E-petition to remove Speed Humps

Caroline2CV

The link is http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Nohumps/

scatz

I rarely have any problems with spped humps as the wheel base of my motor straddles all that I come across, I'd honestly not know that I had gone over one if they were not so prominent to the eye. I have, however, signed the petition as I believe they are as much a danger to road users as speed itself due to people swerving to the centre of the road to avoid them/skip between them!

philhuff

You're lucky - I've got so many scrapes on the underside of the front of my car it looks like a cheese grater! It's not speed as, whatever speed I go over the one I have to pass to leave or get home, the nose scrapes the 'up' slope.

Does anybody know if there's any laws on what angle a speed bump can be? Seemingly anything over about 7 degrees is too much for me.

anewman

I see the point on swerving into the middle of the road to try straddle the middle of them, as I do that myself if I can and think it's safe. I have only seen one speedbump ever which seems to have had plenty of scrapes from the undersides of cars, but no doubt that's due to chav's lowered cars speeding over it (based on the area where it is).

I doubt this will get over 1 million signatures, sorry to say. I think you're more at risk of poorly maintained roads with massive potholes than a relatively small uniform bump designed to make you drive slower.

If anything I think the chicane type road calming methods, where one side directs people to give way and the other saying that they have priority, are probably more dangerous. Problem is there are a few of these in my area and where you're supposed to give way, you can't see around the corner to see if there's anything to give way to so you have to be very careful.

Markyt

I'm sure there was a study came out last year that covered one of the London boroughs. Basically, deaths had increased as ambulance response times had increased due to speed bumps / traffic calming measures. Was interesting reading, if I can find it I'll post a link.

Hermione54

Apparently straddling the humps can do more damage than driving with two wheels over them and the other two on the road. Something to do with the steering alignment.

anewman

Hermione54 wrote:

Apparently straddling the humps can do more damage than driving with two wheels over them and the other two on the road. Something to do with the steering alignment.

Sometimes you have little choice the way some people park.

daymo

I came off my motorbike about 7 years ago due to a speed bump,I only went over it about 5-10mph coz it was a wet day ,the bump was like ice and the bike slid outfrom under me,I still get pains in the wrist and shoulder now.Now I drive its not so bad,after all said and done though,in the correct place they are vital,stops the 20 y/o Schumachers from annhilating our estates...

stumpjumper

Markyt wrote:

I'm sure there was a study came out last year that covered one of the London boroughs. Basically, deaths had increased as ambulance response times had increased due to speed bumps / traffic calming measures. Was interesting reading, if I can find it I'll post a link.

yip - speed bumps are the enemy of Ambulances and Fire engines - the increased responce times of a fire tender due to having to slow for hump can account for around at least 30secs per hump, as they can not go over them at full tilt carrying a full tender of water - it will cause too much damage.

same with ambulances - imagine trying to transport someone with spinal injuries down a road with humps without causing them undue pain or risk of further injury!

Crabman

Some people are under the misguided impression we live in a democracy...

I found the links for those articles and sent them to my MP and councillor, both of them totally ignored and did the usual "I'm a politician, I can side-step this legitimate question."

Links:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/3609395.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3628861.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3288795.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/3108405.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/3157822.stm