Chris516
Who here:
1. Has seen them
2. Has crashed as a result of them
3. Wants to do something about them
Christopher :mad:
1. Has seen them
2. Has crashed as a result of them
3. Wants to do something about them
Christopher :mad:
Rumble strips
The BikeForums Team
-adv-
This is an archived thread, you can find the full version of this thread, with images, links and more content here.
Ready to buy? Check out these two online bike stores:
- http://www.nashbar.com (you can find the latest bike nashbar coupons in this thread)
- http://www.performancebike.com (you can find the latest performance bike coupons in this thread)
Cya on the forums,
- The BikeForums Team
- http://www.bikeforums.net
Ready to buy? Check out these two online bike stores:
- http://www.nashbar.com (you can find the latest bike nashbar coupons in this thread)
- http://www.performancebike.com (you can find the latest performance bike coupons in this thread)
Cya on the forums,
- The BikeForums Team
- http://www.bikeforums.net
andygates
UK strips have a clear area near the gutter so cyclists can avoid them. Sometimes.
lt1aggie
are you talking about the intentional 'ruts' to the right of the roads to alert a driver when they are moving off course? if so...yes, there are a few roads around here that have them. they are easily avoided because the shoulder is wide enough. yes, my friend has crashed when accidently riding over them. i know more people that haven't crashed riding over them than have crashed. no, i would not like to see anything done about it.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/EESC/Design/policy/RumbleStripWeb/SRS_on_Shoulder.jpg
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/EESC/Design/policy/RumbleStripWeb/SRS_on_Shoulder.jpg
AndrewP
They should be on the edge of the road so sleepy drivers are woken up before they get onto the shoulder.
lt1aggie
They should be on the edge of the road so sleepy drivers are woken up before they get onto the shoulder.
i think it serves a good purpose, and it's a nice barrier between me and traffic.
i think it serves a good purpose, and it's a nice barrier between me and traffic.
DnvrFox
FYI - A 2001 national alert (FHWA Rumble Strip Action Alert!!):
http://bicyclecolo.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=172
This has been a hot topic in Colorado since 1999, and the bicycling community was effective in having the strips redesigned to be better suited to bicycling.
http://bicyclecolo.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=431
The Colorado Department of Transportation has tabulated the prevalence of shoulder rumble strips on Colorado highways. Colorado has about 16,000 miles of highway (not including Interstates.) Currently CDOT has rumble stripped around 1,800 of those miles (11.2 %.) Interstate highways have rumble strips installed on 1,400 of 1,900 miles (73.7%) and CDOT plans to finish installation on all non-urban Interstates in the next few years.
In 1999 Bicycle Colorado worked with CDOT to develop a rumble strip design standard which accommodates the needs of cyclists.* Now rumble strips may only be installed on shoulders with six feet minimum width. This allows at least four feet of shoulder for cyclists. They are also intermittent breaks in the stripping so that cyclists may safely change from the traffic lane or shoulder as needed.* The cuts are no deeper than 3/8 of an inch, five inches wide and eighteen inches across. This design maximizes sound and vibration in motor vehicles while minimizing dangers for cyclists.
http://bicyclecolo.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=172
This has been a hot topic in Colorado since 1999, and the bicycling community was effective in having the strips redesigned to be better suited to bicycling.
http://bicyclecolo.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=431
The Colorado Department of Transportation has tabulated the prevalence of shoulder rumble strips on Colorado highways. Colorado has about 16,000 miles of highway (not including Interstates.) Currently CDOT has rumble stripped around 1,800 of those miles (11.2 %.) Interstate highways have rumble strips installed on 1,400 of 1,900 miles (73.7%) and CDOT plans to finish installation on all non-urban Interstates in the next few years.
In 1999 Bicycle Colorado worked with CDOT to develop a rumble strip design standard which accommodates the needs of cyclists.* Now rumble strips may only be installed on shoulders with six feet minimum width. This allows at least four feet of shoulder for cyclists. They are also intermittent breaks in the stripping so that cyclists may safely change from the traffic lane or shoulder as needed.* The cuts are no deeper than 3/8 of an inch, five inches wide and eighteen inches across. This design maximizes sound and vibration in motor vehicles while minimizing dangers for cyclists.
DieselDan
Occsionally while approaing a stop sign on a ruaral road, there are runble strips across the entire lane of traffic to warn drivers of a stop sign. Those that rode "Crusin' in the Country" in Claxton, GA last weekend had to deal with these.
randya
They put a nice set of 'em down in a very high traffic bike path here, specifically to slow cyclists down, after they overlayed a new pedestrian path on the bike route and the peds started complaining about the fast moving cyclists...I take another route now to avoid them, and have been lobbying the low IQ genius that installed them to rethink his plan. If not, I'll have to start thinking about doing some 'midnight maintenance' on them...
lt1aggie
If not, I'll have to start thinking about doing some 'midnight maintenance' on them...
i like that...heh
i like that...heh
John E
Denver's response is spot-on, i.e., these things must be designed and installed in a bicycle-friendly fashion. For those of you who applaud barriers of this sort between bike lanes and the main travel lanes, what happens when you need to leave the bike lane to make a left turn, to avoid being right-hooked at an intersection, or to avoid an obstruction, such as a disabled car, in the bike lane?
DnvrFox
Denver's response is spot-on, i.e., these things must be designed and installed in a bicycle-friendly fashion. For those of you who applaud barriers of this sort between bike lanes and the main travel lanes, what happens when you need to leave the bike lane to make a left turn, to avoid being right-hooked at an intersection, or to avoid an obstruction, such as a disabled car, in the bike lane?
I was descending a hill with rumble strips at a moderate rate of speed (about 30 mph). The shoulder had a significant amount of debris, including large bolts, car parts, etc. I was overtaken by a bicyclist who wanted me to pull further to the right, so he could pass, which I would not do because of the debris.
The bicyclist overtaking me would not slow down, and, instead chose to cross the rumble strip to pass me in the auto lane. He very nearly totally wiped out because of the design of the rumble strip.
This was an organized ride (Ride the Rockies) where we were required to stay on the shoulder if possible, and this was before the rumble strips were redesigned for bicyclists.
It was a pretty scary moment, and, yes, the overtaking bicyclist was at fault, but it would have made no difference who was at fault, if he had wiped out.
Those RS can be dangerous things.
I was descending a hill with rumble strips at a moderate rate of speed (about 30 mph). The shoulder had a significant amount of debris, including large bolts, car parts, etc. I was overtaken by a bicyclist who wanted me to pull further to the right, so he could pass, which I would not do because of the debris.
The bicyclist overtaking me would not slow down, and, instead chose to cross the rumble strip to pass me in the auto lane. He very nearly totally wiped out because of the design of the rumble strip.
This was an organized ride (Ride the Rockies) where we were required to stay on the shoulder if possible, and this was before the rumble strips were redesigned for bicyclists.
It was a pretty scary moment, and, yes, the overtaking bicyclist was at fault, but it would have made no difference who was at fault, if he had wiped out.
Those RS can be dangerous things.
RegularGuy
The League of American Bicyclists is working on the problem of rumble strips.
http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/rumblestip.htm
Also go to www.bikeleague.org and enter "rumble strip" in their site search engine. Thre is a lot of information there.
In my county rumble strips are cut the breadth of the lane from center line to the end of the shoulder. It forces a cyclist into the left lane (and oncoming traffic) to avoid them.
Road shoulders also have rumble strips. Sometimes there is enough room for a bicycle to ride the shoulder and avoid the strips, sometimes not.
Since the Illinois Supreme Court made a bone-headed decision in the case of Boub v. Wayne, there are strong disincentives for local authorities to make any accomodation for bicyclists on the roads in Illinois. I'm not hopeful about Illinois doing anything about rumble strips.
If you don't know about the Boub case, a cyclist was injured in 1988 when he rode onto a bridge that was under construction, but unmarked, as it was safe for cars to cross. In reaction to this decision, local authorities removed bike route signage in some counties, and throughout the state any appearance of accomodation of bicyclists on the roads has been scrupulously avoided.
The League of Illinois Bicyclists has cataloged some of the effects of the Boub case here: http://www.bikelib.org/boubcase/disincentivelist03.htm
http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/rumblestip.htm
Also go to www.bikeleague.org and enter "rumble strip" in their site search engine. Thre is a lot of information there.
In my county rumble strips are cut the breadth of the lane from center line to the end of the shoulder. It forces a cyclist into the left lane (and oncoming traffic) to avoid them.
Road shoulders also have rumble strips. Sometimes there is enough room for a bicycle to ride the shoulder and avoid the strips, sometimes not.
Since the Illinois Supreme Court made a bone-headed decision in the case of Boub v. Wayne, there are strong disincentives for local authorities to make any accomodation for bicyclists on the roads in Illinois. I'm not hopeful about Illinois doing anything about rumble strips.
If you don't know about the Boub case, a cyclist was injured in 1988 when he rode onto a bridge that was under construction, but unmarked, as it was safe for cars to cross. In reaction to this decision, local authorities removed bike route signage in some counties, and throughout the state any appearance of accomodation of bicyclists on the roads has been scrupulously avoided.
The League of Illinois Bicyclists has cataloged some of the effects of the Boub case here: http://www.bikelib.org/boubcase/disincentivelist03.htm
lt1aggie
there are some here in college station that are smaller in width. i have ridden over those (not intentionally, but none the less) on my road bike without hands and did not come close to wiping out. the only strips i have come across are mostly on highways and roads that do not have many intersections. the rs stop well before the intersections, giving ample time/room to make an appropriate left turn, avoid a car, etc. as far as major road debris (such as huge objects that would likely cause an accident if run over), i have always had enough room to move around in the shoulder or avoid it somehow. one time, i had to move into the grass, but it was much better than hitting the object. to the cyclist that made a stupid move in trying to overtake you...he needs to learn how to operate his brakes. i will always gladly slow down than risk injury to myself/my bike.
Previous - Top - Next
Copyright 1999 - 2007 BikeForums.Net - All rights reserved.
Common bike forum topics in clue bicycles, cycling, mountain biking,
cycling jerseys, shorts, socks, shoes and bike equiptment selection.
Common bike forum topics in clue bicycles, cycling, mountain biking,
cycling jerseys, shorts, socks, shoes and bike equiptment selection.