Are metal/steel speed bumps legal on our roads?

[Snails]

Two new sets of these just cropped up on a nearby public road, presumably installed by the adjacent private company looking to slow down traffic around their premises. They're an absolute nightmare to cycle over, and when they're installed on a fast descent or in wet weather, they are incredibly hazardous.

 

What is the story behind them and why they seem to exist in this country and nowhere else, has anyone else had issues with them, and most importantly, does the law state anything about them?

 

I don't have a photo of the particular ones I'm referring to, but here's an example of what they look like:

 

http://www.saspeedbumps.co.za/wp-content/gallery/metal-speed-bumps/Galv%20Speed-Bump%20CG.jpg

Edited January 30, 2014 by Snails

[braailegend]

We've had them down here in the cape...

[Cuppa Bru]

Only seen them in parking lots and some petrol stations.

Agreed. They suck donkey dong.

[I.OWN.U]

Came short on those..... no a fan at all

[Meentb]

Any speed bump for me is a menace and a irritation. Those in question are plain k@k.

[Velloen bike]

The ones kzn has got plastic cotings which ripped my tyre.

[MrJacques]

We have these at a few places and they are just as bad. Shakes the whole car. Suspension surely won't last very long driving over these often and must be a danger to those on bikes and scooters.

 

http://www.rubberspeedbumps.co.za/images/Gallery/S4010025.JPG

[DoubleDee]

It is easy to avoid, just bunnyhop over them!

[BarHugger]

Head-on approach always problematic, but go at them with an approx 45deg approach you can miss them completely. Look at the last three sets of bumps in OP's photo. See the gap? Straight line between bumps. Have tried it with the car also and sometimes can go through them without a disturbance. Alternatively stay as far left as possible, near to the curb.

[Capricorn]

errm, car suspensions are very robust. You can go over those things a million times and it will do nothing to your car. The point is to SLOW DOWN.personal inconviences posing a basis for mechanical damage aside, they work.

 

For bikes however, the slippery aspect could be of concern. However, a rational person will not approach this problem head on, but rather consider the best option to negotiate this little inconvenience, one approach of which, is simply to get off and walk over it. But like those red robot heroes and their blasted stravassholeness/'flow bs', stopping might be a bit hard to stomach.

[nuge]

odd to hear about these being installed on a public road - the only ones I'm aware of down here are in the waterfront which is private property. Typically civils contractors go for the asphalt bumps on public roads.

[Butterbean]

You may want to check with the local council... We had speed bumps installed on our very steep often sped down roads. Coucil was unwilling unless we ponied up half the cash, and they only installed big asphalt bumps.

 

They could be illegal, or council approved but privately installed.

 

Check it out if they're really a bug annoyance. Although I agree with above. Either slow down to a crawl and avoid completely but riding through at an angle, or get off and walk.

 

They're just inverted potholes after all..

[Butterbean]

Ha! Reminds me of when ours were first installed... They couldn't be painted for a week to let water they used react properly... We would frequently hear cars hitting them at massive speed! And then a youngster on a scooter sped down and launched off it, came off nicely! Even made the local paper... This despite the road signs put in place warning of them. Typical for our driving standards really...

[2wheelsgood]

Two sets of these appeared on St Patrick's rd in Houghton at the end of last year. Nasty surprise if you're coming down that hill and don't know better.

Sure you can slip through if you get the angle right, but get the angle a bit wrong... and if you're lucky it'll just be a hard jostle in the saddle.

Absolutely hated those things when I rode a motorcycle, do not like them much better as a cyclist!

[Grebel]

They have those installed at King Skaka Intl Airport. If you slow down too much, they are uncomfortable to negotiate in a car. I find it better to "hit" them with a little bit more speed than you would think. As Cap said vehicle suspensions are designed for this stuff...

 

On a bicycle however.... let's just say I am glad I don't own a roadbike anymore....

[ibruegge]

yeah, they suck - both in the car and by bike. Have perfected the diagonal approach though, which works on 90% of the times (by bike). Car suspension surely don`t have an issue - that's what they are made for. At the end of the day I rather see cars slow down in front of a dangerous area or school, so bring them on is what I say. Am in a street in Gardens Cape Town, two schools within 100 metres, no speed bumps, kids everywhere and cars speeding by at 90 kms. I wish we'd have more effective speed bumps.