Speed bumps. Good or bad?

[T312]

Ok, I know that sometimes there is a need to slow down traffic, but are speed humps the way to do it?

The AA dont think so, the Transport Research Laboratory dont think so, and theres an awful lot of others out there who dont think so either.

Thurrock council has just invested in even more of the damned things and Im getting a bit sick of them. They are everywhere around here.

I think that they cause needless danger to bikes (well, everyone really), potential damage, increase fuel consumption, noise and pollution and slow up ambulances.

Sure, in some places they may well be needed, but surely not everywhere.
What is your opinion of them, good or bad?

[kasandrich]

Bad, I hate the things, but it is the only way to slow some people down. If people would drive at a sensible speed they wouldn't be needed.

[the captain]

im sure i saw/read somewhere of a new type of speed bump that compresses into the road provided you are at or below the speed limit, any quicker and they remain in place!!

[benjyman]

I personally think that they're ok in cul-de-sacs where people live kids are paying etc, they annoy me on through roads, although what other way of sowing people down is there? Cameras only work for the area they cover. The ones that join the A127 to Noak Hill Road really wind be up as they're so severe and frequent, but that road should be 30, and if they're the only way to make people drive at 30 then so be it.

What do wind me up is the half bumps which are meant to go between the wheels of the car. The people who drive fast generally have enough awareness of the size of their car so that they don't need to slow down. While the old dears on the roads who don't have this confidence slow down to 10mph and wind everyone else up.

[benjyman]

im sure i saw/read somewhere of a new type of speed bump that compresses into the road provided you are at or below the speed limit, any quicker and they remain in place!!

that would be an amazing idea. i can imagine they're much more expensive than a load of tarmac but they would solve everyone's problems.

[NinjaMad]

sppedhumps specially bad at the moment cause i cant sit properly in a cage i go over them and oh my god they hurt haha

[kasandrich]

This is the alternative

[crescent750]

I'd love to know what goin on with London Road in Grays. Every week their diggin that up for one reason or another.

First the width restrictions, a year later they've now taken those out and put in speed humps..!!

Goin to work one day i rode straight over a speed hump on the brow of a hill so did'nt see it comin. It wasn't there the day before..!!, needless to say i had a bit of an Evel Knievel moment..

So yes, they pi55 me off..

[T312]

Yeah, thats the sort of speed hump that I am talking about.
The ones on residential side roads are not the problem. The ones on busy through routes are. They apparently cause far more problems than they solve (not just my opinon).

I have asked Thurrock Council why they decided to install humps on London Road over 2 weeks ago. Still no reply. I think the borough engineer is out of the office and doing a feasibility study on installing ramps on the Dartford Bridge.

[benjyman]

And it really winds me up when they let the reflective paint wear off, so you can't see them coming.

[b1ade]

I dont think anyone likes them to be honest but i can understand the need for them in certain areas (by schools etc).
But i do think they should put a height limit on them, as some of them seem to be there just to kill your suspension.There's one in my local tesco's, that i dont think i could possibly ride over on my bike even if i wanted to, i have been over it in several cars and they all end up catching there exhausts on it.

[bayonet]

I dont think anyone likes them to be honest but i can understand the need for them in certain areas (by schools etc).
But i do think they should put a height limit on them, as some of them seem to be there just to kill your suspension.There's one in my local tesco's, that i dont think i could possibly ride over on my bike even if i wanted to, i have been over it in several cars and they all end up catching there exhausts on it.There is a height limit of 100mm (4 inches for the older readers) under the relevant regs. Higher than this and they constitute an obstruction under the Highways Act. Tescos however is private property and the regs don't apply off the public highway.

I'm suprised people are still installing them, thought they went out of fashion in the late 90s.

[b1ade]

There is a height limit of 100mm (4 inches for the older readers) under the relevant regs. Higher than this and they constitute an obstruction under the Highways Act. Tescos however is private property and the regs don't apply off the public highway.

I'm suprised people are still installing them, thought they went out of fashion in the late 90s.

Wow you really know your bumps:grin2

[bayonet]

Wow you really know your bumps:grin2I design them (amongst other things).

[badco]

how can you design a hump ......no hang on ive designed a round thing i might call it a weel :laugh1

[UKSkidMark]

I thought they were only allowed on roads with a speed limit of 30mph or less. There's some on the B187 where you come out of a national speed limit straight into a 30 and the humps start straight away. Certainly fun watching cars bouncing off of them :)

Is there any requirement for them to be marked with a high visibility arrow? Or sign posts? Like Benjyman, I hate it when the paint wears off and the first you know is when they appear from under the car in front.

[CBR-Dave]

hate them, understand them being in certain places but they arent bike friendly at all, my main hate is the great big white arrows in the middle of the road and mid corner, very slippery in the wet and right on the driving line, its either risk a drain cover or get closer to the middle of the road to avoid them.

[lap_time]

Difficult one really. I don't mind the bumps which go between the wheels - on the bike you can go round them, in the car you can just run over them.

Not really sure whether I'd prefer speed bumps or speed cameras though?

How about teaching people to look before they cross the bloody road - that'd help...

[bayonet]

how can you design a hump ......no hang on ive designed a round thing i might call it a weel :laugh1You have to decide where to put them for maximum annoyance and noise for the residents, then you have to decide how long they are going to be in cross section, this again depends on who you want to cheese off, cars, bikers or cyclists. But like I said, haven't put any of those in since the 90s. I'm far too busy working out where to put inspection chamber covers so they are dangerous in the wet.

[lap_time]

You have to decide where to put them for maximum annoyance and noise for the residents, then you have to decide how long they are going to be in cross section, this again depends on who you want to cheese off, cars, bikers or cyclists. But like I said, haven't put any of those in since the 90s. I'm far too busy working out where to put inspection chamber covers so they are dangerous in the wet.

Ahahahahahaha - I'd love your job! Rofl!

[bayonet]

Ahahahahahaha - I'd love your job! Rofl!I don't do it just for the huge amounts of money, oh no, I do it for the chance to annoy car drivers.

All my road closures have cycle gaps in them that my handlebars just fit in between.:grin2