Speed bumps

[elsie]

An article on illegal speed bumps in France which mentions opposition to the government plans to legalise them and, with municipal elections soon, of lobbying by those who can vote. This is the associated scientific paper mentioned in the article showing the effects of speed bumps on accidents passenger comfort and fuel consumption https://lesvoitures.fr/ralentisseurs-il ... tat-etude/

[Blaze]

Thank you, Elsie, for the interesting link !
The French see anything viewed as a control on their freedom to drive as they like as an infringement of their liberty. It would not occur to them to look at their own lack of consideration for the law or other road users, including pedestrians.

Speed bumps and chicanes have been installed because drivers refuse to obey the speed limits so there is a need to enforce them.
If some are not constructed to the normes required, who designs them ? I very much doubt it's the Maire though he probably signs blindly on the dotted line and will thus be in the firing line if things go wrong.

I'm not really convinced by the arguments of the PUMSD. Why should speed bumps mean higher fuel consumption and noise pollution ? Comfort for road users ? If drivers go too fast over a speed bump non-conforming or not, of course it will be uncomfortable. The passengers should be haranguing the driver, not the Mairie !

Rather than whingeing about noise pollution, fuel consumption, comfort, etc etc, it's time people looked at the way they drive : drive at or below the speed limit indicated and lift the foot off the accelerator. Accelerating hard is known to affect fuel efficiency and be more air polluting. Both are totally unnecessary and it's more than likely that it's this sort of aggressive driver than will top the list of complainants.

I will add that I towed our horse trailer for many years and drive an ambulance : In both instances, you have to drive smoothly and carefully, no sudden braking or acceleration. It's not difficult. Speed bumps, whether or not they conform, have never been a problem - they are well signed in advance and are most often in 30 or 50 kph limits.

[RobertArthur]

@ Blaze, I largely agree with you, but... I've been driving fairly slow diesels for years, so you get used to it. It almost becomes part of your driving behaviour DNA. But oh dear, every now and then there are those ralentiseurs that you almost have to crawl over, too high and too steep. And even then you still feel a hefty bump. Great for shock absorber manufacturers, good for the economy, but could we please have a little less of that?

TF1Info.

[exile]

I have to say that our drive down to the Rhone valley encounters 2 communes that have installed speed bumps and some of them strike me as being a bit savage but whether they are legal or not I would not know. Locally the mayor of the nearest town relies on the chicane which I do not object to when drivers obey the priority rules. Some don't.


On increased pollution and noise: well if you have to change down to negotiate the speed bumps, then the engine is doing the same number of revs (equals fuel consumption equals pollutants) for a slower speed. So more pollution per distance travelled. Also braking means more brake dust.
On noise I guess it is down to the braking and accelerating that adds to the noise. I am less convinced and especially as we collectively move to electric cars.

[Blaze]

some of them strike me as being a bit savage but whether they are legal or not I would not know.

There's one like that in the village near here, on the main road along the coast - it's positively vicious at speed and I'm 99% sure it's not legal ! But it's a 50 kph limit which many don't respect. You'd be surprised how much quieter it is when people drive more slowly - it's not engine noise, but road noise, which increases in volume with speed. Road noise doesn't change with an electric car ! When the wind's in the north, the sound really carries.

I think chicanes are preferable and probably less controversial but are not practical in this area which is an oyster/mussel producing area. Tractors with long trailers/amphibious vehicles go to their beds in one place and cart them back to the holding basins a few miles along the coast. Chicanes require gear change/braking as much as humps do.

I don't know what the answer is. If humps and chicanes were replaced by speed traps, there'd be an outcry and they'd soon be vandalised. Who pays for the repairs/replacement ??
There's a dangerous crossroads in the area with a speed trap in one direction. It's not a busy road except at commuting time but the speed trap has been vandalised twice. A petition has gone out requesting a roundabout or traffic lights because there have been several near misses. Until someone is killed, nothing will be done, and it's all down to speeding.

[curtis]

The noise pollution can be very bad. Anything with a trailer, large empty lorries etc

[Hotrodder]

It's a joke thinking that electric cars are going to solve any problems nor are speed bumps going to make much difference. A simple speed camera (aka money spinner) will do the trick without damage to tyres, suspension, or brake linings. Most of the highest speed humps around here are decorated with deep scrape marks left by low hanging exhaust pipes and silencers. This type of damage can be surprisingly expensive. Electric cars are often much heavier because of the weight of batteries loading the tyres just as much or more than IC cars and certain tyre tread designs are worse than others. A complex battle between the virtue signalling electric car owners and those who can't afford the costs involved. Both sides need to learn to stick with posted speed limits and those who set those limits need to pay attention to setting them appropriately with regard to local conditions.

In the news this morning was an article giving the manufacturers' perspective about EVs. Their sales figures have caused several factory closures because the sales of new EVs have been much lower than anticipated. Government pressure to limit the sales of IC cars in order to pressure the public to move to electric isn't working. Far too expensive for mere mortals and opening the doors for much cheaper Chinese models causing further pain for European manufacturers. How long will spares be available for Chinese imports, and how will dealers manage to keep their workshops equipped and staffed with up to date trained technicians?

[Blaze]

...... nor are speed bumps going to make much difference. A simple speed camera (aka money spinner) will do the trick without damage to tyres, suspension, or brake linings.

Judging by the number of radars damaged in Brittany (and elsewhere in France) every year, it's a costly exercise though I'm not sure who ends up footing the final bill.
Speed bumps seem to be effective because people are forced to slow down. No expensive admin costs, no chasing unpaid fines ... If people don't care about damaging their vehicles by refusing to slow down, it's their choice.

Flouting the law has always been a national sport here. How do you change the attitude of a me-first, I'll do what I want society ?
If people respected speed limits in towns and villages, there would be no need for any traffic calming measure.
Why are some vehicles equipped with speed limiters ? The answer's obvious ...