Why do people swerve in towards the kerb at speed bumps/ramps?

rubadub · 21-03-2006 09:16AM #1

Why do people swerve in towards the kerb at speed bumps/ramps? Is the idea that their car is going to be severely damaged. Is the thinking that the side of the car on the inside avoiding the ramp is protected. I would have thought going over uneven bumps would be bad, especially with the aggressive turns some of them do. Also even if it did help that one side then you are going to have your left side of the car fine while the right is totally wrecked.

godtabh · 21-03-2006 09:19AM

rubadub wrote:

Why do people swerve in towards the kerb at speed bumps/ramps? Is the idea that their car is going to be severely damaged. Is the thinking that the side of the car on the inside avoiding the ramp is protected. I would have thought going over uneven bumps would be bad, especially with the aggressive turns some of them do. Also even if it did help that one side then you are going to have your left side of the car fine while the right is totally wrecked.

I think people do it to protect their suspension. By going over on one whell the suspension does less work is the reasoning i think

connundrum · 21-03-2006 09:25AM

It makes you feel a bit better about the damage that you may/may not be doing to your car. No real reason.

Ref - why do people edge forward the extra couple of inches + rev the engine at a traffic light? Are you really gonna save time by doing this?! Will it make your life better?! The answer is no

johnnyrotten · 21-03-2006 09:30AM

kearnsr wrote:

I think people do it to protect their suspension. By going over on one whell the suspension does less work is the reasoning i think

Its actually worse for the suspension - Its better to approach the speed ramp evenly on both sides therefore evenly distributing the ramp over the whole cars suspension

^whitey^ · 21-03-2006 09:34AM

It's mostly waa's that do this. They lower the car, buy a low body kit then tear the arse off it on a roundabout or going over bumps, oh and the scrathes by the speed bumps are from their huge exhaust's which are inversely proportional to the size of their penises.

johnnyrotten · 21-03-2006 09:36AM

^whitey^ wrote:

Is mostly waa's that do this. They lower the car, buy a low body kit then tear the arse off it on a roundabout or going over bumps, oh and the scrathes by the speed bumps are from their huge exhaust's which are inversely proportional to the size of their penises.

godtabh · 21-03-2006 09:39AM

johnnyrotten wrote:

Its actually worse for the suspension - Its better to approach the speed ramp evenly on both sides therefore evenly distributing the ramp over the whole cars suspension

I just take it easy going over them. I dont have much idea of how suspensions work but having asked the question before this is the answer I genearly get

japanpaul · 21-03-2006 09:41AM

My left side front bumper makes a strange noise when I go over speed bumps (at low speeds). Mechanic couldn't see a problem with it but it wrecks my head as I always think the bumper is going to fall off or something.
I love the type of speed bump that is made up of 3 or fall baby speed bumps across the width of the road. It's like an obstacle course getting the car over it without hitting a bump. A bit childish I know

Raiser · 21-03-2006 09:48AM

I would never bother - and its true that to take the ramp with all four suspension point evenly is preferable.

People do this however because the poured tarmac speed ramps are usually much lower on the left edge, ie. slope upwards from the road.

I reckon they aren't doing themselves or the car any favours - prob. a case of monkey see, monkey do......

Slinky> · 21-03-2006 11:28AM

Why do people swerve in towards the kerb at speed bumps/ramps? Is the idea that their car is going to be severely damaged. Is the thinking that the side of the car on the inside avoiding the ramp is protected. I would have thought going over uneven bumps would be bad, especially with the aggressive turns some of them do. Also even if it did help that one side then you are going to have your left side of the car fine while the right is totally wrecked.

They shouldnt have to swerve becuase this is Ireland and were 'supposed to' drive close to the left anyway , but some people insist on meandering up the middle of the road.

I dont think its a bad thing to be at the kerb as the left side of the suspension gets much more wear on Irish roads where most pot holes and bumps are on the left , so the left gets a lot more wear than the right normally and this evens it out!

Any time I changed bushes on cars in the past the left was in a worse state than the right.

MorningStar · 21-03-2006 12:01PM

I think it is funny to see people speed in between the ramps and then sudennly slow down go over the ramp and the do it again to the next ramp and so on. Driving at a steady speed over the ramps will get you there as quick, cost less petrol, run less risk of damaging your car, etc...

People are idiots accept it. THey will do what feels good to them rather than what is the right thing.

rubadub · 21-03-2006 12:59PM

Slinky> wrote:

I dont think its a bad thing to be at the kerb as the left side of the suspension gets much more wear on Irish roads where most pot holes and bumps are on the left , so the left gets a lot more wear than the right normally and this evens it out!

Now that makes some sense. But I doubt that is why the majority are doing it.

Cake Fiend · 21-03-2006 01:11PM

It's quite simple - people are morons. I bet if you asked someone to their face why they do it, they probably wouldn't be able to give you a coherent answer.

egan007 · 21-03-2006 01:19PM

Taking a speed bump at a slight angle will reduce wear on your springs. Plus you will have a more comfortable ride across it. Independent suspension.

ZiabR · 21-03-2006 01:38PM

I always wondered this also, people seem to do this every evening after work etc. I think that going over the ramp near the kerb does more damage as its putting more pressure on one side of the car.

I just go over the kerb slowly.

bealbocht · 21-03-2006 01:47PM

I do it when I can see the ramps tapers off to nothing at the side of the road.
So what ever may be best for the car, it feels like less "bump" to me.

jor el · 21-03-2006 05:24PM

I always try to get both left and right side wheels on the speed bumps together, never one side only. I find it far more annoying when the car bounces on one side only. It is strange the way most people instinctively go to the edge of a speed bump like that though.

Manic Moran · 21-03-2006 11:19PM

I'm not convinced the suspension argument actually holds too much water, since instead of all the weight of the car being thrown up eight inches (or whatever), only the extreme right side of the car goes up the full eight inches, the rest of the car it pushed up less, with much greater torque. (Force by distance from fulcrum). Where the torque is less, i.e. near the curb, there is less to no movement at all.

Even if it isn't good for the suspension on the one side, I think I'd be worried if it stresses the limits of its capability. It certainly seems more comfortable to me, particularly if you're on the passenger side.

NTM

Mimikyu · 22-03-2006 12:05AM

This post has been deleted.

drdre · 22-03-2006 12:25AM

its just to feel better that you are not damaging the car alot.even though as people said ont he thread before that it does damage the car more.

Lump · 22-03-2006 05:25AM

Cause it's less of a bump, and can avoid you grinding the drive shaft/low body kits along it.

John

kc66 · 22-03-2006 05:34AM

Maybe its the same principle of a corkscrew hill. If you go diagonally up the hill its less steep than going straight up it.
There fore less of an impact on suspension when it hits the ramp.
Bit ridiculous to do this on a few inch speed ramp though.

robinph · 22-03-2006 10:04AM

Speed bumps? I'm not sure what your on about there.

Well being on two wheels there are some points in the road where I'd tend to keep to the left to avoid these big red piles of bricks that the council seem to have left lying in the middle of the road. I guess those must be what your talking about then?

Victor · 23-03-2006 01:00AM

japanpaul wrote:

I love the type of speed bump that is made up of 3 or fall baby speed bumps across the width of the road. It's like an obstacle course getting the car over it without hitting a bump. A bit childish I know

These are "speed cushions" and are designed such that the individual cushions will pass between the wheels of a bus, but that a car will be forced to mount at least one.

Why do people swerve in towards the kerb at speed bumps/ramps?

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