEP Ford GPW Jeep (Willys) (Current)
1943 Whites M16 Halftrack (Current)
16 plate Eurofighter Typhoon, 2 x Eurojet engines with 20,000lbs thrust each. 1380mph

It is there on the bottom right of the screen ( on Windows and Chrome). 2023 P440e SE Dynamic on order -cancelled

2022 HSE Dynamic P400e

2017 Discovery 3.0 HSE Silicon Silver Nimbus interior and a few extra toys SOLD

2013 HSE Black, Orkney Grey, Ebony Seats and Ivory Interior SOLD

2006 HSE

Plus a few other cars inbetween!

Interestingly, the claim form never arrived and when I emailed the head of the roads department of Lincs council and quoted my ref. Number that also turned out to be duff!! I now have a genuine ref number and the form should be with me soon. He also gave me a link to a Lincs council web page that shows and tracks all potholes and road damage (that I was told previously didn’t exist). We’ll blow me down if it hadn’t already been reported by someone who blew 2 tyres and buckled one wheel 8 days before hand!! 2019 5.0 SC SVA (Current)
2012 5.0 SC AB. Sadly written off by a campervan
23 plate Focus ST (Current)
1942 VEP Ford GPW Jeep (Willys) (Current)
1943 Whites M16 Halftrack (Current)
16 plate Eurofighter Typhoon, 2 x Eurojet engines with 20,000lbs thrust each. 1380mph