Traffic calming- discuss

I've been against the traffic calming islands in the middle of roads, speed
bumps and sticky our bits of kerb for lots of reasons. One of which was the
possible delay to emergency vehicles. I nearly saw it delaying an emergency
vehicle once but fortunately the traffic could pull onto the pavement to let
it past. Today's scenario however might just have cost lives.
There a two lane road, the traffic going north is stopped at the red lights
of roadworks for about 300 yards. The traffic going south has just come
through the roadworks light, but since it has just changed from red there is
a tailback of at least 300 yards. The front of the south bound traffic is
also held up at a roundabout. A fire engine closely followed by an ambulance
comes round the roundabout heading north. It can't go anywhere, the two lane
road has no room in the middle because they built traffic calming islands
there. The north bound traffic has nowhere to draw over because of the
roadworks, the south bound traffic do manage to draw onto the pavement but
it's still not enough room for a fire engine to get through because of the
narrowness of the bits with the islands.
I reckon it took those emergency vehicles 3 to 4 minutes to travel 300 yards
through no fault of any driver but solely because of traffic calming
islands. Three or four minutes could have cost a life.
I can't be the only one who foresaw this when they started building all
these traffic calming measures so why did the powers that be not see it ?

John #8...

__________________________

Hi Sandra: Your a smart girl: We have the same problem over here.

John D....

I do hope, Sandra that you write to your local Councillor and tell him what
you have told us. And I hope you insist on knowing what he is going to do
about it.
We have these 'Traffic calming humps' in Guiseley but we don't need them,
the potholes do the same job!
John D.

I have nothing to add. You are right on the money, kiddo.

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°6 +...

The one thing I have to say in their favour is, they make drivers pay more
attention and stay alert - well they do for me anyway. :)

Rabbit...

Emm s'cuse me but it shouldn't require traffic calming island/bumps to keep
any driver alert or paying attention and going by the number in this area
with smashed bollards on them it obviously doesn't jbex for everybody.

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°6 +...

Maybe it shouldn't but it does, especially for drivers who are travelling,
what is to them, their normal 10 times a week boring journey. How many

Rabbit...

And those could be the ones responsible for the smashed bollards on the
islands.

times have you made a journey and not remembered every little detail of that
journey? Almost every one I would guess.

Rabbit...

Isn't that why you are most likely to be involved in an accident within 10
miles of your home ? You think you know the area so well you don't expect

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°6 +...

Precisely - so anything that helps your concentration should be welcomed
shouldn't ut?

Rabbit...

But since most ( all ?) traffic calming methods, especially speed bumps,
just annoy a driver when he/she fears for their suspension or even in some
case the underside you end up with rattled drivers and rattled drivers make

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°6 +...

If they are really concerned for the welfare of their car suspension, then
they will slow down and take more care. In which case the objective will

Rabbit...

But so will the ambulance carrying a spinal/head injury patients have to
slow down and those lost moments could matter

Ali...

Did you read about the new ambulances with stretcher lifts that kept
grounding on the speed bumps? They had to be withdrawn from service.

BunnyHare...

And it's not just the slowing down. Here the bumps go right across the
road and on the one occasion that I travelled in an ambulance

Ali...

...

Rabbit...

Ah yes when ( as you might have read somewhere in this thread) they were
putting traffic calming measures in the road at right angles to mine there
was a bit of controversy and that where I learned there were speed bumps,
which go all the way across the road and speed pillows which are smaller and
usually come in pairs. It was also the time I learned there was a job called

Ali...

There are also 'table tops' which go right across *two* roads
simultaneously, which is what is on my street; and 'rumble strips' - several
narrow, slightly raised, strips right across the road, placed at carefully
calculated intervals which cause the vehicle suspension to vibrate at low
frequency (rumble), when driven over at anything but a crawl.

* speed bump designer* though I can't think of anybody seeing the school
careers officer ( if they are still called that) and saying * I want to be a
speed bump designer* I also wonder what qualifications are required, do you
need a uni degree ( probably nowadays :-) ), do you progress from speed
pillow designer to speed bump designer ??? I opens up a lot of questions
:-)

(accompanying a passenger) I had a sore back from the jolting around so
can't imagine what it must be like for people with spinal/head injuries.
The driver did his best slowing down for the humps but its impossible to
avoid a certain amount of jolting around

have been achieved.

mistakes.

the unexpected.

andon...

Robot traffic islands that self re-locate at random times?

pmj...

LOL!
That's a bit like those Black & White Striped Bollards (with the
Flashing Lights on top) that they used to have in London!!!

I always thought that they always looked like miniature Daleks!
& they looked like they would move around at any moment!
:-)