I made a complaint to the local council about speed bumps/pollution, this is the reply, from defra, via the council. Note the "this kind of irresponsible driving".
I always thought it was legal to drive to the speed limit?
Thank you for your letter of 25 August about pollution. I have been asked to reply.
Local councils within the UK have a number of targets involving cutting pollution, and we are not aware of any councils that are exempt from them.
Speed bumps are not in themselves an actual cause of pollution. If a steady speed is maintained then there is no change in the level of pollution. Additional pollution will only be caused by those who choose to accelerate and then brake in between these bumps, but unfortunately there is no way to legislate against this kind of irresponsible driving.
It is generally accepted that certain areas are in need of traffic-calming measures and any potential increase in fumes must be weighed against the benefits of a safer road for those in danger areas, such as children outside schools.
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I made a complaint to the local council about speed bumps/pollution this is the reply from defra via the council. Note the "this kind of irresponsible driving".
What condescending nonsense. How else are you supposed to drive over a speed hump. If you drive over the things at 30mph, they'll damage your car, because European spec models don't have the same robust standard as other parts of the world. Then if you slow down to save damage to your car, you either have to accelerate up to 30 again....or continue to crab along at 5 -10 mph.
The only thing irresponsible is the stupid advice... and the speed humps in the first place.
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I think that their choice of words leaves something to be desired, but they do have a point that the best way to drive a section of road with the humps made from tarmac (rather than those stupid rubber things you get in car parks) is at a constant speed - the road I live on has them and if you drive at a contant 20/22mph (and don't speed up between them) then they are no problem and you don't get wound up...
We've had this discussion so many times its becomming a bit boring - I've no doubt everyone would want to see the back of the things, but until we can persuade a sizeable wedge of drivers that driving at 40+ in a built-up area like a housing estate is both irresponsible and dangerous we are stuck with the things... a good arguement for electronic speed control in some areas?
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if you drive at a contant 20/22mph (and don't speed up between them) then they are no problem and you don't get wound up...
That works on some bumps but not others, the road behind us has sets of three bumps accross the width of the road and if you line up with them properly 20mph is no problem. Our street and the ones leading to the main road however have humps that I have to slow down to <10mph to cross otherwise I am sure they would damage the suspesion and the roof where I bang my head. And yes I have been out with a tape measure and they are legal according to the rules someone posted on this site.
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I made a complaint to the local council about speed bumps/pollution this is the reply from defra via the council. Note the "this kind of irresponsible driving".
The word "irresponsible" may sting a bit, but it seems to me to be rather appropriate for those who haven't figured out that the purpose of speed bumps is to make them drive slowly. The letter could have used stronger words, so the OP may have got off lightly.
I always thought it was legal to drive to the speed limit?
Then I'm afraid it's time you re-read the Highway Code. See section 125: www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycod...4
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What section 125 says is perfectly correct BUT if the conditions and circumstances permit it should be possible to drive you car down the road, just below the legal limit, without having it wrecked by obstacles deliberately put in the road. If a lower limit is needed, it should be set and imposed.
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I think the whole point of the blasted humps is that you can't drive at or near the limit. For example there are hairpin bends in 60mph limits in the countryside but you would only want to go round them at 20mph While I am no fan of humps or any other marxist Common Purpose weapons, the limit is a limit, not a target speed.
Edited by Hamsafar on 13/09/2009 at 12:47
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What section 125 says is perfectly correct BUT if the conditions and circumstances permit it should be possible to drive you car down the road just below the legal limit without having it wrecked by obstacles deliberately put in the road. If a lower limit is needed it should be set and imposed.
"Imposing" a speed limit is fine in theory, but the problem is enforcing it. I live on a road which as a default 30mph limit, but where a significant minority of drivers do a lot more than 30, despite a whole load of factors which make 20 a much more appropriate speed.
That's the problem which has led to speed bumps: they are the cheapest and most effective way of imposing lower speeds. What's the point of wasting public funds by splattering the streets with 20mph signs, when there remains a number of anti-social drivers who won't slow down unless forced to by bumps?
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I am surprised at the speed other drivers take humps.
The ride of the CC3 is too harsh for me, so I need to slow to well under 20mph for most humps, yet many drivers seem content to take them at close to 30mph.
I've even been overtaken on humps once.
I felt like saying to the other driver: "Listen mate, if your car had square wheels like mine, you wouldn't be quite so keen to go quite so fast."
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they are the cheapest and most effective way of imposing lower speeds.
The council, the ministry of transport, assorted jobsworths, don't even begin to know what is an appropriate speed for me to drive. Not even NowWheels does. Only I do, and I deem these beastly humps a beastly nuisance.
I am annoyed that my present car won't bound over this criminal road litter at or above the speed limit, as my old one did. If I could afford it I'd buy a hulking bourgeois pseudo-offroader for its strength and long spring travel, like the huge fat Audi thingy that was catching me up over bumps the other night. Anyone in their right mind would, in this world increasingly dominated by huge numbers of smug, ignorant, interfering ninnies.
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Feeling better now Lud? ;)
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I like your post Lud...hilux laughs at the things so there's a thought for yer, mind you the motor can take it not so sure about us, those big old leaf springs can cause a bit of a leap.
Wonder if it's possible to swap those huge bling wheels of yours for some good old 15" jobbies with 70 section tyres on them, have you enquired, could always get some gold spinners to keep the effect..;)
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Tyre section is all right gb. It's the soft suspension and low front end that cause the trouble. The chin can touch the road coming off some big bumps, and the solution - hard acceleration at the right moment - is a bit hard on the running gear. It isn't disastrous, just a bit less capable than the Escort.
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It isn't disastrous just a bit less capable than the Escort.
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Ah the Escort was exceptionally good at speed humps, back in the day at a certain airport car rental area the cleaners could get those to really fly between the speed humps in the parking area...nice humps though, those that are smooth about a metre from beginning of smooth ramp to end and about 25 yards apart, i think 40 mph was the most effective speed they were taken at, but they could be taken faster to go airborne.;)
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The council the ministry of transport assorted jobsworths don't even begin to know what is an appropriate speed for me to drive. Not even NowWheels does. Only I do and I deem these beastly humps a beastly nuisance.
Mister Toad rides again! I hope you've secured the film rights. :-)
If you were speeding along a private road with no public access, your speed would be nobody else's business. But as you may have noticed, urban roads are shared by many others -- pedestrians, cyclists, other motorists, children playing ... and the speed of your vehicle has an impact on all of them. The speed which you consider appropriate may be too fast for other road users.
No man is an island, Lud.
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The speed which you consider appropriate may be too fast for other road users.
Sorry NW, I prefer my own judgement on these matters. Simply not interested in the ooh-aah comments of passers by. If they judge my speed inappropriate, they must be wrong in some way (usually anyway). That's the way it is.
Toad is a rich, foolish and reckless individual. I am none of these things.
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The reply to Ian makes no sense on any level. If the intention is to limit the traffic to the speed at which ordinary cars can take the humps, that's a speed limit - so why don't they tell us what it is?
There are some appalling 'cushions' of apparently random height near here in Marsworth, Bucks. The worst are walking pace jobs - I don't think there can be any serious intention that drivers should traverse the whole mile or so at 2-3mph.
None can be straddled fully, so damage the tyres (I know from experience that they do) and with one wheel on and one off, one is so bad that I 'overtake' it rather than drive over it, taking the one on the wrong side of the road in preference - a major contribution to road safety I should think!
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:( I always try to 'straddle' the cushions too, but I've noticed on a few occasions that people coming from the opposite directions sometimes straddle the white line (usually driving something fast that can handle the bumps better, e.g. transit).... so ultimately I end up keeping firmly left (rather than centre of my lane) with one wheel on, one off. I've started avoiding routes where there are a lot of these (worried about long term implications on my car's health!).
I have to say that reply has taken my breath away. I'm sure these people aren't living in the real world and certainly would appear incapable of ever accepting any constructive or valid criticism. If I've slowed to 10-15mph to negotiate a pad or a bump, can you really see me, or any other sane driver not speeding back up between the bumps? And by that, I mean to a sensible speed, as well as legal! If I pootled along at 15mph right the way through a local village I'd be as ignorant as the tone of that letter to whatever bump eating HGV/whatever might be bearing down on the back of me!
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Really can't get my head round all this anti-speed bump nonsense. I live on a street where the limit is 30, but there are plenty of lunatics who seem to think that 60mph is okay. Presumably these are people who ?trust their own judgement on these matters? and who consider 60mph to be appropriate in a 30mph zone. The only way to slow these nutters down is to install speed bumps. I can?t imagine them taking heed of road signs.
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plenty of lunatics who seem to think that 60mph is okay.
Perhaps it is. One would have to see the place to know. I certainly wouldn't take the word of a speed bump lover for it.
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Most occasions when we take the caravan out, we head soiuth for the M56. Our route has now had another 6 or 7 speed bumps added. With the 3 in our road and the desperate pot-holes further along the road, we've started to use another route, involving 1 speed bump just to the left of our drive and then main roads.
The new route adds about a mile......so much for emissions !
I do get to keep all the crockery and wine intact though !
Ted
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. One would have to see the place to know. I certainly wouldn't take the word of a speed bump lover for it.
Stirring and twisting people's words, Lud... none of us said we loved them and I think I'm right in saying that everyone who has said they support their use have also said that they'd rather there be another way of doing it which was less detremental to the driving experience... as that previous poster has said, if we could get people to drive at sensible speeds there'd be no need for them... but of course we also know that is not possible as there are drivers out there who always know better.
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