HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — An elderly woman in Hamburg says a bike ride turned into a costly problem after she rode through broken glass left on the road.
Jeanette Andrews said she relies on her e-bike to get around due to a lung condition. She said her tire was damaged after riding through what she described as piles of glass.
"It took me three weeks to get my bike back," Andrews said.
She said she tried to get answers from the town and the garbage company, but did not hear back. So, she reached out to me for help.
"The thing that aggravates me is that they won't answer me," she said. "We'll call you back, we'll investigate, but they never do."
The Town of Hamburg confirmed there was a glass spill on April 15 following a large-item pickup. The town said it was immediately cleaned after it was reported.
WATCH: Hamburg woman reimbursed after broken glass led to damage to her e-bike
I reached out to Modern Disposal Services and the town. Now, Andrews said the company is working to reimburse her for the damage.
In a statement to 7 News, Modern Disposal said:
"Modern has proudly served the Western New York community for more than 60 years and is deeply committed to being a responsible community steward. The safety of our employees, customers, and the public at our facilities and on the roadways is taken very seriously and is always our highest priority.
On April 15, we received a call from the Town of Hamburg Highway Department reporting broken glass on a roadway believed to be caused by a Modern truck. Our team responded immediately and cleared the debris. There were no further reports regarding glass on the roadway, nor did we have cause at that time to believe that there was any damage caused by the debris.
Upon receiving the resident’s information today, we conducted a review and identified two prior calls that, regrettably, were not escalated appropriately. While our vehicle camera footage does not show material leaving the truck, we recognize that this type of situation can occur in very limited circumstances. We have since contacted the resident directly and will reimburse her for the cost of a new tire and brake. We are also reviewing our internal processes to ensure that future customer concerns are escalated promptly and handled with the attention they deserve.
Modern remains committed to continuous improvement and to maintaining the trust of the communities we serve.”
