Hypermiling vs speed bumps - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Piwoslaw · 07-29-2010, 04:28 PM

How do I negotiate speed bumps efficiently?

I know - take a route without them.

But what if I don't have an alternative? My neighborhood street has about 6 bumps over 300 meters, some of them quite big. Until now I would pulse, coast, engine brake, roll over the bump, pulse, coast, etc. Sometimes (if there is noone behind me) I pulse to a lower speed and then don't engine brake before the bump. When I can, I go closer to the edge which is lower.

Am I doing it right? Any better ideas?

C3H8 · 07-29-2010, 07:24 PM

speed bumps? what speed bumps? i ignore them, and replace my shocks and get an alignment every 2-3 years.
i hate doing that to the car but i will not let a sleeping policeman tell me how fast to go.

euromodder · 07-29-2010, 07:41 PM

They're a pain.
They wreck your shock-absorbers - meaning your car becomes less safe far more quickly, anywhere else on the road.
They wreck your FE bij forcing a slow down even when its not needed.
They cause more fine dust (from braking , then accelerating again).
They cause excessive noise for the neighbours (suspension, braking, accelerating again)
Hence, they lead to far more pollution than necessary.

I expect we'll see the start of their removal within 5 to 10 years, when the minds of those in charge have finally changed ...

user removed · 07-29-2010, 08:12 PM

I just drive around them on my bike

.

regards
Mech

RobertSmalls · 07-29-2010, 08:30 PM

Fortunately, speed bumps are very rare outside of parking lots on this side of the Atlantic. I try to hit them at the end of a glide, but I won't brake for them. They're no worse than potholes, which I take at speed as well.

If you drive fast enough, your sprung mass hardly has time to react and you barely feel the bumps. I can't imagine that 40lbs of unsprung mass flapping around puts much wear on the suspension.

Can you rent a heavy plow truck? BUMP - BUMP - BUMP - no more problems for Svietlana.

comptiger5000 · 07-29-2010, 11:15 PM

Heh, speedbumps at more than 30 in the Jeep can be interesting. You get slammed pretty hard, as being solid axle, it has a lot of unsprung weight. I slow down a bit, to around 20 - 30 mph, depending on the height and length of the bump. I know the suspension can take it, as it's usually pretty smooth if I judge it correctly, and it's a Jeep. However, the obnoxiously sharp (tallish, very short length) bumps in parking lots are usually a crawling affair, as they're too harsh to cross quickly.

I know a guy with a beat up 97 Saturn SL1 who just says "screw it" and takes them at 40+. I've seen him catch air that way

, but at least he's not wasting gas (even though that's not his intent).

gone-ot · 07-30-2010, 12:00 AM

...where I work, they installed three (3) sets of them (!!!) at all of our entrance/exit gates at different spacings.

...they call them "traffic calming devices"...however, I definitely do NOT feel one-iota CALMER whenever I drive over them.

busypaws · 07-30-2010, 01:37 AM

Take them at an angle and you can take them faster. Get left front over the hump before the right front starts up and things work out better. Doesn't work on the ones that are "wide". But the ones that are just a foot or so wide a approach angle will really make a difference. (For bikes approach at 90 angle. But car/truck approach at something less)

Thymeclock · 07-30-2010, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

How do I negotiate speed bumps efficiently?

I know - take a route without them.

But what if I don't have an alternative? My neighborhood street has about 6 bumps over 300 meters, some of them quite big. Until now I would pulse, coast, engine brake, roll over the bump, pulse, coast, etc. Sometimes (if there is noone behind me) I pulse to a lower speed and then don't engine brake before the bump. When I can, I go closer to the edge which is lower.

Am I doing it right? Any better ideas?

Political forces implemented them and political forces can take them away.

But this is like trying to get laws repealed. It's similar to writing something in stone (or graffiti?). Once it is done, it's much harder to get it undone.

Remember, it was probably your neighbors who thought it would be a good idea, petitioned for it and had it enacted - to reduce or eliminate the flow of traffic on "their" street.

Go petition your local legislators against the collective will of your neighbors. Good luck!

bestclimb · 07-30-2010, 03:28 AM

Husqvarna Construction Products Husqvarna PG 3514

rent one of the like and execute a midnight op. Or do it during the day. Wear a vest and have a friend with a stop/slow sign. If you look official you should not receive any trouble.

Note: This suggestion is likely illegal and is made only for entertainment purposes.