Kathyw Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 My Mum was taken to hospital today in an ambulance. Mum had to stay in the wheelchair as she could bear to be moved onto the ambulance bed. No room for me so I sat in front next to the driver. He went through red lights but drove slowly because they thought Mum could have broken her hip. I mentioned the bumps in the roads and the driver told me that they (the bumps) cost lives. He said that in London 2 peoples lives are saved each year by the bumps but 200 died because of the bumps. Each bump takes 20 seconds to get over so a street with five bumps adds a minute onto the ambulance journey x two because of the journey to the patient and another for the journey to the hospital – that is two minutes per street of five bumps. He said that in an emergency seconds are vital – let alone the minutes that are lost because of the bumps. Fire engines and police also have the same extra time. They do not save lives they cost lives and the way to get them removed is by contacting your local council. Also ambulances spend time in the workshop frequently because of the damage cause to the suspension constantly going over the bumps. Barnet council in London has removed all it’s bumps. Also road width restrictions slow down emergency vehicles as they do ordinary cars – but emergency vehicles need to get somewhere fast – it may save a life. It may keep the traffic in your street from going too fast but if you need the emergency services it could delay them for vital minutes. Something to think about. The transport committees of your local councils are the people who decide if and where to put bumps and width restrictions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) Where I used to live the speed bumps were set such that emergency vehicles could go round them, rather than bump over them. A non emergency vehicle going round them is an offence. Others were set so that the wider wheelbase of the emergency vehicle could straddle the speed bump. My Jaguar estate could straddle them. Edited July 28, 2009 by blackmagic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mags Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 Hope your Mum is ok Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purrpuss Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 I hope your Mum is doing ok, and her hip isn't broken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted July 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 Mum never broke anything - badly bruised and shaken. Shgoing back to the home was sick and was asleep almost instantly, very pale and frail looking. Mum is 89 on thursday so I am hopi ng that she will be well enough to enjoy her birthday. Thank you for your good wishes. In most London sidestreets there are small bumps that could be driven around if not for the cars parked either side of the street legally. But there are many 'ramps' that go the width of the road and raise up about 10" sloping up to level for about 8' and then sloping to the ground again. Local councils decide on whether or not to use bumps and if so where to put them and have the power to take them away. Width restricts are usually but not always placed because residents have asked for them - which is fine unless you live in that street and need one of the emergency services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9Fran Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 I live in a road with 'pinch points' where traffic going one way has to give way to approaching traffic. There is also a mini roundabout about 25 yds from our house. The number of times I've seen emergency vehicles having to slow down because other drivers don't pull over is unbelieveable - we are about half a mile from the fire and ambulance station......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greys mum Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 Hope that your mum has a speedy recovery Kath and she enjoys her birthday. Ipswich has more flipping speed bumps than anywhere else I know. Doesn't matter how slowly you go over them. I am always having to get the car re-aleigned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted July 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 I have emailed every one of my local councillors and my MP to protest the speed bumps. I am considering a petition locally as I know most drivers are against the ramps and bumps. Also the driver told me that the law requires that you do not 'impede an emergency vehicle'. he said that does not always mean you pull over as sometimes pulling over can impede them when they cannot pass you anyway. He said best to continue driving until emergency vehicle can pass you if you pull over. 20 seconds per bumps is 20 seconds to many. Doctor was called into Mum again yesterday as she had been sick twice the night before and four times yesterday morning - she looked very poorly and frail - I was a tad worried - nay - I was scared witless. She has been given tablets for the sickness and taken off the pain meds - no birthday celebration today as she is far too poorly. All she kept doing was apologising to everyone for causing bother by being sick and she has been in bed since getting back from the hospital and Mum never like to be in bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted August 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2009 Just got a reply from my MP. There are over 1900 speed bumps in Islington and many of them are illegal - they do not adhere to the Highways Agency's guidence that a speed bump should not be over 10cm. Anyway Mp is contacting Ambulance service for their take on this. I could have told her as they have replied to my email concerning the delays caused by speed bumps etc. Perhaps sense wil prevail -highly unlikely in Islington- and these bumps will be removed as they have been in Barnet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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