re: Who'd raise their hand?

Answer: My neighborhood association president... Seriously, there's a push to install speed bumps in our tiny (two streets and one dead end!) subdivision because a few people (probably non-residents/visitors) speed. I've tried to explain that human behavior is a bit more complicated than that, and to not be surprised if the very same people the speed bumps are put in to "slow down" just get more aggressive on the gas between every bump, which in our case means every 30 feet or less.

 

They should do rotarys in the middle of intersections so you have to go around it.

 

Hi,

I just hold the speed limit and get it over. If there is a gap with the curb, I'll put one wheel there but otherwise, maintain speed and keep going. IMHO, slowing down prolongs the agony.

Bob Wilson

 

I blew a tire in my ol' Corolla back in college doing that speed bump avoidance "tire near the gap by the curb" trick a little too quick and cavalierly (I was late for final exams). BOOM! Scared the entire track team out warming up on the nearby track, and nearly lost a hubcap (it went rolling off into a field).

My parents were not amused. For that matter, neither was I.

 

Seems I've commented about this before, but I've noticed in Boulder with it's abundance of bike lanes, that it breeds speeding and then speed bumps and traffic circles to slow down the traffic. With a wide bike lane instead of a narrow street with cars parked on either side, the car driver has the feeling of spaciousness that leads to higher speeds. I like and enjoy the bike lanes, but has resorted to using cruise control almost all the time in town, to keep in check or I'd surely find myself speeding.

I do fly over the speed bumps at full (legal) speed when I can, there are still many that slow to a crawl, killing my and everyone elses FE.

Reason has finally won over, and Boulder has stopped adding new speed bumps.

 

Pravus, I wish it was rhetorical but GeekGal's got it - someone somewhere is in love with them because they're everywhere. Large groups of someones who have so much time on their hands that they get up and go to a committee and complain until more show up. I see so many I actually wondered if anyone would agree with me. They've gotta have some fans out there or they wouldn't exist... .

My new opinion is that I'm in the majority, and whoever put those speed bumps out there needs to get a life ;o)

 

I'm going to fall into the other camp on this one. They don't bother me at all and I don't mind either way. My experience here in the sprawling Dallas area is that just about everyone (95% - unofficial survery) thinks that speed limits, and most other traffic restrictions like signaling lane changes, are suggestions and not the law. It doesn't matter what the limit is if a driver thinks he/she is above the law, special, or has a good excuse (millions of them). The odds of getting caught maybe zero to almost none but isn't integrity about doing the right thing even if you probably won't get noticed, much less get caught? Well, it is to me and that's what I do. No, I'm not perfect at it, but it really is easy to stay within/under the limit after a few weeks. I guess you just have to want to.

The reformed speeder (old geezer).

 

Aye, but behavior changes should be made for the right reasons and not because someone needs to slow down for a speed bump because their car/suspension can't take it at their normal cruising speed (above the limit). That's why they peeve me to no end (well, ok, obviously there's an end, but you get my drift! )

PS: San Antonio drivers are the same way, though I have family in DFW area and definitely think they get a gold (tarnished) star for being the worst of the two cities when it comes to drivers observing traffic laws and just ol' fashioned "common" courtesy lacking in drivers.

 

I hear you Geek Gal. I guess I have just "accepted" them.

 

There we go! Had to be someone out there. With the people that still speed up to the bump, stop hard then go again - do you feel like the speed bumps were of any use?