Those Darn Speed Bumps

[amiles]

Speed Bumps are pretty popular hereabouts. It seems that many Homeowner associations and shopping centers just love to put those lumps in the street. I don't know for sure in every case, but I suspect that any design work on these is with a paving supervisor holding a ruler scratching his head..

I wonder that these things probably cause more risk than they prevent?

While negotiating a bunch of them the other day It occured to me that here I was on a 25 mph street, driving at that speed & I had to slow almost to a stop driving over these things.

I wonder if it would be possible to engineer and construct something on or above the pavement that would be unnoticable at the posted speed, but discourage higher speeds without potential loss of vehicle control.

Are there any places where such impediments to traffic are illegal?

[adamceckhardt]

Recently I saw a device used for security at "high risk" facilities (like government buildings that are subject to attacks.) It is basically a huge concrete block that pops up out of the ground. I remember reading something along the lines of "it can stop a tractor trailer traveling 60 mph" or something equally as impressive. If I can find where I read it, I'll post it!

[mrich12000]

Spike strip:dance :banghead :wave

[DarrylRi]

I love speed bumps! I can catch air at just slightly superlegal speeds!

:brad

[jdmetzger]

People never think about the down sides of speed bumps; like increased suspension wear. They also miss the most important thing; they cause delays for emergency vehicles getting to your house if someone is sick, injured, or if your home is on fire. Very shortsighted thinking.

My street has ONE speed bump, although I have to admit it's probably well placed for preventing morons from getting into accidents. Down at one end of my street, it curves to the right, and then there is a stop sign. The stop sign is on one of the busiest streets in town. I also live on a street frequently used as a cut-through. Lots of stupid people like to come flying down my street faster than they should (which makes me want to install my own spike strips). If the speed bump wasn't there (especially in bad weather), I'm sure they would go sliding out into the cross street and get themselves (or someone else) killed. On the good side, when I ride the GS I like to stand up on the pegs and go tearing over it (within the posted speed limit). It's my brief chance to be an off-roader each day after work. :)

As for those sinkable poles; I've seen them in Europe to limit access to bus-only areas. I've also seen a group of them used to create an "airlock" situation. The latter was in Antwerp near an entrance to the diamond exchange. I also saw an armored truck rolling in with police escort; the police were walking with it carrying semi-automatic weapons. They take that stuff pretty serious.

[john1691]

There is a "Speed Awareness Riser" on the way to my inlaws. It is about the width of a crosswalk, and maybe 6-8" above the road surface, with fairly steep angles up and down. The street is posted at 35, and you have to slow to 10-15 to get over it safely. Not sure what they were thinking. I'd love to clean it off the raod with a plow of some kind.

[sgborgstrom]

People never think about the down sides of speed bumps; like increased suspension wear. They also miss the most important thing; they cause delays for emergency vehicles getting to your house if someone is sick, injured, or if your home is on fire. Very shortsighted thinking.

A fair number of emergency responders go out on disability every year from those bumps. Here in Seattle the latest thing is traffic circles, basically a round planter in the middle of an intersection it makes you slow down to swerve around instead of barreling straight through. As long as people park far enough away from the corner they work reasonably well.

While we're on the subject of slowing down emergecy vehicles.... if you have one of those big-assed pickup trucks or trailers, please park them tight to the curb, fold in the mirrors and try not to park immediately across the street from another wide-load. I've rerouted a number of times after finding my engine was a little too big to fit down a street due to poorly parked cars.

[RandallIsland]

Speed troughs.

4 hours:

Hack asphalt with pickaxes, with neighbors, at 2 am.
Shovel out ditch.
Line with blacktop mix.
Use cheap driveway reflectors on ends.

Repeat as necessary. :thumb

[shoeman]

If you hate the speed bumps here avoid Mexico. My RT bottoms out there and rubs tupperware on their topes. I don't mind the metal bolt on topes. You can aim your wheels between them.

[PGlaves]

The good folks of the traffic engineering persuasion have responded to the plaintive cries of neighborhood activists with a whole host of new, innovative, "traffic calming devices." The old bone jarring (and suspension damaging) speed bumps that resemble parking lot tire stops are seldom used any more on public streets most places - too many damage claims. Now they use "speed tables" which are much wider and resemble slightly raised cross walks. These things take the speed limit and the wheelbase of a typical car into consideration. You get a gently rocking motion at speeds around 25 mpg and a huge jarring effect at faster speeds. They don't fit bikes very well - but sure do beat those shoppng center-private road things that are accidents waiting to happen.

[adamceckhardt]

The good folks of the traffic engineering persuasion have responded to the plaintive cries of neighborhood activists with a whole host of new, innovative, "traffic calming devices." The old bone jarring (and suspension damaging) speed bumps that resemble parking lot tire stops are seldom used any more on public streets most places - too many damage claims. Now they use "speed tables" which are much wider and resemble slightly raised cross walks. These things take the speed limit and the wheelbase of a typical car into consideration. You get a gently rocking motion at speeds around 25 mpg and a huge jarring effect at faster speeds. They don't fit bikes very well - but sure do beat those shoppng center-private road things that are accidents waiting to happen.

My town just installed a bunch of those on one street where people tend to speed. The day they were installed, too many people complained, so they were removed. The day after that, too many people complained that they were removed. Bottom line- $40,000 to buy, install, and remove the bumps! :violin

[PGlaves]

My town just installed a bunch of those on one street where people tend to speed. The day they were installed, too many people complained, so they were removed. The day after that, too many people complained that they were removed. Bottom line- $40,000 to buy, install, and remove the bumps! :violin

Your City Council has a decision making problem!

[Fritzc]

There is a "Speed Awareness Riser" on the way to my inlaws. It is about the width of a crosswalk, and maybe 6-8" above the road surface, with fairly steep angles up and down. The street is posted at 35, and you have to slow to 10-15 to get over it safely. Not sure what they were thinking. I'd love to clean it off the raod with a plow of some kind.

Speed bumps seem to be quite popular in the south but appearing more and more in the northern climates. I wonder what effect they have on snow plows or visa versa? In my estimation they are stupid and do not work. The DOT has proven that driver's speeds increase BETWEEN the speed bumps.

[JohnF]

I am very much anti-speed humps. I thought that is what we had LEO's for.

My favorite is on a street we drive on regularly, where there is a posted speed limit sign of 30 MPH. About 50' beyond the speed limit sign is a "Caution Speed Hump - 25 MPH" sign.

Another hazard...my company does snow removal. Really fun to be riding down a street we haven't been on before with 4-6" of new snow (the speed humps become invisible). The plow is in the up position for transport...but a speed bump catches the lower lip of the plow. At 3 am that loud noise and impact helps keep me awake, but even if with the spring release on the plow blade, it cannot be good for the plow or the truck. (have already bent one pick up truck frame in a similar situation)

I might approve of the speed humps...if one could easily go over them at the posted speed limit.

Another example of 90% of the populace being punished for the 10% who choose to not follow the rules/law.

John F
Cincinnati, OH

[glwestcott]

:laugh In our rather hoity toity neighborhood, there are actually signs posted warning of the speedbumps that say "Undulations Ahead". Guess this is really the high class district.

[Kbike]

Hey Guys

Most of you have never hit a speed bump, unless you drive in New York City, the ones on the West Side Highway are especially fun to go over, :wave

K

[wilcox]

What if anything is nice about speed bumps? Since you can't do much to prevent them, they give the rider a chance for a nice graceful swing toward the curb to hit the tapered end of the bump, then swing back to make an otherwise boring straight a little bit of fun.