Speed humps and mini roundabouts
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One of our local government transportation engineer has created speed humps on all our back streets and introduced dozens of mini-roundabouts in places which are, quite frankly, dangerous. What about vehicle safety though? |
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These humps have damaged my car. They were presumably introduced to reduce speeds on side streets to lower than 30 (or 20 mph). |
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Mini-roundabouts: These stupid and dangerous. Whoever thought of putting a mini-roundabout on a main road with one blind junction to a very minor road wants their mind seeing to. Cars emerge from this blind junction, unseen till they are actually on the roundabout. They emerge without stopping for what is effectively the main road, risking the life and limb of any car on the main road who thinks they might have right of way. Mini-roundabouts have a totally ambiguous priority system. They are not, as the Highway Code might think, or have not the same priority system as a full roundabout. Two cars approaching a full roundabout from diametrically opposite direction both wanting to turn right can't actually see one another on a full roundabout usually. Both have equal right to enter the roundabout at the same time. The mini-roundabout can't cope with this situation properly. There is insufficient space on the roundabout to accommodate two cars at the same time. Who therefore has the priority? It becomes a race to the roundabout to see who is first on the dotted line. By: Griper |
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Comments from visitors
The Stig,what those drivers are doing is going the wrong way round the roundabout and would be seen as such if an accident occured.
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Actually Cyclist is wrong, Speed Cameras have been implicated in the deaths of several motorists in recent years, in different parts of the country.
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the crash expert - 2-Nov-10 18:05
I couldn't agree more! But it is worse, much worse, than you claim. Many of these idiot features DO have a "Give Way" double broken line plus sign on ONE "entrance. For some reason which is utterly beyond me this is read by most drivers as "Give Way unless you are TURNING right - in which case you don't even need to slow down. This is completely contrary to common sense AND the Higway Code, and it is bloody dangerous - especially as there is only me and my mate Nick who understand how these things are supposed to work!
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Is your council building mini roundabouts at practically every road junction, whilst spreading parking residential parking zones to further fleece residents of any money they may have left over after their extortionate council tax bills are paid, like the council area I live in does?
Not allowed to mention particular places, but it's recently become a so-called city, just south of Dunblane and north of Larbert , begins with S and ends in G. Do you not think that council officials and councillors need to be reminded that they work for us and not we for them?
Perhaps a bit of pain on the jobs front will bring them to heel?
Not allowed to mention particular places, but it's recently become a so-called city, just south of Dunblane and north of Larbert , begins with S and ends in G. Do you not think that council officials and councillors need to be reminded that they work for us and not we for them?
Perhaps a bit of pain on the jobs front will bring them to heel?
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To clarify before some wise @$$ perks up that by slowing me down, the humps are doing their job, I don't speed and rarely if at all go over a speed limit. That only happens when I'm spending my time looking at the road ahead and not constantly staring at my speed.
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Humps not only cause the bunching up of cars but they destroy car componants. I'm forever having to replace wishbone balljoints and suspension struts through driving over atleast a mile of them on my journey to work and again on the way back. I could if someone got really anal, re plan my route but that also adds about 3 miles onto it and more heavy traffic queues.
Road bumps also don't have the desired effect on half of the drivers out there. I slow right down to being pulled along at idle in 1st gear, to then get thrashed past by an old lady in a Corsa or someone with no respect for their own car still going 35 over a hump in a 30 zone. That in itself is amazing because the 23 year old in a very fast hatchback is driving slowly over the speed bumps and the mature drivers that can do no wrong, drive over the limit hitting 5 - 10mph over the limit.
Funny really.
Road bumps also don't have the desired effect on half of the drivers out there. I slow right down to being pulled along at idle in 1st gear, to then get thrashed past by an old lady in a Corsa or someone with no respect for their own car still going 35 over a hump in a 30 zone. That in itself is amazing because the 23 year old in a very fast hatchback is driving slowly over the speed bumps and the mature drivers that can do no wrong, drive over the limit hitting 5 - 10mph over the limit.
Funny really.
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I drove 50foot long lorries for a living,mini roundabouts I'm sorry to say are just there to be ignored,my vehicle could not possibly go around them,so to be fair I must admit that it ended up with me not even trying to do so.
But I have an opinion on traffic humps that may surprise you.Rip them all out,simple,but fit Police Motorcycles with Radar guns,or even plain vans,I don't care which,if your caught speeding thats your problem,we can all see the speed limit signs.But why should every car be expected to drive over pavement sized humps every 100 yards just because of drivers with a heavy right foot.
But I have an opinion on traffic humps that may surprise you.Rip them all out,simple,but fit Police Motorcycles with Radar guns,or even plain vans,I don't care which,if your caught speeding thats your problem,we can all see the speed limit signs.But why should every car be expected to drive over pavement sized humps every 100 yards just because of drivers with a heavy right foot.
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We have several mini-roundabouts in our village where most drivers turning right cross in front of the roundabout instead of going around it, claiming that they have right of way. Should an accident occur with a vehicle on the roundabout going straight ahead, who would be at fault?
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Can a car drive over the middle of a mini roundabout to turn right?
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I agree with Griper; no matter what speed you are doing over some of these speed bumps you can jar your car and/or yourself. A 100 yard long road near me has no less than 5 of the big wide ones, and even going at 2 mph gives one hell of a jolt. It's made worse because it's the only road leading to an old folks retirement complex; a nightmare if an ambulance is needed.
While the principle of speed bumps is sound, there really should be more thought given to the style of them. Smooth bumps raised a couple of inches off the road are OK, but great big edged monstrosities are just ridiculous. And in areas where ambulances are seen frequently, use speed cameras instead!
While the principle of speed bumps is sound, there really should be more thought given to the style of them. Smooth bumps raised a couple of inches off the road are OK, but great big edged monstrosities are just ridiculous. And in areas where ambulances are seen frequently, use speed cameras instead!
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God created mini-roundabouts and other traffic calming measures so that you could sin going round or over them.
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All things great and small - 8-Mar-09 22:05
Mini roundabouts were never intended to be that type of junction.
In the majority of cases, the location of the roundabout was originaly a T junction with bend in the road or a crossroads. Due to that the amount of space to turn is greatly reduced.
Due to increasing volumes on traffic on the roads, they were put in to prevent pollution in side roads to bordering houses from waiting stationary traffic. Most of the roads effected were being used as "rat runs" by drivers. They along with speed humps also slow down the traffic, which came about due to the few mindless idiots who speed through quite residential roads.
Therebye spoiling it for the rest of us sensible drivers.
My qualifictions, amongst others Approved Driving Instructor Grade 6 /M.I.A.M/Holder of HGV C+E/Motorcyclist/Diploma In driving Instruction/ADI Trainer.
In the majority of cases, the location of the roundabout was originaly a T junction with bend in the road or a crossroads. Due to that the amount of space to turn is greatly reduced.
Due to increasing volumes on traffic on the roads, they were put in to prevent pollution in side roads to bordering houses from waiting stationary traffic. Most of the roads effected were being used as "rat runs" by drivers. They along with speed humps also slow down the traffic, which came about due to the few mindless idiots who speed through quite residential roads.
Therebye spoiling it for the rest of us sensible drivers.
My qualifictions, amongst others Approved Driving Instructor Grade 6 /M.I.A.M/Holder of HGV C+E/Motorcyclist/Diploma In driving Instruction/ADI Trainer.
+3
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Motor vehicles and their drivers are the primary source of danger on our roads. No-one has ever been killed by a speed camera, mini-roundabout or a speed hump.
The primary contributory causes of the severity of collisions are speed and driver ability / judgement.
Traffic calming is intended to slow the traffic down, so that proper observations and signals may be made and to limit the damage caused, should a collision occur.
Highway Code 188
Mini-roundabouts. Approach these in the same way as normal roundabouts. All vehicles MUST pass round the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so. Remember, there is less space to manoeuvre and less time to signal. Avoid making U-turns at mini-roundabouts. Beware of others doing this.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070338
The primary contributory causes of the severity of collisions are speed and driver ability / judgement.
Traffic calming is intended to slow the traffic down, so that proper observations and signals may be made and to limit the damage caused, should a collision occur.
Highway Code 188
Mini-roundabouts. Approach these in the same way as normal roundabouts. All vehicles MUST pass round the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so. Remember, there is less space to manoeuvre and less time to signal. Avoid making U-turns at mini-roundabouts. Beware of others doing this.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070338
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Griper is clearly a halfwit.
It is perfectly obvious that he is speeding over the speed humps and mini roundabouts.
The crunching sound your car makes, is an indication to SLOW DOWN!
It is perfectly obvious that he is speeding over the speed humps and mini roundabouts.
The crunching sound your car makes, is an indication to SLOW DOWN!
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What speed are you doing over these "Speed Humps"? Don't you realise they have been put there for a reason? To slow you down,not to see how fast you can take them!
Unfortunatly I am disabled & walk with the aid of a stick. The number of drivers that refuse to slow down to allow me to cross safely never ceases to amaze me.
Unfortunatly I am disabled & walk with the aid of a stick. The number of drivers that refuse to slow down to allow me to cross safely never ceases to amaze me.
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The scourge of the mini roundabout may be on the decline.
Of the six that were there in the 1 mile stretch when I raised the gripe, two have been since removed.
Of the six that were there in the 1 mile stretch when I raised the gripe, two have been since removed.
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Original Poster - 15-Mar-08 18:18
You should try coming to Penrith in Cumbria. It's absolutely shocking! One bus firm recieved a payment from the council because their buses were getting ruined. Just outside the town there is a village called Clifton with the most stupid traffic calming measures I have ever seen. Basically, they are square kerbs that extend into the road (with no reflective markers), effectively narrowing the road. Except the road was very wide to start with, so basically it's narrowed to a conventional road's width. Oh and the one way, one-car's-width lane at the back of my house has a speed hump now. Despite there being at max 5 or 6 cars that park up the road, and don't drive fast and have not hit anyone in all the 10 years I have lived there.
What's with that?
What's with that?
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ps to my last message.
The "Green" argument regarding road building holds no water either, as far as I can see, because a vehicle travelling at a constant speed uses far less fuel, and produces much less polution than one constantly stoping and starting.
Also the latest "pet" traffic calming measure in my area is to Build an artificial road narrows on a blind bend, so that traffic approaching from either direction, cannot see other vehicles until they are in the single narrowed part of the road. I have witnessed several narrow misses between cars at these points, and wonder how long before there is a major accident?
The "Green" argument regarding road building holds no water either, as far as I can see, because a vehicle travelling at a constant speed uses far less fuel, and produces much less polution than one constantly stoping and starting.
Also the latest "pet" traffic calming measure in my area is to Build an artificial road narrows on a blind bend, so that traffic approaching from either direction, cannot see other vehicles until they are in the single narrowed part of the road. I have witnessed several narrow misses between cars at these points, and wonder how long before there is a major accident?
+6
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With increasing penalties for speed limit infringements, Speed humps, "Traffic calming" narrows in an otherwise wide road, and other Anti motor vehicle measures, how long before motor vehicles need to be in groups of six preceeded by a man waving a red flag.
This was the situation in this country when Cars were called Motor Carriages, and horses were the priciple mode of transport.
Are regressing in terms of transport?
Without wishing to turn this into a political debate; how many people remember that when "New" Labour took over government, they immediately stopped all road improvement projects, increased all motor taxation (including Diesel fuel, in particular) and introduced blanket installation of speed cameras countrywide.
Because no major road improvements have been made in 10 years, our roads are now out of date, badly planned, and bursting at the seams.
I cannot accept the agrgument that the more roads built increases traffic. if roads are built to accomodate all drivers, then there must be enough space; I cannot think of a single driver who can drive twoo vehicles at the same time!
This was the situation in this country when Cars were called Motor Carriages, and horses were the priciple mode of transport.
Are regressing in terms of transport?
Without wishing to turn this into a political debate; how many people remember that when "New" Labour took over government, they immediately stopped all road improvement projects, increased all motor taxation (including Diesel fuel, in particular) and introduced blanket installation of speed cameras countrywide.
Because no major road improvements have been made in 10 years, our roads are now out of date, badly planned, and bursting at the seams.
I cannot accept the agrgument that the more roads built increases traffic. if roads are built to accomodate all drivers, then there must be enough space; I cannot think of a single driver who can drive twoo vehicles at the same time!
-6
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With increasing penalties for speed limit infringements, Speed humps, "Traffic calming" narrows in an otherwise wide road, and other Anti motor vehicle measures, how long before motor vehicles need to be in groups of six preceeded by a man waving a red flag.
This was the situation in this country when Cars were called Motor Carriages, and horses were the priciple mode of transport.
Are regressing in terms of transport?
Without wishing to turn this into a political debate; how many people remember that when "New" Labour took over government, they immediately stopped all road improvement projects, increased all motor taxation (including Diesel fuel, in particular) and introduced blanket installation of speed cameras countrywide.
Because no major road improvements have been made in 10 years, our roads are now out of date, badly planned, and bursting at the seams.
I cannot accept the agrgument that the more roads built increases traffic. if roads are built to accomodate all drivers, then there must be enough space; I cannot think of a single driver who can drive twoo vehicles at the same time!
This was the situation in this country when Cars were called Motor Carriages, and horses were the priciple mode of transport.
Are regressing in terms of transport?
Without wishing to turn this into a political debate; how many people remember that when "New" Labour took over government, they immediately stopped all road improvement projects, increased all motor taxation (including Diesel fuel, in particular) and introduced blanket installation of speed cameras countrywide.
Because no major road improvements have been made in 10 years, our roads are now out of date, badly planned, and bursting at the seams.
I cannot accept the agrgument that the more roads built increases traffic. if roads are built to accomodate all drivers, then there must be enough space; I cannot think of a single driver who can drive twoo vehicles at the same time!
-1
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