LAST week, I had my car in the garage for its yearly service and MOT. It failed its MOT because it had an oil leak on the N/S/F shock absorber. The O/S/F shock absorber was also suspect, but not a fail.

Both I, and the MOT tester who failed my car, put the failure down to the speed humps introduced by successive local councils.

Should there be a loose paving slab, and a member of the public sustain an injury because of this, they could claim compensation from the council.

Why then cannot I claim the £209.04 it cost me to have the fault rectified.

To my way mind, it was the council's fault that my car sustained this problem.

A Laws,

Angram Close,

Clifton,

York.

Updated: 09:57 Monday, May 03, 2004