Speed bump damage to cars

dilby

Hope this is the best board for this: We've just had a letter through the door from the council showing a plan to add several speed bumps to our street after several complaints about people speeding. The complaints are valid; it's become a problem and last year I witnessed a boy get hit which still haunts me, but I personally don't believe speed bumps are the answer, and they keep putting them in on every road around us. Currently f we go in any direction we need to go over around 10 bumps which I'm sure has an impact on our car's suspension and cv's as confirmed by our mechanic who has had to sort out our two cars both twice each since living here. I'm sure I read somewhere on here about an avenue to complain to the council about damage caused to vehicles by speed bumps but I can't find it - does that ring a bell for anyone? I'm hoping that by mentioning this they can investigate some other options such as roundabouts, give way split areas and speed cameras.

Thanks!

Grumpy_chap

It is clear that in this case there is a safety record that warrant the speed humps being installed.
Damage to the car can be avoided by slowing down.

AdrianC

Slow down over them, then...

There are legal requirements for the size of traffic calming measures that can be installed. So long as they're within those, they are perfectly acceptable.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/883183/ltn-1-07_Traffic-calming-guidance.pdf - section 4

Remember - local authorities are very cash-strapped, and traffic calming measures such as humps are far less expensive to install, operate, and maintain than the others you mention.

caprikid1

Speed bumps are also shown to damage house and walls due to the constant shocks being put through the ground of vehicles hitting them.

cajef

We have numerous speed bumps around us, our car has quite low suspension and clearance but we have never had any damage as we drive over them at an appropriate speed to avoid any damage and that means crawling over some especially the ones that you can see damage and scrapes on where vehicles have driven over them too fast.

hollie.weimeraner

caprikid1 said:

Speed bumps are also shown to damage house and walls due to the constant shocks being put through the ground of vehicles hitting them.

I really don't believe that! 

ontheroad1970

hollie.weimeraner said:

caprikid1 said:

Speed bumps are also shown to damage house and walls due to the constant shocks being put through the ground of vehicles hitting them.

I really don't believe that! 

It's certainly true for areas that have speed bumps on bus routes.  In South Wales they removed speed bumps from one road as they were causing cracks on houses.

Car_54

ontheroad1970 said:

hollie.weimeraner said:

caprikid1 said:

Speed bumps are also shown to damage house and walls due to the constant shocks being put through the ground of vehicles hitting them.

I really don't believe that! 

It's certainly true for areas that have speed bumps on bus routes.  In South Wales they removed speed bumps from one road as they were causing cracks on houses.

Houses built cheaply on ground riddled by coal mining, perhaps?

AdrianC

ontheroad1970 said:

hollie.weimeraner said:

caprikid1 said:

Speed bumps are also shown to damage house and walls due to the constant shocks being put through the ground of vehicles hitting them.

I really don't believe that! 

It's certainly true for areas that have speed bumps on bus routes.  In South Wales they removed speed bumps from one road as they were causing cracks on houses.

Lots of people have claimed it. Nobody - afaia - has ever proved it.

[Deleted User]

Just make sure they aren't outside your house. You don't want brake dust and extra emissions as people slow down and speed up.

Car_54

When speed bumps started to infest this area 30-odd years ago, I was advised to drive at a steady 20. That enables you to take the bumps safely, and avoids unnecessary brake wear and fuel use between them.

I have (generally) followed that advice and had no damage to any of my. 20-odd cars. Most people around also seem to take the bumps at 20ish - I drove behind someone yesterday who braked to a crawl for every one, and it was very unusual. And very irritating.

NB Speed bumps on private roads, car parks etc. are a different story entirely.