Are most road humps illegal ? ? ?

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verytalldave

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This is just my own personal opinion and may therefore be completely flawed.

My understanding is that local councils have a duty in law to maintain roads fit for purpose.
Which in my interpretation is to keep them maintained so that in normal use driving a vehicle at the roads speed limit, damage would not, or is unlikely to be damaged by the surface of the road.
This is why councils are keen to repair pot-holes fairly quickly. Drive your car down a pot-hole, damage your car and the council could be liable to pay you compensation.
Road humps, pillows or whatever you like to call them are often so fierce that driving over them at 30mph will damage your car badly.
I have therefore come to my own opinion that councils should be liable for damage if you drive over these at, or just below the roads speed limit.
I am all for enforcement of speed limits, but I now feel speed humps have now become SO widespread AND fierce that councils are now breaking the law. If not actually, then in spirit.
Some humps are so fierce that you have to reduce speed to below 10mph to avoid possible damage.
I think the fierceness of humps must be made so that they can be negotiated at the roads speeds limit without the possibility of incurring damage to your vehicle.

Rant over.
 
Apparently there was a government report on speed bumps, I believe it is still available but costs £75 if I remember correctly. I've been told that the report does confirm that speed bumps are responsible for damage to cars wheels & suspension, but have not seen it myself.

Our estate was built 5 years ago and has them every 100 yards, no one on the estate wanted them, but the builders were forced to put them there as a condition put down by the council during the planning process. They were only built before the council adopted the roads which was 2 years after the last house was completed. So for 2 years we managed without them, without incident, now they are a nuisance to everyone.

The road through our estate is not straight but winding, it is impossible for any car to travel at speed and must be driven slowly in any case, but the council still dictate that all new building sites must have them regardless of any need for them.

Russ
 
They're called sleeping policemen....

Their purpose is to prevent you driving at the legal speed limit, perhaps because an area presents more risks, (i.e. near schools) (or in a housing estate children are playing on the streets etc). Its to ensure people drive very slowly, perhaps 10-15mph. Hit anyone at that speed, all it will do is hurt a bit.
 
They're called sleeping policemen....

Their purpose is to prevent you driving at the legal speed limit, perhaps because an area presents more risks, (i.e. near schools) (or in a housing estate children are playing on the streets etc). Its to ensure people drive very slowly, perhaps 10-15mph. Hit anyone at that speed, all it will do is hurt a bit.


So why put them on a road where everyone drives at 15mph anyway?
They should be placed only where they serve a purpose and not on every new road built as the councils policy is at the moment.

Russ
 
So why put them on a road where everyone drives at 15mph anyway?
They should be placed only where they serve a purpose and not on every new road built as the councils policy is at the moment.

Russ

As some people don't posing more of a danger. Call it the hand of the nanny state, but I do see their value near schools etc.
 
A council effectively has statutory immunity, provided that the humps comply with the appropriate regulations. The regulations don't provide for approved designs, although they do to some extent limit what can be done - for example the maximum height is limited to 100mm, but the DfT "recommend" that they do not exceed 75mm. Personally, I think they are an infernal invention and every single one should be dug up.
 
They should make the area around EVERY school 15MPH with timed speed cameras.
 
No. They comply with the law regarding them.

End of thread...!!
 
When you dictate it's the end of a thread, free speech goes too.
(as you can see, the thread never ended!) :)

Russ

Nothing wrong with free speech and a discussion, but the question posed has been answered.

nothing more to say..;)
 
My guess for what its worth is that many are not strictly by the book. I believe there are guidelines/recommendations as to approach angles, heights etc and of course there are several different designs/types of construction from the small plastic "bolt ons" , the partial [ mole hill ]humps, the complete across road " beached log" to the small "medieval castle rampart" type. When designed I'm sure they adhere to approved guidelines but does anyone check the dimensions once they are installed= possibly. However after the third or fourth repair/ modification /resurfacing does anyone check they are still in spec --- I doubt it. My chief complaint is that when first installed they are clearly marked with chevrons or like painted on the road but a couple of winters later they are nicely camouflaged into the road surface- miss the the warning signs at the boundary of the area and your first intimation of their presence is your suspension being subjected to G forces at the edge of its design performance envelope- if you are lucky. :(
 
They had to renew loads of them up our way, the original ones were made of recycled rubber bolted to the road surface. Fine for the first 6 months until the bolts started to work loose and sit proud of the speed bump. As vehicles drove over them, the bolts were ripping the tyres. The local newspaper had to highlight the amount of punctures it was causing before the council took any action.

Russ
 
My chief complaint is that when first installed they are clearly marked with chevrons or like painted on the road but a couple of winters later they are nicely camouflaged into the road surface- miss the the warning signs at the boundary of the area and your first intimation of their presence is your suspension being subjected to G forces at the edge of its design performance envelope- if you are lucky. :(

Driving without due care and observation then...
 
No. They comply with the law regarding them.

End of thread...!!

Even when the warning signs are dirty enough to be illegible, and all the painted warnings have worn away?
 
Even when the warning signs are dirty enough to be illegible, and all the painted warnings have worn away?


I noticed driving through France that they still go round washing all the roadside signs, I can't remember the last time I saw that done in the UK?

Russ
 
Even when the warning signs are dirty enough to be illegible, and all the painted warnings have worn away?

Can you get a picture of such, as I've never experienced that.

As usual we are moving from reality to ridicule just to be pedantic.
 
Can you get a picture of such, as I've never experienced that.

As usual we are moving from reality to ridicule just to be pedantic.

Pictures aren't a difficulty.

The issue is that someone decides these are a good idea, and plonk them all over the place, too often as as an easy way of eliminating a real hazard. The maintenance cost is usually overlooked, as has happened in Cumbria.

Responsibility for road maintenance is contracted out, but the contractors don't accept the cost of maintaining non-statutory signage and markings (which speed reduction measures aren't it appears). Thus the proper maintenance isn't carried out proactively, merely in reachtion to accidents, complaints or legal action.

I appreciate you may never have never experienced anything similar, but that doesn't mean the problem doesn't exist. Smacks rather of arrogance, I'm afraid, to make such an assumption.
 
There are speed humps at the newly built recycling plant in Woking completely unnecessary. This just causes damage to peoples cars and b unavoidable jot helps the rubbish spill every where. Diesel man likes this no doubt. Loads of speed humps in Surrey. Dangerous and often unmarked. Diesel man likes this too.
 

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