Traffic Calming. *Warning* Long winded Sunday Rant.

[Walloper]

This is how much the local council consider motorcycle riders.

There are a bunch of regulations for construction of these things but none on placement it seems. The ones here are all of minimum regulation height.

These traffic calming measures were installed along the 1ml access road to residential housing by a bunch of cowboys contracted to a group/collective of National builders in Hamilton, Scotland.
I complained to the council because the 1st lot were unsafe slippery polished monobloc at bends and junctions.
These were ripped up because they were not built correctly. (Wrong material. Not because of my complaint.)
The 2nd lot (built by pikies) are made of tarmac but still placed on all of the bends.
The council engineer I talked to cannot understand how these things seriously affect the stability of a bike when leaned slightly to negotiate a bend.
All bends are on an incline so braking is constant (wheel/engine) and all bumps need min 20mph or your flicked oot yer seat.
Tailgating is the norm by folk in cars & 4x4s. There are no signs or road markings either. (See attached RTA below.)

I only asked for some understanding on this but was 'ucked off twice.
And the government has a guideline for local authorities to accomodate 'all' road users (those on two wheels in particular).

Biking is under attack.
There are not many bikes in this area, or those who have do not bother to demand respect from town planners.
If people who want to ride their bike do not stand up and demand respect then none will be given.

I'm off to order my Ak-pov race-can and tiny No. plate......
Contempt vs Contempt.

"S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S
1999 No. 1026
HIGHWAYS, ENGLAND AND WALES
The Highways (Traffic Calming) Regulations 1999
Made - - - - 30th March 1999
Laid before Parliament 30th March 1999
Coming into force 28th April 1999
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, as respects England, and
the Secretary of State for Wales, as respects Wales, make these Regulations in exercise of powers
conferred by section 90H of the Highways Act 1980(a), and of all other powers enabling them in
that behalf–


Placing of Traffic Signs
8.—(1) Where a build-out, chicane, island, pinch-point, rumble device or any combination of
such works is constructed or maintained in a highway, the highway authority for that highway
shall place and maintain traffic signs in such positions as the authority may consider requisite for
the purpose of providing adequate warning of the presence of such traffic calming works, unless
those traffic calming works are so constructed as themselves to provide adequate visual warning
for persons using that highway.
(2) No traffic sign shall be required to warn of the presence of a traffic calming work on a
highway which is in a 20 miles per hour zone."

*Rant Over*
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[Paivi]

Borrow a bike the owner doesn't mind scratching (or one that has crash bungs), and offer to take the engineer round the area. When he falls off the bike he'll know what you're talking about.

In London, our traffic calming measures are huge speedbumps that sportscars have to take at speed, otherwise they'll get stuck on them. At least the council leaves gaps in them (for ambulances) that PTWs can get through. Pity the ambulances can't, as the gaps were incorrectly placed...

An unofficial traffic calming measure practiced here is placing huge metal manhole covers in corners.
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My other bike's a Monster...

[Walloper]

By the way, the BMF do not give a monkey's nor do IAM really care.
Motorcycle press? Who the Fk are they?

I would take the eng out for a run but his arse is probably to big to fit a bike.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[MarJay]

[Walloper]

[doggone]

Some on a road in Malton (N.Yorks) seem to be 'growing' out of the tarmac as the road around them is tending to subside.
They're covered in gouges where vehicles have caught them - must be doing damage.

[nick606]

why not go threw the middle or at the sides of them ? thats what i do with speed bumps around here, its very rare that i ever go over them due to oncoming cars etc

[Walloper]

[nick606]

i can see what you mean, with streets that busy

but even if there is a car coming the other way theres always a gap close to the pavement

[iooi]

Plenty of speeds bumps round here too, but only a idiot on a bike rides over them....
You go to either side of them. Seeing as its on a road to where we can only asume you live then you can hardly forget where they are when tailgating someone... Never a good idea on a housing estate anyway... Usually get plenty of time to plan which gap you are going to use.
But there should be a warning that there are speed bumps on the road.
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[veeeffarr]

They're there to stop you riding fast when there's parked cars at the side of the road, dumbarse. Ride in between them when there isn't any :/

T

[AsPHy]

Sadly round my area of Belfast, traffic calming comes in form of wide slabs of tarmac gutter->gutter, just under a metre wide, so there's no riding around them, unless you wish to mount the pavement. Luckily they've managed to plan them well so they're on long straights and are well visible, with painted arrows and good signposting. Still a nuisance to ride over at any speed, the bump isn't the most pleasant thing.
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"it has to start somewhere, it has to start sometime, what better place than here, what better time than now?"

[Walloper]

For the unenlightened.
1) The bumps are higher than the road surface this causes dirt shite and other detritus to gather in the lower road surface between the bumps.
ie at the sides.
2) Why should I change my line when negotiating a bend?

3) I know why we are faced with speed bumps.

My problem is the positioning of these in particular. They are wrong.

Who said dumbarse? I hope you do not mean me?
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[iooi]

[dicko]

Having advised the council of the dangers of these speed bumps I would get a second hand heap of a bike. Crash it on the corner (As long as you dont mind losing the bike) And sue the council for as much as i could take them for !!

Only until something like this happens do councils take notice.
We had the same problem up here in Edinburgh where the speed bumps were almost invisible at night and some poor twat went arse over tit. Council painted the speed bumps pretty damn quick after having to pay out.
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Honestly officer I didnt do it !!!
Current Bike CBR900RR2 FIREBLADE

[iooi]

[Tarmacsurfer]

You'll have to do some research, but I'm nigh on certain that speedbumps with no markings are technically in breach of a number of directives. One of the lads I used to work with had an off in Leeds on freshly installed humps, similar to what you've got there. He ended up getting a substancial sum from the local council, I believe the humps were removed and resited as well. Good luck with the campaign, those aren't quite as bad as the brick ones but the lack of road markings may well cause a serious RTA.

[Walloper]