[b][user=2010]jonnyjohnson[/user] wrote: [/b][quote]The driver is responsible for his or hers driving and the driver is also responsible for the road worthiness of the vehicle.
Driver education to these facts could change attitudes.
Who has examined a vehicle and told a driver that a tyre is in a dangerous condition, and then watched as they drive off to the local tyre centre!
It is not for you or I to explain that they are wrong.
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The driver is only responsible for the road worthiness of the vehicle before a professional garage has properly serviced it, should the vehicle then be driven on the road and the customer is not aware of a problem, like one I found the other day, explain in a minute, then the garage and or technican is liable.
Let me explain.
I carried out a service on a peugeot 206 the other day, while dismantling to check the rear brakes, the stub axle thread had been damaged by some “Professional” mechanic with his Air Gun speeding the nut back onto the stub axle after checking the brakes.
When the customer had been contacted by us, we advised that the stub axle had been damaged and to secure the locking nut onto the stub axle properly, we would need to replace it. The nut when fitted did not screw onto the stub axle sufficiently to enure that when the nut was locked into position, that it would stay there, if you understand what I mean.
The stub axle is a complete assembly costing £115 + labour + Vat to fit it.
How do I know a professional did it?
The customer showed records that proved the car had always been previously serviced by the Main dealer, the last receipt showed the car had been serviced by them with a breakdown of work completed.
What happens if that wheel had detached on the road?
Not the customers fault, and most certainly not the customers responsibility. Under the Service and Repair legislation 1982 and as amended, the garage is responsible for the satisfactory quality of repair they provide, otherwise the garage is negligent, in this case not that hard to prove, the dealer didn’t even advise the customer of any problem with it.
Garage guilty, add claim to the Billions of wasted money consumers spend?
