Out of court settlement in disk brake/QR case

I've just heard that a case involving a disk brake/QR fork failure was
recently settled out of court.

Interestingly, I didn't even know that this guy was injured in this way,
let alone seeking compensation, until he got in touch with me a few days
ago. I'd be interested to hear from others who are taking action, if
there are any I don't already know about.

James
--
James Annan
see web pages for email
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/
http://julesandjames.blogspot.com/

Be more specific!

Brands, models, etc. Are you talking about all the Wallmart suits?

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 05:46:34 +0900, James Annan
wrote:

I've just heard that a case involving a disk brake/QR fork failure was
recently settled out of court.

Interestingly, I didn't even know that this guy was injured in this way,
let alone seeking compensation, until he got in touch with me a few days
ago. I'd be interested to hear from others who are taking action, if
there are any I don't already know about.

I thought you folks in the UK were all about personal responsibility
and it was the Yanks who flood their courts up with lawsuits, some
valid but a huge number totally frivolous, blaming others for their
injuries. Or maybe I was thinking that Britain was part of Europe :-)

James Annan wrote:
I've just heard that a case involving a disk brake/QR fork failure was
recently settled out of court.

Interestingly, I didn't even know that this guy was injured in this way,
let alone seeking compensation, until he got in touch with me a few days
ago. I'd be interested to hear from others who are taking action, if
there are any I don't already know about.

James

while you're out there fishing james, be a decent chap and get us some
stats on out of court settlements for brake caliper cable clamps that
weren't tightened properly. loose stems would be good too. maybe
incorrectly fitted brake blocks? punctured tires getting fouled up in
the fork? popping chain rivets? pedal spindles in desperate need of
redesign to eliminate fatigue? [continue long boring list of
conspiratorial design defect cover-ups here.]

because it's a purely scientific interest you have here, not a face
saving exercise, right?

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 18:35:41 -0800, jim beam wrote:

because it's a purely scientific interest you have here, not a face
saving exercise, right?

Face saving in terms of helping prevent somebody doing a rather nasty
face-plant in the event of such a failure occurring, but other than that,
I'm sure James is just continuing to publicise/research a justified (in my
view) concern over an issue that seems to be ignored by manufacturers.

Graeme

wrote:
Be more specific!

Brands, models, etc. Are you talking about all the Wallmart suits?

No, it was a UK case, as Doug Taylor correctly guessed. It sounds like
the textbook example of an experienced adult user, who'd ridden without
problems for years, then buys a new fork and doesn't realise how
critically dependent the whole system is on the minor indentations that
had worn into the old dropouts. About his 2nd ride on the new fork,
splat.

------
JACK (V.O.) You take the number of vehicles in the field (A) and
multiply it by the probable rate of failure (B), multiply the result by
the average out-of-court settlement (C). A times B times C equals X. If
X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - TAKING OFF - NIGHT

Next to Jack, a chubby, middle-aged LADY gawks at him, appalled.

LADY ... Which ... car company do you work for?

JACK A major one.

LADY Oh.
------

James

James Annan wrote:
wrote:

Be more specific!

Brands, models, etc. Are you talking about all the Wallmart suits?


No, it was a UK case, as Doug Taylor correctly guessed. It sounds like
the textbook example of an experienced adult user, who'd ridden without
problems for years, then buys a new fork and doesn't realise how
critically dependent the whole system is on the minor indentations that
had worn into the old dropouts. About his 2nd ride on the new fork,
splat.


I, for one, am glad that this issue is receiving publicity. At the very
least it's made me be very rigorous in checking my QR on my bike with
disc brakes every day. And at best maybe in the future all forks for QR
disc brakes will have better angled dropouts or better methods of
clamping.

Greg

--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons

"jim beam" wrote in message
...
James Annan wrote:
I've just heard that a case involving a disk brake/QR fork
failure was
recently settled out of court.

Interestingly, I didn't even know that this guy was injured
in this way,
let alone seeking compensation, until he got in touch with me
a few days
ago. I'd be interested to hear from others who are taking
action, if
there are any I don't already know about.

James

while you're out there fishing james, be a decent chap and get
us some
stats on out of court settlements for brake caliper cable
clamps that
weren't tightened properly. loose stems would be good too.
maybe
incorrectly fitted brake blocks? punctured tires getting
fouled up in
the fork? popping chain rivets? pedal spindles in desperate
need of
redesign to eliminate fatigue? [continue long boring list of
conspiratorial design defect cover-ups here.]

Don't forget the squirrel conspiracy.-- Jay Beattie.