Check Your Brake Lines

[Joe1888 672]

They reckon foxes are chewing though brake lines, wonder if the antis in the area will still want to protect them...

 

chicken wire around the car, that wont do much

A NUMBER of vehicles have been damaged in Gossops Green with their brake cables being cut, but rather than vandalism by hooligans, the culprit is believed to be a fox.

At least three residents in Buckswood Drive have had the brake cables on their cars and vans gnawed through since the start of this year, causing brake fluid to drain away.

If drivers are unaware their brakes have been tampered there is an increased chance serious accidents could occur.

The mechanic who fixed the vehicles damaged in Gossops Green is urging drivers to be alert to the danger.

Justin Peters, who owns Protech Motor Services, in Three Bridges Road, said: "Motorists need to be aware.

"People can be a bit blasé first thing in the morning when they get behind the wheel and the last thing we want is for there to be a crash because someone puts their foot on the brake and they've failed.

"There appears to be an epidemic currently in Gossops Green.

"The first time I had a vehicle brought in with this problem about a month ago it was hard to say for definite that the cable had been chewed but you get to recognise the tell-tale signs.

"I've seen cables with teeth marks in on more than one location before.

"I had to recover one car because the brakes had completely failed.

"It is a problem that the cases I've seen can't be repaired. The cables have needed replacing and that can cost hundreds of pounds."

After first encountering the problem Mr Peters researched the issue and found other cases across the country.

He added: "Foxes appear to be prolific at causing this damage.

"They are renowned for chewing anything they can get hold of and rubber seems to be particularly appealing."

Experts believe the behaviour could be linked to vixens bringing discarded rubber Wellington boots back to their dens for cubs to chew on. Others have speculated that they are attracted to the slightly sweet flavour of brake fluid, when they are hiding underneath vehicles in the winter to keep warm.

Some victims have even resorted to wrapping chicken wire round their cars when parked to protect them.

One of the Buckswood Drive victims has called for foxes to be culled in the neighbourhood.

The resident, who asked not to be named as he fears reprisals due to his views on the issue, said: "The damage caused by these foxes puts not only the driver in the car at risk but other people on the road too.

"I've contacted Crawley Borough Council's pest control team but they told me they don't provide a service to deal with foxes.

"Their advice was to use a repellent to make the fox move on.

"I wouldn't want passing this problem on to another part of Crawley which then potentially leads to an accident elsewhere on my conscious.

"A cull is the only solution."

This resident has had three vehicles damaged through cables being chewed since the end of last year.

He added: "I got into my wife's car last Thursday and realised there was no brake fluid when the brake light appeared on the dashboard when I turned the engine on.

"Later that evening I checked underneath the car and could see a cable had been chewed through.

"On Friday morning my wife went off in my car instead but returned home within five minutes saying there was something wrong with the brakes.

"It was the same problem again.

"This isn't the first time we have had this happen.

"I was going back and forth to car garages at the end of last year because the ABS sensor cables to all four tyres of my van were chewed through one after the other.

"The mechanics said there were bite marks on the cables which would have been caused by mice or a fox.

"After it happened again last week we contacted our neighbours to warn them and were shocked at the response.

"A household close to us on one side said they had a problem a couple weeks ago when their brakes were chewed through.

"Then we found out a vehicle parked at a house almost opposite us has been targeted as well.

"We must have foxes living in one of our gardens that are avid brake fluid drinkers."

the above is from http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/Culprit-spate-vehicle-brake-cables-damaged/story-25930897-detail/story.html

Edited January 30, 2015 by Joe1888