RYDERS ON THE STORM • On September 25, 1986, my
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company hired an Iveco 3.5t GVW panel van from Ryder Truck Rental of Dukinfield.
Later that day in a busy London road, the vehicle lost its nearside rear wheels, which caused damage to two shop-fronts, narrowly missing an elderly pedestrian.
A police officer who attended the scene discovered that the nuts securing the offside rear wheels were also loose, and inspection of the lost wheels revealed considerable ovality of the mounting holes . Aggesting that they had been loose for some time.
I now face a possible prosecution as the operator of the vehicle, and when asked whether Ryder would take responsibility for the condition of their vehicle in any court action, they declined stating that the roadworthiness of their vehicle was my responsibility!
I therefore recommend that any company using Ryder vehicles make a thorough inspection of them before use, as it would appear that Ryder themselves are not bound to. David A Hughes D A Hughes Transport Ashlon-U-Lyne, Lancs