Speedbumps - Why bother?
Discussion
So street next to mines has recently had speedbumps fitted due to the nearby school having issues with speeding.
From what I can see it has made absolutely no difference, parents still roaring up to the school gates at mach 1. Why? Because the council have made the speed bumps so narrow that any average modern car or SUV has tracks wide enough that the wheels pass either side of the speed bump, meaning you don't feel the bumps. Feels like another waste of taxpayers money as it's simply ineffective at its intended purpose.
I assume that the speed bumps are installed to a specific size from some regulations, probably written sometime in the 1960s as the width of them would only trouble a Cortina.
Why do they not just make speed bumps span the full width of the road? Problem sorted.
I know this is a very un-PH topic but thought it was worth discussing.
From what I can see it has made absolutely no difference, parents still roaring up to the school gates at mach 1. Why? Because the council have made the speed bumps so narrow that any average modern car or SUV has tracks wide enough that the wheels pass either side of the speed bump, meaning you don't feel the bumps. Feels like another waste of taxpayers money as it's simply ineffective at its intended purpose.
I assume that the speed bumps are installed to a specific size from some regulations, probably written sometime in the 1960s as the width of them would only trouble a Cortina.
Why do they not just make speed bumps span the full width of the road? Problem sorted.
I know this is a very un-PH topic but thought it was worth discussing.
irc said:
If a bus route so buses can straddle them. So cyclists are not inconvenienced. Doesn't affect drainage along the kerb.
Good points, but A) Not a bus route, but even if it was one why should buses not be subject to speed bumps? They have more suspension and bigger tires than cars so wouldn't really affect the ride much. B) It definitely wouldn't inconvenience a cyclist (I'm one), the bumps are noticeably less severe as the wheels on bikes are a lot bigger than cars C) The speed bump could be dropped just before it meets the kerb, solves the drainage issue and just as effective at slowing down traffic.Often those rectangular road 'cushions' make roads more dangerous, as said car speeds not reduced except to a very narrow tracked A group car, and cars still travelling at 30/40mph coming close together in the middle of the road.
What many don't realise is that straddling cushions can cause damage over time to the tyre inside walls.
Speed bumps generally its interesting to wintess the complete lack of mechanical sympathy as people go crashing over them, especially in winter with freezing cold steel and cold oil in dampers combining to make spring and general suspension damage all the more likely.
What many don't realise is that straddling cushions can cause damage over time to the tyre inside walls.
Speed bumps generally its interesting to wintess the complete lack of mechanical sympathy as people go crashing over them, especially in winter with freezing cold steel and cold oil in dampers combining to make spring and general suspension damage all the more likely.
irc said:
If a bus route so buses can straddle them. So cyclists are not inconvenienced. Doesn't affect drainage along the kerb.
I also wondered if it was so that ambulances/fire engines could get up the road unimpeded? Not sure I'd want to be in the back of an ambulance bouncing over speed bumps! 
drmike37 said:
The only thing that’ll stop people speeding outside schools is a sniper.
Gericho said:
Lollipop women/men are required for this reason.
Am I the only one that saw these two posts next to each other and came to the obvious conclusion? 
(I mean...be pretty straightforward to disguise one in the lollipop, right?
)I don't know if they've been rolled out anywhere, but I remember reading about an innovative design of speed bump that was a flexible shell filled with a non-newtonian fluid.
If you drove over it below the design speed, you effectively drove through the bump as it had a liquid centre. If you hit it faster then you banged over it as if it were solid.
Much as I hate road design that causes confusion and conflict, some of the most effective traffic calming I've seen involves roads that are deliberately so narrow and windy that anyone worried about kerbing wheels and smashing mirrors slows right down. Bet it's a ball-ache with people arguing the toss when mirrors get smacked though, I know one where you can fit two FFRR with a bit of spatial awareness yet people insist on driving small hatchbacks down the middle and acting surprised when they have to negotiate the car that was already heading the other way.
If you drove over it below the design speed, you effectively drove through the bump as it had a liquid centre. If you hit it faster then you banged over it as if it were solid.
Much as I hate road design that causes confusion and conflict, some of the most effective traffic calming I've seen involves roads that are deliberately so narrow and windy that anyone worried about kerbing wheels and smashing mirrors slows right down. Bet it's a ball-ache with people arguing the toss when mirrors get smacked though, I know one where you can fit two FFRR with a bit of spatial awareness yet people insist on driving small hatchbacks down the middle and acting surprised when they have to negotiate the car that was already heading the other way.
The problem with speed humps and tables is that the sort of people who drive like cocks and cause them to be installed ignore them anyway. The people that care about their cars and/or drive more sensibly, and do slow down for humps and tables aren't the target. They just end up with tailgating bellends behind them. My road had speed tables put in about 6 years ago and most can't be straddled due to parked cars. It's like watching a Dukes of Hazzard tribute act. Few people seem to care about their cars any more, or are too dim to even understand the term 'mechanical sympathy'.
donkmeister said:
I don't know if they've been rolled out anywhere, but I remember reading about an innovative design of speed bump that was a flexible shell filled with a non-newtonian fluid.
If you drove over it below the design speed, you effectively drove through the bump as it had a liquid centre. If you hit it faster then you banged over it as if it were solid.
Much as I hate road design that causes confusion and conflict, some of the most effective traffic calming I've seen involves roads that are deliberately so narrow and windy that anyone worried about kerbing wheels and smashing mirrors slows right down. Bet it's a ball-ache with people arguing the toss when mirrors get smacked though, I know one where you can fit two FFRR with a bit of spatial awareness yet people insist on driving small hatchbacks down the middle and acting surprised when they have to negotiate the car that was already heading the other way.
They had these in a staff car park at Manchester airport back in the 2000's. They were effective. Below the limit you felt nothing but above it, it was like hitting a kerb.If you drove over it below the design speed, you effectively drove through the bump as it had a liquid centre. If you hit it faster then you banged over it as if it were solid.
Much as I hate road design that causes confusion and conflict, some of the most effective traffic calming I've seen involves roads that are deliberately so narrow and windy that anyone worried about kerbing wheels and smashing mirrors slows right down. Bet it's a ball-ache with people arguing the toss when mirrors get smacked though, I know one where you can fit two FFRR with a bit of spatial awareness yet people insist on driving small hatchbacks down the middle and acting surprised when they have to negotiate the car that was already heading the other way.
EmailAddress said:
I was overtaken while traversing traffic calming past a school the other day.
The mardy b
h had the audacity to toot at me as she screamed past.
I'm the monster though, I'd presume. In a lineup of Fiesta/ Mother, and 400bhp Convertible.
Near where my son lives, there is a school with road humps and a road narrowing. As I approached, I saw a double decker bus coming the other way, so I stopped as the sign gave the other direction priority. Some dozy twunt shot past me, then had to anchor up and pull dead in front of me in the car’s length I had left, after they suddenly realised a bus was coming through.The mardy b
h had the audacity to toot at me as she screamed past.I'm the monster though, I'd presume. In a lineup of Fiesta/ Mother, and 400bhp Convertible.
Without such measures, unfit for purpose they may be, you just know the ruling class are itching to make compulsory on board speed limiters, won't be just a bong or three it'll be the car taking over and forcing the brakes on to comply, with automated penalties via the car grassing itself up electronically.
The irony of all these things is its often people with kids in the car are the worst offenders for driving too fast in housing estates etc, most serious experienced competent drivers know instinctively what is an appropriate speed taking everything into consideration, but as always one size fits all..
The irony of all these things is its often people with kids in the car are the worst offenders for driving too fast in housing estates etc, most serious experienced competent drivers know instinctively what is an appropriate speed taking everything into consideration, but as always one size fits all..
the speed bumps on the main road near me are narrow enough that buses can drive over them with ease. Not only that but the gap between the speed bumps on either side of the road is (so the space in the middle) is perfect for a normal car to drive through. No need to slow down so I go 30mph along the whole road (which is the limit) when there are no oncoming cars.
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