Speed humps + '5 = bad things
Discussion
Discovered recently that my '5 has a set of Koni shocks and springs on it, which cause it to sit more than just a smidge lower than a standard car (from what I can tell anyway....)
Since then, I have discovered two roads in my local area which I can no longer drive down, due to "Traffic Calming" (or rather "Driver Infuriating"
. Now, standard speed humps are fine (not in the sense that I like them - I do not ) but in the sense that I am able to drive over them without incident. However, have any of you come across the nasty square ones with the very steep sides and angled corners, that sit right in the middle of the lane ? These I cannot clear !
Around here, its fine - I just go a different way, but whilst navigating London a few days ago, I found myself driving down a road FULL of these little nasties.
Each time I had to slow to almost a stop (much to the frustration of those behind me) creep gingerly forwards and wait for the crunch as speed hump met underside of car/sill. Such was the extent of the time and speed lost whilst navigating these buggers, I was left by the hearse that I was following to a funeral, and had no idea how to get to the crematorium !! 
Luckily I spotted another car from the procession, and was able to catch up !
Does anyone else have this problem, and if so, do you have any novel ways of dealing with them ?
Since then, I have discovered two roads in my local area which I can no longer drive down, due to "Traffic Calming" (or rather "Driver Infuriating"
. Now, standard speed humps are fine (not in the sense that I like them - I do not ) but in the sense that I am able to drive over them without incident. However, have any of you come across the nasty square ones with the very steep sides and angled corners, that sit right in the middle of the lane ? These I cannot clear ! Around here, its fine - I just go a different way, but whilst navigating London a few days ago, I found myself driving down a road FULL of these little nasties.
Each time I had to slow to almost a stop (much to the frustration of those behind me) creep gingerly forwards and wait for the crunch as speed hump met underside of car/sill. Such was the extent of the time and speed lost whilst navigating these buggers, I was left by the hearse that I was following to a funeral, and had no idea how to get to the crematorium !! Luckily I spotted another car from the procession, and was able to catch up ! Does anyone else have this problem, and if so, do you have any novel ways of dealing with them ?
Not in the '5, which although on Bilsteins seems OK on most speed bumps.
My Saab which is low already, then lowered 25mm and has big overhangs plus a low sump guard just in front of the front wheels, is a nighmare over these humps. Ordinarily I straddle them, but sometimes they put them either side of a traffic island. I generally aim for the island and at the last minute swerve (at low speeds) so I catch the bump at an angle - seems to cause less problems.
TBH when you have long roads with a lot of them, I just add it to the mental list of roads I don't go down - Whitefoot Road in SE London, Verdant Lane adjoining it, some other long road in SE London that had a seemingly never ending series of those blasted cushions, and Harrow Drive from the A10 to the A1010 in north London where I was overtaken and hooted by an irate woman in a Ka for not going fast enough in a 30 limit
.
My Saab which is low already, then lowered 25mm and has big overhangs plus a low sump guard just in front of the front wheels, is a nighmare over these humps. Ordinarily I straddle them, but sometimes they put them either side of a traffic island. I generally aim for the island and at the last minute swerve (at low speeds) so I catch the bump at an angle - seems to cause less problems.
TBH when you have long roads with a lot of them, I just add it to the mental list of roads I don't go down - Whitefoot Road in SE London, Verdant Lane adjoining it, some other long road in SE London that had a seemingly never ending series of those blasted cushions, and Harrow Drive from the A10 to the A1010 in north London where I was overtaken and hooted by an irate woman in a Ka for not going fast enough in a 30 limit
.my 5 is currently much lower than i would like it to be plus the shocks are not in good condition so i have problems with many speed humps. going over them at an angle does seem to help most of the time, but soon it should be fine for me as i am sorting out new shocks and springs which should raise the car enough to reduce this problem drastically.
Mine's lowered (approx 1 perhaps even 1.5" and have to say never have a problem, generally put one wheel each side to reduce the height of ramp that the car goes over. Are you sure you can't drive one wheel over the centre section and one off it? Even with traffic calming the lane should be made for wider cars than the MX5?
and have to say never have a problem, generally put one wheel each side to reduce the height of ramp that the car goes over. Are you sure you can't drive one wheel over the centre section and one off it? Even with traffic calming the lane should be made for wider cars than the MX5?Gassing Station | Mazda MX5/Roadster/Miata | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff