Road humps

[OLD GIT]

Right place ? If not, please move .
Humps as in traffic calming ( but not as per the late Dave Allen). I'm not refering to raised "tables" at junctions, but the short humps on roads. Has anyone got the specs for one of these ( in line of travel circa .5-.75 metre), but it's the height and curvature on a 20 MPH road I'm interested in.

[Ruperts Trooper]

Right place ? If not, please move .
Humps as in traffic calming ( but not as per the late Dave Allen). I'm not refering to raised "tables" at junctions, but the short humps on roads. Has anyone got the specs for one of these ( in line of travel circa .5-.75 metre), but it's the height and curvature on a 20 MPH road I'm interested in.

My experience across the country is that they're always too high/steep to avoid damage at the legal speed limit - so if it's in a 20 limit, use a specication that's only troublesome to those exceeding the 20 limit - please!

[avtur]

A stretch of road near me has just had speed humps installed, the road has a 30 mph limit. The humps are of such dimensions that the safe speed I've found in my car is barely 15 mph. I'm not one for fast and furious acceleration and heavy braking between humps so I just adjust my speed for the distance of the humps. The other option that some choose is to simply travel at 30 mph (or even more) and put the car at risk of being damaged.

As for travelling this stretch of road either with my trailer in tow or driving the Spitfire then that reduces the safe speed over the humps to less than 10 mph. That then results in impatience from other drivers some of whom then carry out the most dangerous overtaking manoeuvres, including even overtaking on the humps and nearly launching their cars into orbit.

Knowing the road very well I'm at a loss to understand why speed humps were deemed necessary, housing on the road is relatively low density and mostly well set back from the road.

[RichardA35]

Right place ? If not, please move .
Humps as in traffic calming ( but not as per the late Dave Allen). I'm not refering to raised "tables" at junctions, but the short humps on roads. Has anyone got the specs for one of these ( in line of travel circa .5-.75 metre), but it's the height and curvature on a 20 MPH road I'm interested in.

As ever, Google is your friend.
Traffic Advisory Leaflet 7/96 - June 1996 - Highways (Road Humps) Regulations 1996
and
The Highways (Road Humps) Regulations 1999
These two should give you all the information you asked for.

[OLD GIT]

Richard- many thanks. But I suspect County Highways had bullet hole in foot, as today I've found that height has been lowered and the hump lengthened an made less obtrusive.

[Berk]

A stretch of road near me has just had speed humps installed, the road has a 30 mph limit. The humps are of such dimensions that the safe speed I've found in my car is barely 15 mph. I'm not one for fast and furious acceleration and heavy braking between humps so I just adjust my speed for the distance of the humps. The other option that some choose is to simply travel at 30 mph (or even more) and put the car at risk of being damaged.

As for travelling this stretch of road either with my trailer in tow or driving the Spitfire then that reduces the safe speed over the humps to less than 10 mph. That then results in impatience from other drivers some of whom then carry out the most dangerous overtaking manoeuvres, including even overtaking on the humps and nearly launching their cars into orbit.

Knowing the road very well I'm at a loss to understand why speed humps were deemed necessary, housing on the road is relatively low density and mostly well set back from the road.

I think I mentioned, when the B-road the other side of the river was resurfaced about 2½ years ago, two of the humps were left in situ, and one completely removed and replaced. The one in the middle (that was replaced), was noticeably tougher and harder to drive over, so much so that I felt I had to slow down. Like you, I prefer to keep my speed, and progress even - though it’s often impossible in crawling traffic.

The first, and the last (of the three), I could (and still do) take at around 23, no problem at all. But the middle one, don’t like to go faster than 18, or 19. 20 is my limit.

The worst ones of all are in the public car park, close to work. They were installed as part of the pay on exit system - cars have to slow down so the CCTV can capture the number plates. But they too were jolly tough to begin with, but have also begun to soften a little.

I did query the car park ones, and was told they were in compliance with standards, no more than 75mm high. They’re only made of what looks like plastic, God knows what sort of polymer they used.

[Ruperts Trooper]

I did query the car park ones, and was told they were in compliance with standards, no more than 75mm high. They’re only made of what looks like plastic, God knows what sort of polymer they used.

I'd suggest it's not really the height that matters but the effective ramp angle on the up and down slopes - but that's probably too technical for pen-pushers.

[RichardA35]

I did query the car park ones, and was told they were in compliance with standards, no more than 75mm high. They’re only made of what looks like plastic, God knows what sort of polymer they used.

I'd suggest it's not really the height that matters but the effective ramp angle on the up and down slopes - but that's probably too technical for pen-pushers.

Most of us non-technical pen-pushers can at least be bothered to read table 1 of the TAL where this parameter is specified but let's not allow the truth to get in the way of a cheap shot...

[Berk]

The car park humps are very steep, practically straight up and down. They definitely remind you when your tyres need doing.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they squeeze air out of them. So that’s four times per day I need to cross humps, lot of up and down action.

BTW, the car park ones need to be taken fairly slowly, but not too slowly, as if you do you’ll end up sliding backwards (e.g. 4-5 mph). So I usually take them around 6-7 mph.

[Ruperts Trooper]

I did query the car park ones, and was told they were in compliance with standards, no more than 75mm high. They’re only made of what looks like plastic, God knows what sort of polymer they used.

I'd suggest it's not really the height that matters but the effective ramp angle on the up and down slopes - but that's probably too technical for pen-pushers.

Most of us non-technical pen-pushers can at least be bothered to read table 1 of the TAL where this parameter is specified but let's not allow the truth to get in the way of a cheap shot...

So why do so many speed humps cause damage if driven over at the speed limit - something isn't right somewhere!

[avtur]

I'd suggest it's not really the height that matters but the effective ramp angle on the up and down slopes - but that's probably too technical for pen-pushers.

Most of us non-technical pen-pushers can at least be bothered to read table 1 of the TAL where this parameter is specified but let's not allow the truth to get in the way of a cheap shot...

So why do so many speed humps cause damage if driven over at the speed limit - something isn't right somewhere!

Totally agree, how can it be correct that you take a perfectly flat piece of serviceable road and and deliberately place physical obstacles that prevent the road from being used at the posted speed limit. The particulate pollution caused by the accelerate and brake driving style that humps encourage is ignored by by those who put humps in place. And if you do adopt a steady safe speed to navigate humps you certainly suffer the wrath of impatient drivers... there are no winners with speed humps ...

[Owain]

Most of us non-technical pen-pushers can at least be bothered to read table 1 of the TAL where this parameter is specified but let's not allow the truth to get in the way of a cheap shot...

So why do so many speed humps cause damage if driven over at the speed limit - something isn't right somewhere!

Totally agree, how can it be correct that you take a perfectly flat piece of serviceable road and and deliberately place physical obstacles that prevent the road from being used at the posted speed limit. The particulate pollution caused by the accelerate and brake driving style that humps encourage is ignored by by those who put humps in place. And if you do adopt a steady safe speed to navigate humps you certainly suffer the wrath of impatient drivers... there are no winners with speed humps ...

The thing that bothers me about humps is not the presence or the design of them, but where the paint has worn off, or where they are disguised by other road markings.

The two examples shown above are pretty much invisible in the dark, hard to see in the rain, and even quite difficult to spot on a sunny day .... I've hit both of these examples quite hard, even though I am a driver who always obeys 30mph limits.

I'm minded to write to the council about them. They are supposed to be there to slow down drivers who are speeding; not to wreck the cars of drivers who are not.

[OLD GIT]

Owain- for the problems on road markings, be it no /worn out or parked vehicles obscuring them, I'd suggest a mention to ( as i did in Warks, my County councillor )elected official with clout on highways department.

[M19]

The worst example I know of is a humped pelican crossing at Silbury Boulevard beside Campbell Park in Milton Keynes.

Unless you slow down to and negotiate it in 1st gear, then you'll end up scraping the hump. When I walk past it, I always hear vehicles scraping across.

When I've used it, I usually get an impatient tea towel holder behind. No doubt they'll find out the hard way, yet still do it because it's beneath them to take it gently.

[nickoli]

My favourite road humps are very clearly marked: https://goo.gl/maps/EXA8ZyLR43N2

They are otherwise imaginary.

[Lockwood]

I've been round parts of Manchester with a mix of cushions and painted cushions - not sure if that was the original plan, some had been damaged and replaced with pseudo humps, or that the humps had been stoled as the weren't bolted down enough.

I've seen some hospitals with painted humps.

My Leon used to scrape *any* speed hump. Standard cushion style one, hit it at the correct angle, granny walking pace... SCCCCRRRRRRRRCCCCCCCHHHHHH
Hit it at the right angle at full line speed? SCCCCRRRRRRRRCCCCCCCHHHHHH

[Big L]

My favourite road humps are very clearly marked: https://goo.gl/maps/EXA8ZyLR43N2

They are otherwise imaginary.

Like these ones!

[AndyB]

Most of us non-technical pen-pushers can at least be bothered to read table 1 of the TAL where this parameter is specified but let's not allow the truth to get in the way of a cheap shot...

So why do so many speed humps cause damage if driven over at the speed limit - something isn't right somewhere!

Totally agree, how can it be correct that you take a perfectly flat piece of serviceable road and and deliberately place physical obstacles that prevent the road from being used at the posted speed limit. The particulate pollution caused by the accelerate and brake driving style that humps encourage is ignored by by those who put humps in place. And if you do adopt a steady safe speed to navigate humps you certainly suffer the wrath of impatient drivers... there are no winners with speed humps ...

Actually, the accelerate and brake style incurs my wrath because it is so significantly quicker to drive down such a road at a steady 20mph (allowing for easing off a little before humps) than to accelerate and brake, which inevitably sees me held up by people who think humps fit for 20mph running must be taken at 5mph.

The real answer is cost. Stick a few road humps down, you get a de facto speed limit of 20mph without the hassle of the legislation required for a 20 zone and without the lack of police enforcement.

I realise that this is not going to be a popular opinion, but the placement of road humps usually means there is a good reason (unrelated to engineering) not to be driving at 30mph, and if they were replaced by a 20mph speed limit with no traffic calming, the limit would simply be ignored due to lack of enforcement - and the point, which is usually to discourage rat running, is completely lost.

[Chris Bertram]

... the placement of road humps usually means ...

... that Councillor Druggett has been browbeaten into pushing for humps by Mrs Hatpin and her friends (none of whom drive), who are convinced that their road is "being used as a racetrack", and that there is an "accident waiting to happen", and "won't someone think of the children". Rather than face this down, Cllr Druggett goes along with it, anything for a quiet life.

Sorry, I'm deeply cynical about the spread of humps. Does it show?

[avtur]

.... Actually, the accelerate and brake style incurs my wrath because it is so significantly quicker to drive down such a road at a steady 20mph (allowing for easing off a little before humps) than to accelerate and brake, which inevitably sees me held up by people who think humps fit for 20mph running must be taken at 5mph....

But there is the problem, humps are not designed to be (safely) driven over at the posted speed; by default they are designed to impede progress. In there area I've just moved from humps were very recently installed (for about a mile) in a 30 limit, they are dreadful, even 20 is too fast to go without the possibility of damage. I really don't like speed humps but even more than that I'm not going drive in a way that is unsympathetic to my car and runs the risks or causing damage.

However it does appear that the majority would rather drive at whatever speed they want to, suffer damage and then whinge and moan about the damage, while creating much extra business for the local garages. Road spring failures are figuring at an increasing rate in MOT failure figures these days, much to do with potholes but also to do with people who are not deterred by speed humps or in an attempt to win a numpty award they brake hard as they hit the hump, the worst of all worlds.