Are these annoying sleeping policemen ruining my caravan?

• Tuesday, 30 December 2008
• Amy Hodge

Are these sleeping Policemen ruining caravan tyres?

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I’ve just had to have the third set of tyres on my caravan in six years. Both the sets that failed had scuff marks on the inside tread shoulder, which is where the tyres punctured. The tyre dealer said that he has seen this problem on cars and it is due to the square ‘lump type’ sleeping policemen the council uses around here. The tyre sides are forced onto the sides of the lumps, where the tyre isn’t designed to take any friction. Does that seem possible to you, and if so can I sue the council for damage to my caravan?
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MIKE SAYS
There is certainly a lot of circumstantial evidence that all sorts of sleeping policemen have been damaging cars and caravans. However being able to prove that is another thing.

All I can suggest is that if you have a few neighbours who feel the same way it would be worth writing to your county council or unitary authority, also sending a copy of the letter to your local councillor, expressing your concern. It would be worth pointing out that the spot where tyres are being damaged is an area that could only be damaged by contact with the sleeping policemen.

Some farsighted councils have started ripping sleeping policemen out and replacing them with concrete boxes filled with flowers. The boxes form a choke point, with traffic giving way according to the priority indicated by signs, which is an effective way of slowing traffic, and they look a lot better than lumps of concrete across the road.