Overtaking at a speed bump

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Discussion

Ayahuasca

Original Poster:

27,427 posts

278 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
Just curious really.

I drive a large 4x4 with raised suspension that has no mechanical need to slow down for a speed bump. If a smaller car slows right down to negotiate the bump more gingerly, and I just overtake them, is that OK legally speaking?

Assume no other road markings that preclude the overtake and no danger to others.


Ste1987

1,798 posts

105 months

Monday 6th July 2015
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If you're not going over the speed limit, I don't see why not

HantsRat

2,369 posts

107 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
Speed bumps are put in place with the sole reason to slow vehicles down at specific points. Why on earth would you overtake on one? Can't you just wait until after the speed bump?

Joeguard1990

1,181 posts

125 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
My car is lowered enough in that I can't do 20 MPH over speed bumps where that is the speed limit otherwise the bottom would scrape.

Having said that I would have no issue with someone overtaking me if they felt that I was holding them up while trying not to damage my car smile

V8forweekends

2,481 posts

123 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
Often wondered about speed bumps - if the limit is, say 30, how can they put stuff in the road that makes 30mph impossible? Isn't that a de-facto lower limit?

Ayahuasca

Original Poster:

27,427 posts

278 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
HantsRat said:
Speed bumps are put in place with the sole reason to slow vehicles down at specific points. Why on earth would you overtake on one? Can't you just wait until after the speed bump?
Because I want to.

The question is, is it breaking any law?






rb5er

11,657 posts

171 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
HantsRat said:
Speed bumps are put in place with the sole reason to slow vehicles down at specific points. Why on earth would you overtake on one? Can't you just wait until after the speed bump?
Should you still wait by the 20th speed bump? Some cars literally struggle with 10mpg over some big ones when other cars could happily do the speed limit.

Might be a different case if the limit was lowered through those areas.

HantsRat

2,369 posts

107 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
Ayahuasca said:
Because I want to.

The question is, is it breaking any law?
Why do you want to? What's the harm in waiting 2 more seconds?

There is no law that prohibits overtaking on speed bumps, however it all depends on the circumstances at the time of the overtake which could mean another law such as careless/inconsiderate/dangerous driving would better suit.

Traffic calming bumps are not just put there for no reason.

rb5er

11,657 posts

171 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
HantsRat said:
Traffic calming bumps are not just put there for no reason.
The reason is usually so people don't exceed the speed limit. Speed bumps go way past that and stop many motorists getting anywhere near to even reaching the limit.

HantsRat

2,369 posts

107 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
Driving without reasonable consideration

"This offence is appropriate when the driving amounts to a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience or aggressiveness in addition to some other inconvenience to road users. "

Inconvenience could affect the vehicle you are overtaking due to the sudden unexpected overtake when the other vehicle is taking the speed bump carefully. It could shock them and cause them to vere off and break sharply. Plus oncoming vehicles (if there were any) may need to slow down.

As I said though, it would all depend on the circumstances at the time and if a police officer saw you thought it ticks the boxes for this offence.

HantsRat

2,369 posts

107 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
rb5er said:
The reason is usually so people don't exceed the speed limit. Speed bumps go way past that and stop many motorists getting anywhere near to even reaching the limit.
You will struggle to find speed bumps put in purely for that reason alone.

While the overall aim is to reduce speed, the vast majority of speed bumps are put in at high risk routes such as built up residential areas, near schools & play areas etc.

LordGrover

33,531 posts

211 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
Pretty sure you could be prosecuted for walking on the cracks in the pavement if BiB decide it's appropriate.
Were I you I'd not take the risk whether it's 'legal' or otherwise, but I'm risk averse.

Martin_Hx

3,951 posts

197 months

Monday 6th July 2015
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My car is standard but still i need to roll over speed bumps in 20 mph "zones" near my house. I wouldn't take offense if someone did over take me but im pretty quick in between them and there's only 3 in a row so not much point!

To edit - These are outside a primary school! So if anyone did overtake even if within 20mph, the police probably wouldn't be happy!

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
HantsRat said:
Driving without reasonable consideration

"This offence is appropriate when the driving amounts to a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience or aggressiveness in addition to some other inconvenience to road users. "

Inconvenience could affect the vehicle you are overtaking due to the sudden unexpected overtake when the other vehicle is taking the speed bump carefully. It could shock them and cause them to vere off and break sharply. Plus oncoming vehicles (if there were any) may need to slow down.

As I said though, it would all depend on the circumstances at the time and if a police officer saw you thought it ticks the boxes for this offence.
You could apply that to any overtake inside the speed limit.

Unless there's something in law about speed bumps.

Which I'm starting to suspect there isn't.

balls-out

3,586 posts

230 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
when I was at school (a fair few years ago) and I had a mini (proper one), my mate with the 2cv used to do this all me all the time.
The wheels just went up and down over the bump and body hardly moved....

OP - are you sure. modern cars have these things call (misleadingly) shock absorbers, that will transmit impact - it not just about travel and strength. I suspect it might be more exciting than you think?

calibrax

4,788 posts

210 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
Don't do it.

Quite often there is a hump that you in a 4x4 may be able to go over and the hump will be between your wheels with no problem. As a non-4x4 driver, on these bumps I usually move towards the centre of the road so that my left wheels go onto the hump, and my right wheels go on the lower bit, thereby giving me more clearance to the bottom of the car.

If you're overtaking when this happens, chances are I may not see you.


Far Cough

2,192 posts

167 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
Absolutely nothing wrong with it. I think the careless and inconsiderate driving bit comes in if you just belt over them totally out of control bouncing all over the road and thus breaking the speed limit anyhow. It could be argued that its careless to hold up the people behind you.

If you have to slow down to a crawl to get over a speed bump then you have to expect that someone will inevitable overtake you all other things being legal. The speed limit is a limit and if your overtake is a simple matter of going faster and round the slower car in front then whats the problem ?

I do it all the time in London but its even easier on 2 wheels.

As with all these things there are many factors that can effect the "risk" element. Do it outside a primary school during kicking out time - probably not a good idea ( thats if you can move anyway for all the mums in their 4x4`s who cant let little jonny walk more than 5 paces from the gates !) Make the overtake on a quiet road with plenty of space and visibility and no one will bat an eyelid.

Twilkes

478 posts

138 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
I used to have cars trying to overtake me on my bicycle over the speed bumps in Bellevue Road in Edinburgh, there were about 6 sets in a quarter of a mile. They would accelerate like mad to try to get past in between them, and by the third set they would generally be bouncing over them at 20mph+ with their front bumper often scraping on the ground. And then would have to stop and wait at the crossroads anyway. Such heroes.

Speed bumps are part of traffic calming, and are generally for the benefit of people other than car drivers. Overtaking someone else who is slowing down to negotiate a speed bump doesn't sound very calm to me.

ging84

8,829 posts

145 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
HantsRat said:
Driving without reasonable consideration

"This offence is appropriate when the driving amounts to a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience or aggressiveness in addition to some other inconvenience to road users. "

Inconvenience could affect the vehicle you are overtaking due to the sudden unexpected overtake when the other vehicle is taking the speed bump carefully. It could shock them and cause them to vere off and break sharply. Plus oncoming vehicles (if there were any) may need to slow down.

As I said though, it would all depend on the circumstances at the time and if a police officer saw you thought it ticks the boxes for this offence.
Stop bleeting crap, the last thread you were trying to say this offense could be applied to anyone who accelerates harshly, now you are saying it can be used against anyone who over takes anyone, the really worrying thing is you seem to be a police officer, which means you have the authority to issue tickets for this kind of bks.

lbc

3,212 posts

216 months

Monday 6th July 2015
quotequote all
Speed bumps around here are usually in areas near schools, or where the street has cars parked on both sides in a residential street.

They are there for a reason, and I expect one of the reasons some of these speed bumps have more of a step than a hump is to slow down 4x4 drivers that seem to think the rules don't apply to them.

If you overtake someone past a speed bump and cause an accident you will look very foolish.