Better speed ramps in a better area?

MorningStar

I was cycling a different way home yesterday when I went up a road I hadn't in a while. I noticed it had speed ramps now, except they were really nice ones. I don't have a fetish for ramps or anything but these were granite and brick. They also appeared to be the more difficult speed "cushion" rather than simple ramps. (mentioned in another thread)
I live in the same electorial area and the speed ramps in our area are baddly done with tarmac. One such corner "plateau" ramp actually floods a neighbours garden.
So how come one road gets a better quality of ramp? I am really curious how they managed to get them when we are still asking for a basic ramps or ones that don't cause drainage problems.

Victor

You don't mention where either are, but older ramps in dublin tend to be brick, never ones being patterned asphalt. There was a problem that the bricks can come loose under heavy traffic.

Granite has sometimes been used with both brick and asphalt, expecially in the city centre.

There are three basic patterns:

(a) speed ramp - full width of road, usually matching height of footpath, doubles as pedestrian "crossing"
(b) speed ramp - full width of road, but allowing continuous gullies
(c) speed cushion - the width of one lane

Benster

I concur with the "better ramps in better areas" theory - I regularly drive through Finglas and the ramps there are basically bricks in the road. If you hit them at more than 5 mph you could do yourself an injury, as well as knacker your suspension. :mad:

B.

SickCert

Sounds like its doing its job , if you have to slow to 5mph!

It seems in different areas, different contractors have their own ideas of what ramps are to be built as. Killiney hill got brick one, that are actually concrete with a brick pattern on them! Other areas have abandoned lumps of tarmac that are really amateur looking?
Bring back the original metal ones that shifted your spine.

SeanW

Speed bumps are just stupid IMO.

What about those steel strips on the roads like is/was on the N4? They make lots of noise but they dont bump you into a coma and wreck your car.

AARRRGH

Hey the speed bumps on a certain road in Blackrock (at least 2+ million for a gaff) are horrendous. And lots of politicians live there. So I dunno about your theory...

John R

...and the ones on a certain other road between Blackrock and Stillorgan are so gentle they can be taken at 50mph plus, quite fun as well.

MorningStar

Victor wrote:

You don't mention where either are, but older ramps in dublin tend to be brick, never ones being patterned asphalt. There was a problem that the bricks can come loose under heavy traffic.

Granite has sometimes been used with both brick and asphalt, expecially in the city centre.

There are three basic patterns:

(a) speed ramp - full width of road, usually matching height of footpath, doubles as pedestrian "crossing"
(b) speed ramp - full width of road, but allowing continuous gullies
(c) speed cushion - the width of one lane

The fancy speed ramps are in Clontarf on St Lawrence Road ( a lovely victorian road). THe other regular speed ramps are in Donncarney and Beaumont.
THe speed ramp on St. Lawrence Road is less than a year old and is longer and lower than a usual ramp hence it appeared to be a speed cushion from a differnt definition than you mentioned.

Note this is suburb and not a tourist road. The use of expensive granite, obvious extra effort in design and construction really and only benifits the locals. I don't think these are older than a year either. The same voting areas , police station and council yet they have better ramps. I will freely admit the houses on the road are better than average but who made the decsion they are to get better ramps was it by request or by decision to match surroundings?

SickCert

In my job , you cant beat the ramps with the 2 gaps for the buses to take them at top speed without disturbing the peeps.
As for the blackrock > stillorgan section (gentle arc's)!

Hagar

I thought the purpose of speed ramps was to ensure public safety by forcing motorists to drive within the speed limit.

If this is true why would a speed ramp force you to drive at 5kph if the limit is say 40 kph. It would not be unreasonable to drive at 20 to 25 kph in a 40kph zone would it?

Surely either the speed limit is too high or the ramp is too severe?
They both can't be right can they?

SickCert

Different building contractors have different impressions of what a ramp is!
Some can look very intimidating, but barely move you. Others can rattle your under carriage and reshape your exhaust.
I pity the young boy racers with cars that have the full body kit with really low front bumper - 5kph for them! :eek: :eek:

Victor

MorningStar wrote:

longer and lower than a usual ramp

They do tend to make them longer on bus routes, but I don't think busse use that road.

Contractors had a habit previously of making they too high.

MorningStar

Victor wrote:

They do tend to make them longer on bus routes, but I don't think busse use that road.

Contractors had a habit previously of making they too high.

No bus route. Just fancier ramps that cost more and I would guess because the residents are richer. It could be because it is a pretty victorian road. ANybody actually know how they decide who gets fancy ramps?

Are all the ramps built by contractors now? I might not pay enough attention but they look like council workers to me.

Victor

MorningStar wrote:

No bus route. Just fancier ramps that cost more and I would guess because the residents are richer. It could be because it is a pretty victorian road. ANybody actually know how they decide who gets fancy ramps?

Are all the ramps built by contractors now? I might not pay enough attention but they look like council workers to me.

The vast majority of upgrade / alteration work is done by contractors. Councils tend to only retain a small core of maintainence staff for small works and repairs.

jesus_thats_gre

It sorta makes sense..Some of those Victorian houses would have preservation orders in place. Nice areas tend to have become nice over time and it would irresponsible of the council to tarnish the look of an area by placing ramps that do not fit in.