Speed ramps: What's the point?

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 22-10-2017 10:20PM #1

When I was driving towards Beaumont Hospital the other day, I noted that there's lots of speed bumps there (obviously among other parts of Ireland too). There are a few fierce ones in my town that you'd wreck your car unless you crawled over in 1st gear.

Then there are other ones where they "surprise" you and they are more severe than they look, if that makes sense.

I don't see the point in them or the logic. If the speed limit is 50 km/h, then you should be able to use the ramp at that speed with no discomfort to you or the car. If the authorities want you to drive slower, then lower the speed limit .. simple!
Why can't they just have a fixed speed camera in place instead of poxy ramps.

These must be a pain the hole for ambulance drivers, paramedics, first responders, firemen, Gardaí in pursuit, etc. For these people seconds matter and they have to slow down for poxy cement on the road.

If the ramps are designed to be uncomfortable at more than 30 km/h, then why not set the speed limit to 30 km/h in these areas and enforce it with fixed cameras. If the speeding is such the endemic that they make it out to be, then surely the resultant FCPNs will pay for the cameras.

amcalester · 22-10-2017 10:22PM

Yeah, because people obey speed limits.

_Brian · 22-10-2017 10:23PM

You can set the speed limit to whatever you want and a certain % of People breakit and speed.
Speed ramps are different, no matter what you must slow down, even speeders know enough to slow for them. Idiot proof as it were.

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 22-10-2017 10:23PM

amcalester wrote: »

Yeah, because people obey speed limits.

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

If the ramps are designed to be uncomfortable at more than 30 km/h, then why not set the speed limit to 30 km/h in these areas and enforce it with fixed cameras. If the speeding is such the endemic that they make it out to be, then surely the resultant FCPNs will pay for the cameras.

Read the thread before posting again.

amcalester · 22-10-2017 10:28PM

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

Read the thread before posting again.

Speed bumps are cheaper and more effective than cameras.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't too.

People complain about speed vans being a money making racket (despite it costing more to run that it takes in) and now you're complaining about speed bumps.

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 22-10-2017 10:29PM

amcalester wrote: »

Speed bumps are cheaper and more effective than cameras.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't too.

People complain about speed vans being a money making racket (despite it costing more to run that it takes in) and now you're complaining about speed bumps.

What about ambulance drivers having to slow down and speed up? Up and down like a whore's knickers.

amcalester · 22-10-2017 10:32PM

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

What about ambulance drivers having to slow down and speed up? Up and down like a whore's knickers.

I would have thought whores would just go commando, much more efficient.

22-10-2017 10:35PM

They prevent scumbags from joyriding.

Eric Cartman · 22-10-2017 10:40PM

speed ramps are just a lazy way to deal with traffic enforcement. Id make the whole road width ones illegal if I could, the partial ones are fine as ambulances etc.. have a wide enough track and enough clearence to get over them without impact.

OP, buy a car with air suspension, you can hit a bump designed for 50 at 90 and barely even feel it

beauf · 22-10-2017 10:44PM

You could have shortened your post to this...

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

...
Why can't they just have a fixed speed camera in place instead of poxy ramps.... .

.. I assume ramps are cheaper.

Why do we have so few speed cameras in general anyway.

bladespin · 22-10-2017 10:47PM

Deleted User wrote:

They prevent scumbags from joyriding.

No, they don't.

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 22-10-2017 10:47PM

beauf wrote: »

You could have shortened your post to this...

.. I assume ramps are cheaper.

Why do we have so few speed cameras in general anyway.

My idea is that if speed cameras were everywhere, then no one would speed and revenue would be lost. The Gardaí give people enough rope etc.

bear1 · 22-10-2017 10:59PM

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

My idea is that if speed cameras were everywhere, then no one would speed and revenue would be lost. The Gardaí give people enough rope etc.

Can you honestly say that if cameras were placed everywhere that you wouldn't complain that the government is just trying to milk the motorist even more?
The bumps are there for a reason.
Oh and how much would it cost for the cameras to be set up every 100m or so around the country?

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 22-10-2017 11:02PM

bear1 wrote: »

Can you honestly say that if cameras were placed everywhere that you wouldn't complain that the government is just trying to milk the motorist even more?
The bumps are there for a reason.
Oh and how much would it cost for the cameras to be set up every 100m or so around the country?

They'd pay for themselves initially, but people would stop speeding when they know speed cameras are everywhere, so they'd eventually stop bringing in money.

beauf · 22-10-2017 11:32PM

If you've ever driven in the UK you'll know what its like with lots of camera. People hard braking all over the place seemingly at random because they know where the cameras are and you don't.

ironclaw · 22-10-2017 11:44PM

Currently in Canada and speed bumps are not a thing here at all (Ontario). You see the odd one in some estates, generally by request. But I've never seen anyone speeding in residential areas. People stop for stop signs, and cops regularly park up in estates and nail people for it. Conversely, non-car road users don't wander across streets (Jaywalking), pedestrians stick to junctions and cross there, so drivers can actually expect it. Remembering, free right is a thing here, even with a pedestrian crossing so drivers are infinitely more aware of other road users.

In Ireland, at least in conversation with my mechanic, it used to be a case that the passenger side struts and shocks would be replaced quite regularly, but he said that in the past 10 to 15 years he's seen a massive uprise in the driver side. His best guess is potholes generally form on the passenger side of a road, and now as people avoid bumps, the passenger side generally glides over the lesser side of the ramp while the driver side (Which would have more weight from the driver as well) hits the ramp front and centre.

I see the point in residential areas with plenty of vulnerable pedestrians, but I see no point on main or semi-major routes. Someone people don't care for their cars and will hit them at speed regardless.

Del2005 · 23-10-2017 01:02AM

Deleted User wrote: »

They prevent scumbags from joyriding.

The ramp outside my apartment would disagree with this. Since I've been there 2 light poles and a tree have been taken out. Most nights I hear a car going over at very high speed. My parents road doesn't have speed ramps and all the trees and lights are OK and no one travels their road at very high speed, though eejits still break the limit.

beauf wrote: »

If you've ever driven in the UK you'll know what its like with lots of camera. People hard braking all over the place seemingly at random because they know where the cameras are and you don't.

People brake at random for speed ramps also as most of old ones are so deteriorated that they are invisible and the new batch are barely visible because they just black bumps with a tiny bit of white paint, which wears off in days. Why did they stop putting cats eyes on speed ramps?

mikeecho · 23-10-2017 03:21AM

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

Read the thread before posting again.

Can everyone welcome our new mod

23-10-2017 09:36AM

I think the Councils have generally moved away from speed ramps for traffic calming. They don't put in new ones now afaik. Instead, they use the guidance in the DMURS manual to have roads narrower, more winding, more trees etc to reduce speed.

punisher5112 · 23-10-2017 09:41AM

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I think the Councils have generally moved away from speed ramps for traffic calming. They don't put in new ones now afaik. Instead, they use the guidance in the DMURS manual to have roads narrower, more winding, more trees etc to reduce speed.

Not in Dublin.... They are narrowing roads alright but still ramp mad.... Let's put in ramps and not one is the same as the next.

Different heights, shapes and all over the place.

23-10-2017 10:44AM

punisher5112 wrote: »

Not in Dublin.... They are narrowing roads alright but still ramp mad.... Let's put in ramps and not one is the same as the next.

Different heights, shapes and all over the place.

Where are you seeing new ramps going in?

Dravokivich · 23-10-2017 10:53AM

amcalester wrote: »

Yeah, because people obey speed limits.

Yeah, but the issue OP references is that the actual speed traffic needs to flow at to take the ramps gently, is much more reduced than the limit posted on the road. For example, coming from the N4 into Chapelizod, the limit is 50, but you'd not get over 30 between those ramps, unless you really force the throttle down than stomp on your brakes.

amcalester · 23-10-2017 10:59AM

Dravokivich wrote: »

Yeah, but the issue OP references is that the actual speed traffic needs to flow at to take the ramps gently, is much more reduced than the limit posted on the road. For example, coming from the N4 into Chapelizod, the limit is 50, but you'd not get over 30 between those ramps, unless you really force the throttle down than stomp on your brakes.

Thats probably the whole point, reduce average speed without having to reduce the limit which would most likely be ignored by the majority anyway.

People weren't happy when the limit was reduced to 30kmh but you don't get the same anger when speed bumps are installed.

cfuserkildare · 23-10-2017 11:03AM

How does an Ambulance with a Spinal Injury in the back handle Speed Bumps?
Are there more long term disability issues due to Speed Bumps?

Dravokivich · 23-10-2017 11:09AM

amcalester wrote: »

Thats probably the whole point, reduce average speed without having to reduce the limit which would most likely be ignored by the majority anyway.

People weren't happy when the limit was reduced to 30kmh but you don't get the same anger when speed bumps are installed.

If you don't reduce the limit, people are going to aim for it, resulting in rushing up and stomping on breaks. if you want to slow traffic down significantly, lower the limit along with it.

The speed limit is to determine what traffic should be able to effectively drive at, once conditions allow. It shouldn't be unobtainable, due to infastructure.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 23-10-2017 11:26AM

After looking at the OP's videos in the dash cam thread, emergency services are not a primary concern

I guess ramps are in place to reduce speed instead of having limits changing every 10 meters or so.

josip · 23-10-2017 12:27PM

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Where are you seeing new ramps going in?

Killiney Road had them put in this year.
Just up the road from a well known local political family.
Who've been unable to get the potholes just down the road fixed for the last 2 years due to a lack of funds in the DLR budget.
Go figure.

Riva10 · 23-10-2017 12:29PM

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

What about ambulance drivers having to slow down and speed up? Up and down like a whore's knickers.

Do'nt mind the speed ramps. Where and how did you find out about these knickers

Riva10 · 23-10-2017 12:31PM

Deleted User wrote: »

They prevent scumbags from joyriding.

The knickers or the speed ramps. Please be more specific

BillyBobBS · 23-10-2017 12:43PM

Read a study some years ago about the environmental effect of speed bumps in a city not 100% sure but think the study was done in Birmingham. Cars, trucks, motorbikes, buses etc.. constantly braking and then having to accelerate was contributing to a rise in air pollution figures in all areas. Many residents has partaken in the study and a majority had also complained about noise pollution increasing dramatically. Ironically many of these residents had lobbied the local councils for the speed bumps to be installed in the first place.

I do wonder about the wear and tear on consumables from these hazards also. I know the mechanics must be especially happy when they see those metal speed bumps being put down in their local areas.

dil999 · 23-10-2017 01:00PM

ironclaw wrote: »

Currently in Canada and speed bumps are not a thing here at all (Ontario). You see the odd one in some estates, generally by request. But I've never seen anyone speeding in residential areas. People stop for stop signs, and cops regularly park up in estates and nail people for it. Conversely, non-car road users don't wander across streets (Jaywalking), pedestrians stick to junctions and cross there, so drivers can actually expect it. Remembering, free right is a thing here, even with a pedestrian crossing so drivers are infinitely more aware of other road users.

In Ireland, at least in conversation with my mechanic, it used to be a case that the passenger side struts and shocks would be replaced quite regularly, but he said that in the past 10 to 15 years he's seen a massive uprise in the driver side. His best guess is potholes generally form on the passenger side of a road, and now as people avoid bumps, the passenger side generally glides over the lesser side of the ramp while the driver side (Which would have more weight from the driver as well) hits the ramp front and centre.

I see the point in residential areas with plenty of vulnerable pedestrians, but I see no point on main or semi-major routes. Someone people don't care for their cars and will hit them at speed regardless.

In my one trip to Canada (British Columbia) I got the impression that Canadians are the best and most courteous drivers I have ever encountered.
Can you imagine a 4 way stop sign in Ireland :eek:

Speed ramps: What's the point?

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