ramps and idiots

queldy

Can anyone explain to me the reason of these kind of "half ramps"?
They are supposed to slow vehicles down, aren't they? (I don't know how to call them, I mean these ramps that do not take the whole carriageway, but they are split in many part allowing the wheels of the vehicle not to take the ramp in fact...)
To me, it seems that vehicles do not slow down at all, they take the center of the road to avoid the half ramp, if they have space; obviously, majority of drivers think that if there is a bike coming in the opposite direction, they have space enough to take the center of the road.
I am pretty much bored of the behaviour of drivers (all of us), but in this case it is a matter of infrastructure. These half ramps are there for a reason, if we people were intelligent enough, that would work properly - but people seem here only to try in any way to avoid the ramps not caring of putting in danger any other vehicle or bike or pedestrian coming in the other direction. Doesn't matter if normal driver, taxi driver, garda driver, bus driver.
I have to use a section of road with half ramps every day, and every day no matter what every day there is a driver taking the center of the road and putting me in risk.
I know it will happen, so I am careful enough, but
- what if one of my friend one day will happen to have a bad accindent there?
- what if something will happen to me because of this even though I am very careful when I am there?
- and even more important, and this is really really bothering me: why people do not respect other people lives? why a car, coming close to the ramps, eye-contacting me, still do not give a s(c)it and takes the center of the road risking my life only because I am on a bike?

Can any of you please explain to me why these ramps are allowed and if this government (or whoever is responsible for the quality of the roads in Ireland) really thinks drivers are intelligent enough to slow down instead of taking the center?
99% of people, when approaching these kinda ramps, sees "I'll avoid it, I take the center, the cyclist coming in the opposite have space enough" instead of "ramps are here to invite me slow down, maybe children are around, maybe there is a reason to slow down, maybe maybe... who cares, I'll just slow down" - why? Any of you still has any hope in people?

An example of this:
https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3394705,-6.3093797,3a,75y,257.19h,77.3t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1saFVa19T5ZBgmlY7d7j2flg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

consider you arriving at these ramps and a car coming in the opposite direction at speed.
To me, it happens 99 times over 100 that they do not care and they take the center putting me at risk. No matter if I try to show myself more, if I take the center myself, if I have high visibility vest, if I have light. No matter what.
And the worst is: so frustrated in thinking I could report this to garda or whoever, they would probably laugh at me.

cheers everyone,

Kaisr Sose

They are called Bus Cushions as far as I know. Designed to allow busses an easier passage but full bumps are also on roads that busses use so I don't know why they even bother with these. They are abused by other drivers that don't get why the bumps are there in the 1st place (to slow down) and probably would not care if they did understand their purpose!

Mooooo

are you going against the traffic or with it? It's there more than one lane in same direction? Are you going around the ramp as well? Just wondering as anytime I have gone over them there was no need to cross to the other side of the road, is there not a half ramp in both directions?

Edit to add link came up on my slow internet there, you'd think parking on path wouldn't be allowed beside ramps and also the ones I was thinking of would be one in each lane.

HivemindXX

I've heard them called speed cushions, but I agree the purpose is supposed to be to slow traffic while allowing busses to go over them without the bump a full width ramp would give. I also agree they fail in to slow down traffic in a lot of cases, people just go full speed down the centre of the road.

Mooooo wrote: »

are you going against the traffic or with it? It's there more than one lane in same direction? Are you going around the ramp as well? Just wondering as anytime I have gone over them there was no need to cross to the other side of the road, is there not a half ramp in both directions?

In my area, and in the map the op linked, there is one on each side of the road and one in the centre. Parked cars frequently mean there is not enough space to stay off the cushion and keep to your own side of the road so a lot of motorists choose to go right down the centre instead of keeping to the left and go over the bumps. When two cars face off each one will pull in to their own side and pass, when facing an oncoming cyclist a lot of motorists will just keep going, forcing the cyclist in to the gutter or giving them whatever you call a full frontal close pass.

Now that I know to expect it I'm not so perturbed but the first time I was faced with a car all the way over the line who was clearly not going to slow down or, god forbid, get back on their own side, I was pretty freaked out.

The reasonable thing to do would be to do a survey and see if these pillows actually slow cars at all (if they do it is not by much in my opinion) and if they actually encourage bad behaviour (very much so in my opinion).

Lumen

On the upside, the ambulance won't have to slow down to get to your accident.

I love Sean nos

Full ramps only work on people who care about their cars. These cushions only work if people care about their driving.

I take it you don't have a camera fitted?

De Bhál

loads of them around where I live. i would say no-one uses them as they are designed for with everyone moving to the center to avoid the bump. They're pointless really and all they do is make the roads a little more dangerous.

queldy

Mooooo wrote: »

are you going against the traffic or with it? It's there more than one lane in same direction? Are you going around the ramp as well? Just wondering as anytime I have gone over them there was no need to cross to the other side of the road, is there not a half ramp in both directions?

Edit to add link came up on my slow internet there, you'd think parking on path wouldn't be allowed beside ramps and also the ones I was thinking of would be one in each lane.

I am on my line, two lines on the road - doesn't matter if I go around the ramp or I take the ramp, I usually have to squeeze on the parked car (on the left, not to forget the "killer door opening") to avoid the car in the opposite direction going around the ramp and not caring of me approaching.

I love Sean nos wrote: »

Full ramps only work on people who care about their cars. These cushions only work if people care about their driving.

I take it you don't have a camera fitted?

No, I do not have a camera fitted - but, unless I had a frontal crash with a car, it would be very difficult to convince a garda on how dangerous is this behaviour.

Pinch Flat

We had a big problem with boy racers and speeding in our area up to a few years ago. Speeding to the extent that there was one stretch of road where it wasn't unusual to see the odd car buried in a wall, especially over tweekends.

When I heard speed ramps were going in I was delighted, but other neighbours had different ideas. A few submissions were made to the council and speed cushions were fitted as a compromise - they're not as severe as a ramp, but from what I can see they have little impact on slowing down traffic. The ones OP describes is meant to be a compromise that allows ambulances / fore tenders / buses to pass without adversely impacting them. I agree that having cars coming on the opposite side of the road is a common occurrences where these are fitted.

De Bhál

Pinch Flat wrote: »

We had a big problem with boy racers and speeding in our area up to a few years ago. Speeding to the extent that there was one stretch of road where it wasn't unusual to see the odd car buried in a wall, especially over tweekends.

When I heard speed ramps were going in I was delighted, but other neighbours had different ideas. A few submissions were made to the council and speed cushions were fitted as a compromise - they're not as severe as a ramp, but from what I can see they have little impact on slowing down traffic. The ones OP describes is meant to be a compromise that allows ambulances / fore tenders / buses to pass without adversely impacting them. I agree that having cars coming on the opposite side of the road is a common occurrences where these are fitted.

what I find do work and are relatively comfortable to drive and cycle over are the longer lower ramps, seen here https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3774262,-6.2760633,3a,75y,121.04h,52.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0gVLVlnZuK1T0v1x79CcDw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

you could take them at speed if necessary but uncomfortably, so you'll slow down to 25-27km/h to cross them.

loyatemu

they have them on one of the roads near me, and I'd say about 20% of cars drive down the middle of the road to avoid them. If they're encouraging bad driving then they're not fit for purpose. Full width ramps aren't great either though as drivers just put the foot down in between them.

In France, in 30 zones, they often take the approach of narrowing the road and putting in chicanes, which does slow down traffic but can be awkward for cyclists.

cdaly_

loyatemu wrote: »

In France, in 30 zones, they often take the approach of narrowing the road and putting in chicanes, which does slow down traffic but can be awkward for cyclists.

There's often a bypass lane for bikes included in the chicanes.

ED E

cdaly_ wrote: »

There's often a bypass lane for bikes included in the chicanes.

We have them in our estate. Always a car parked on them or directly either side so as to make them unusable. Drivers are totally oblivious to the impact.

CramCycle

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

They are called Bus Cushions as far as I know. Designed to allow busses an easier passage but full bumps are also on roads that busses use so I don't know why they even bother with these. They are abused by other drivers that don't get why the bumps are there in the 1st place (to slow down) and probably would not care if they did understand their purpose!

They understand, they simply do not care or comprehend the reasoning behind their purpose ie they can take the road at 60kmph+ so why do they need these, rather than, they have clearly put these in to remind me that going at such speeds is not reasonable behaviour.

Pinch Flat wrote: »

We had a big problem with boy racers and speeding in our area up to a few years ago. Speeding to the extent that there was one stretch of road where it wasn't unusual to see the odd car buried in a wall, especially over tweekends.

When I heard speed ramps were going in I was delighted, but other neighbours had different ideas. A few submissions were made to the council and speed cushions were fitted as a compromise - they're not as severe as a ramp, but from what I can see they have little impact on slowing down traffic. The ones OP describes is meant to be a compromise that allows ambulances / fore tenders / buses to pass without adversely impacting them. I agree that having cars coming on the opposite side of the road is a common occurrences where these are fitted.

They just placate people who want something done but so long as there is something they are happy. They have no real effect in low traffic areas or at low traffic times.

De Bh103975283 wrote:

what I find do work and are relatively comfortable to drive and cycle over are the longer lower ramps, seen here https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3774262,-6.2760633,3a,75y,121.04h,52.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0gVLVlnZuK1T0v1x79CcDw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

you could take them at speed if necessary but uncomfortably, so you'll slow down to 25-27km/h to cross them.

Which is what should be done is a compromise has to be made. My old workplace increased the heights of the speed bumps by a few cm, slowed traffic down from 40kmph to sub 20kmph almost instantly.

cdaly_ wrote: »

There's often a bypass lane for bikes included in the chicanes.

Not always great though, there is one on the hill beside Deer Park and it seems to invite dangerous pulling in or dangerous undertaking. Not a fault of the design but it takes riders out of view, with drivers trying to beat the approaching traffic. I never have any issues with it but I always presume cars cannot seem me and adjust accordingly, even when there is no way in hell that they could have missed me. Other riders may presume that since they were in front when they took the bypass that the car going around the chicane would expect them there, which is reasonable but alas a jump in some cases.

loyatemu

also, describing them as "bus cushions" implies that buses can do whatever speed they like. A bus travelling at 60km/h is a hell of a lot more dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists than a car at the same speed.

Kaisr Sose

Pinch Flat wrote: »

We had a big problem with boy racers and speeding in our area up to a few years ago. Speeding to the extent that there was one stretch of road where it wasn't unusual to see the odd car buried in a wall, especially over tweekends.

When I heard speed ramps were going in I was delighted, but other neighbours had different ideas. A few submissions were made to the council and speed cushions were fitted as a compromise - they're not as severe as a ramp, but from what I can see they have little impact on slowing down traffic. The ones OP describes is meant to be a compromise that allows ambulances / fore tenders / buses to pass without adversely impacting them. I agree that having cars coming on the opposite side of the road is a common occurrences where these are fitted.

Generally Nus cushions are useless infastructure. Higher would be better and with the flexible /springy poles in the centre before and after to prevent vehicles crossing over to avoid them.

Some of those poles on dangerous bends would also deter those that think cutting over the continuous white line is acceptable. ( it happened me twice yesterday, on both occasions it was the 44 bus on the bends coming up out of Enniskerry)

They have these or barriers in the middle on the continent so why not here? Having a rule that says you can't cross them is not as effective as preventing the dangerous cross-over the line. They would also slow a lot of traffic on these bends ....progressive behaviour adjustment though infastructure

el tel

CramCycle wrote: »

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

They are called Bus Cushions as far as I know. Designed to allow busses an easier passage but full bumps are also on roads that busses use so I don't know why they even bother with these. They are abused by other drivers that don't get why the bumps are there in the 1st place (to slow down) and probably would not care if they did understand their purpose!

They understand, they simply do not care or comprehend the reasoning behind their purpose ie they can take the road at 60kmph+ so why do they need these, rather than, they have clearly put these in to remind me that going at such speeds is not reasonable behaviour.

Pinch Flat wrote: »

We had a big problem with boy racers and speeding in our area up to a few years ago. Speeding to the extent that there was one stretch of road where it wasn't unusual to see the odd car buried in a wall, especially over tweekends.

When I heard speed ramps were going in I was delighted, but other neighbours had different ideas. A few submissions were made to the council and speed cushions were fitted as a compromise - they're not as severe as a ramp, but from what I can see they have little impact on slowing down traffic. The ones OP describes is meant to be a compromise that allows ambulances / fore tenders / buses to pass without adversely impacting them. I agree that having cars coming on the opposite side of the road is a common occurrences where these are fitted.

They just placate people who want something done but so long as there is something they are happy. They have no real effect in low traffic areas or at low traffic times.

De Bh103975283 wrote:

what I find do work and are relatively comfortable to drive and cycle over are the longer lower ramps, seen here https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3774262,-6.2760633,3a,75y,121.04h,52.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0gVLVlnZuK1T0v1x79CcDw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

you could take them at speed if necessary but uncomfortably, so you'll slow down to 25-27km/h to cross them.

Which is what should be done is a compromise has to be made. My old workplace increased the heights of the speed bumps by a few cm, slowed traffic down from 40kmph to sub 20kmph almost instantly.

I think there is a legal maximum height for traffic calming "ramps",  and other specified maximum dimensions e.g. the height of any vertical surface etc. I'm pretty sure that 'round where I live none of the ramps are within the legal limits.

CramCycle

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Some of those poles on dangerous bends would also deter those that think cutting over the continuous white line is acceptable. ( it happened me twice yesterday, on both occasions it was the 44 bus on the bends coming up out of Enniskerry)

That bus, an ex student of mine was on it one day and sent me an e-mail. He seen the bus run onto a roundabout with me already going around. I slammed on and went up on my front wheel. So all my student seen was the bus driver nearly kill me and then an image of what I would look like if I sh1t my pants on a bike. Driver actually gave out to me before he drove off (he stopped with the shout).

Budawanny

An outdated concept dating back to the 1960s when the bus wheel base was actually wider than most cars.
a bus go could over without hindrance and a car could not. this has not been true for decades since however.
Terrible infrastructure that encourages swerving across the road and cutting cyclists off.
I really am surprised that the Dublin Cycling campaign and or Irish Cycling haven't been more vocal about this one.
I have tried to bring it up a few times without success so far.
The amount of times ive had close calls with cars swerving to left around a speed cushion is ridiculous.

Stephen15

As a bus I think speed bumps are a real pain to comfort of bus passengers and also dangerous as someone walking through the bus or down the stairs could fall when the bus goes over a speed bump.. The worst example I can think of is the 14 and 75 on Broadford Avenue in Ballinteer although most drivers don't bother to slow for them I'd say it does damage to buses aswell. I think DB should really say to the residents its the ramps or the bus one has got to go.