Advise please! Petrol sprayed on helmet

**2 wheel madness** · 3rd March 2009, 21:32

Filled up at a BP station (wont mention what one at this stage) in the waikato last weekend, picked up pump handle and trigger was still clicked in from last user, as i picked it up the pump started soon after and proceeded to spray petrol over my bike and helmet as i walked round bike to fill up!!

Result is the paint on bike seems ok but helmet has suffered a bit, cracked visor (tinted), most of the plastics for the air vents are rooted, crazy crack like marks and couple of them have broken bits.

My concern (more so than the fucked vents and visor) is that petrol and polystyrene dont mix and all vents were open at time, also inside of helmet smelt a little bit of petrol after. This puts doubts in my mind as to the structual integrity of the helmet!

Spoke to manager on duty of BP station at time and she said it happens from time to time but nothing they can do about it. Now that ive thought about it a bit more i cant help but feel that at the end of the day it is through no fault of mine that i now need a new helmet and therefore why should i have to claim on my insurance and pay the excess / have this incident recorded on my policy etc?

Any thoughts would be appreciated as i tend to get pretty aggressive (and narrow minded) if i think im in the right and dont get my way etc.

FYI. I have spoken to insurance co and they have said over phone they will cover helmet.

**Gubb** · 3rd March 2009, 21:42

BP should be paying for the damages. The pumps are designed to click off when they are put back in the cradle, if they don't, the pump, or the handle is faulty.

Unless they have signs saying not to use the pump, they should be paying for any damages caused through their faulty, or not properly maintained equipment.

**Pussy** · 3rd March 2009, 21:44

I would tend to agree with Gubb.
Your helmet is stuffed. Pleased you're getting a new one

**discotex** · 3rd March 2009, 21:48

I always check after almost having that happen. I realised as the numbers reset and unclicked it in the nick of time.

Based on what Gubb said I'm sure your insurance should be able to claim against theirs on your behalf so you don't pay excess or affect your no-claims status.

**scumdog** · 3rd March 2009, 21:49

Modern petrol is NASTY-AS.

Went to wash my MTB front sprocket and the plastic sprocket-guard plain crumbled and fell apart at a touch.

**ManDownUnder** · 3rd March 2009, 21:49

Ditto with the above.

Edit - check the state of plastics on your bike (i.e. the screen if it has one) before making the claim

**2 wheel madness** · 3rd March 2009, 21:53

Originally Posted by Gubb

BP should be paying for the damages. The pumps are designed to click off when they are put back in the cradle, if they don't, the pump, or the handle is faulty.

Unless they have signs saying not to use the pump, they should be paying for any damages caused through their faulty, or not properly maintained equipment.

yeah my thoughts to, just didnt want to go off to much before getting a second opinion. will be ringing concerned BP tomorrow!

cheers

**Gubb** · 3rd March 2009, 21:57

Unless it's a privately operated site, i'd go straight to their head office, and go to the Territory Manager. The Store Manager won't be able to do anything about it. Do everything in writing.

**3umph** · 3rd March 2009, 22:01

Originally Posted by Gubb

Unless it's a privately operated site, i'd go straight to their head office, and go to the Territory Manager. The Store Manager won't be able to do anything about it. Do everything in writing.

yip agree... then if no joy go to your insurance company... they will want to prove blame on them to get $$$ out of them

**2 wheel madness** · 3rd March 2009, 22:14

good point.
Not sure if it private owned or not but guess will find out pretty soon, and like you say perhaps email would be better than over phone / in person too, more official and less he said she said type bullshit.

Might take some pics to attach with email etc too.

**2 wheel madness** · 3rd March 2009, 22:23

Originally Posted by 3umph

yip agree... then if no joy go to your insurance company... they will want to prove blame on them to get $$$ out of them

Have spoken to insurance co, they have said they will cover but was no mention of chasing BP for excess, hence why im looking at having a go at them myself.

Although in AMI's deffence it was just a quick call to see where i stand, and there response was all positive and fault or cause of problem was not discussed in detail, personaly i would prefer to fight my own battles. If i have trouble with BP then will look at my other options i guess.

Some how i dont feel a bit of intimidation from a little white boy will scare them much tho

**jonbuoy** · 3rd March 2009, 23:48

I think that would be their operator error? Don't they normally look at you before they hit the authorise button on the pump controls? Maybe thats why its happened there in the past?

**MaxB** · 4th March 2009, 00:43

I thought oil companies had a duty to ensure the safe operation of their premises. Petrol spraying all over the customers is not a good look. I'm sure OSH would be interested if all else fails.