Rumble Strip Rumble

[torquer]

This was in the "New York" section of today's Times:

A Safety Move That Cyclists Call a Menace
By PETER APPLEBOME
Published: June 7, 2009
YORKTOWN, N.Y.
There are things on this earth that seem destined not to easily coexist — cats and dogs, vegans and cattle ranchers, humans and raccoons, bicycles and cars.
So maybe there’s something almost inevitable about the lawsuit filed by the Westchester Cycle Club against the New York State Department of Transportation. Still, in contemplation of a suburban experience not totally based on the car, consider Westchester’s rumble strip rumble.

Full article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/08/nyregion/08towns.html?_r=1

I had received an email from an area cyclist about this some time ago, but since I don't usually ride in that area hadn't given it much thought. Anybody else have a local situation where the highway department made things less safe while "solving" a problem that was marginal at best?

[Tobias]

IMO they are a good idea when the shoulder is wide enough to allow us to ride on the right of the strip. However, when the shoulder is narrow (less than 3 feet or so) the rumble strips force us onto the highway which is far more dangerous. Not one answer I think.

[David Kirk]

A few of our major, most popular riding roads had rumble strips cut into them in the past few years. This means you ride to the right of the strip and get a flat in the junk or you ride to the left if the rumble and risk getting hit by the mirror of an F350.

It seems as far as cyclist are concerned it means that the driver will look up from messing with the radio while on the phone and steering with their knees so they can see the cyclist they are about to run over.

dave

[fiamme red]

IMO they are a good idea when the shoulder is wide enough to allow us to ride on the right of the strip.What if there is a car or boat on the shoulder that forces you into the road? That was the case when I rode on Route 100 South a few weeks ago. I had to slow down and squeeze through the narrow gap between the strips.

It's easy for me to see the serious hazard to cyclists, and I hope that they are removed.

[yarg]

I work for NYSDOT and supervise construction contracts and have never heard of milling in rumble strips on other than Inter state highways. Very bad idea for a road that does not have at least an 8 foot shoulder.

[torquer]

I work for NYSDOT and supervise construction contracts and have never heard of milling in rumble strips on other than Inter state highways. Very bad idea for a road that does not have at least an 8 foot shoulder.
My only first-hand experience on the bike with the rumble strips is Rte. 117 in Sleepy Hollow, definitely not an Interstate, but (reputedly) built to Interstate standards since it bisects Rockefeller family property and was upgraded during Rocky's governorship. Coincidence? :rolleyes:

It certainly doesn't carry Interstate levels of traffic, so the strips have never bothered me much. There is a pretty wide shoulder, but it is full of stuff I'd rather not ride through, and the shoulders do disappear at the overpasses, so I just stay close to the right-hand painted lines. But I can see how less-experienced riders could be intimidated.

[Kevan]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28071061@N02/sets/72157607766466541/

The club held a protest over the installation of this rumble strip. If your community is considering a similar "safety" precaution, I'd warn you against doing this.

This 5+ mile stretch of road follows along a beautiful reservoir here in Westchester. Except for some intermittent breaks, this strip follows this roadway the whole span, in both directions. This road was a gem, a pleasure to ride, with its wide shoulder and flawless surface. Now, the strip goes along and offers nothing but trouble. The pavement has begun to deteriorate cracking and pieces of it crumbling apart. The portion given to the cyclist doesn't get swept clean, littered with road debris and cars commonly park along the shoulder forcing the cyclist to ride over the strip to get around. The club isn’t alone, there's another lawsuit pending where one cyclist seriously injured himself, doing a face plant, because of these things.

As I see it...the court system will drag this on for years. The road will continue to fall apart and eventually the two scenes will pair-up and it'll be time to repave the road.

[chuckred]

There is a stretch of I-70 with them just below Loveland Pass that is the only route for bikes. The shoulder is generally wide enough that they aren't much of a problem. On the way up, they aren't a problem and may actually be helpful in keeping cars from impinging on the shoulder.

I've only ridden down that way once, and it's screaming fast (easy 50) with semis on the side. I did it with Ride the Rockies a few years ago, and had to cross them a few times to pass slower riders. I don't recall them being a problem other than a bit of a shock for a second. I suppose I was naive and assumed my bike wouldn't explode (it didn't).

Deer Creek Canyon has them - although they took a different approach and put them up the center. There was fear that they would keep cars from moving over the center line if they were passing a cyclist. Most of the times it seems that cars just cross them, rumble for a second (a nice confirmation that they're giving you some room) and then cross back.

I can't remember if Bear Creek Canyon has them (and I just rode it the other day). I think it might in the center as well?

In both of these cases, they aren't very wide, so they don't take up the whole shoulder.

Other than that, I don't have a lot of experience with them, but, while I'd prefer not to ride with them, they don't seem to have been the horrible invention that they were thought to be.

I wouldn't think they'd be rough enough to destroy a decent bike/fork or wheel - but I'd be curious if that's a reasonable thought!

[Dekonick]

A few of our major, most popular riding roads had rumble strips cut into them in the past few years. This means you ride to the right of the strip and get a flat in the junk or you ride to the left if the rumble and risk getting hit by the mirror of an F350.

It seems as far as cyclist are concerned it means that the driver will look up from messing with the radio while on the phone and steering with their knees so they can see the cyclist they are about to run over.

dave

I find them a major distraction. They force you into one of two bad choices as you point out. They are important and help - on MAJOR interstates where bikes aren't allowed anyway!

Why they put them on country roads is beyond me.

:rolleyes:

[konstantkarma]

Boy talk about a timely post!

The local highway department here has just begun milling these into state roadways with smallish shoulders. There is one stretch of road that is about 7 miles long (Route 23, East-West Highway) that is frequented by dozens of cyclists every day. The worst part about it is they did not install any gaps in the rumble strips, except at intersections....which are pretty infrequent. Also, after milling the road/shoulder the highway crews did not clean up the millings, resulting in piles of asphalt gravel where cyclist are now forced to travel. BTW, this is on a marked "share the road" cycling route :crap: .

[fiamme red]

Stop the insanity! :crap: :no:

Jiminy Peak Road Race in the Berkshires has come to an end because of rumble strips installed on Route 7:

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_14408239

[palincss]

IMO they are a good idea when the shoulder is wide enough to allow us to ride on the right of the strip. However, when the shoulder is narrow (less than 3 feet or so) the rumble strips force us onto the highway which is far more dangerous. Not one answer I think.

And definitely not so good if you're riding on the shoulder to the right of the runble strip and find you have to make a left turn off the highway. It's bad enough merging across 2 lanes of high speed traffic on a major highway to get to a left turn, never mind crossing the rumble strip while you're doing so.

[onekgguy]

I'm seeing them more frequently in Minnesota as well and often times on winding roads which leads me to wonder how much thought goes into where they place them? I'd imagine that on a winding road the driver would be watching where they're going and not need a rumble strip.

It seems to me that they only create an environment where it's implied, 'go ahead and text, dial your cellphone or do whatever else you want besides paying attention to your driving, you've got a rumble strip to protect you'.

Kevin g

[Nathanrtaylor]

They are cutting them on lots of our favorite routes here in Middle Tennessee. There were plans to install more "bicycle friendly" versions of the strips, but there was some sort of miscommunication between TDOT and the contractors and they cut the wide, deep ones that are a pain to cross. (literally)

[ahumblecycler]

My commute to work takes me along HWY 92 for approximately 10 miles. In SEP 09, they put a new layer of black top (proper resurfacing) including the shoulder. They even widened the shoulder, and for two weeks, During this time, the dirt and debris gathered in the shoulder, and while I still cycled in it, I did so less than 1 foot from the road. Still, I felt better than cycling in the road.

However, the sense of security ceased as they decided to put a rumble strip that extends from the lane into the shoulder (over the white line).

Now I once again cycle in the road, but now, I cannot cycle on the white line. Instead, I am about 18" into the road, which pisses the commuters off more than ever in the past.

[Kevan]

I figure state and local governments will wizen up about this "improvement" and strips will become a thing of the past. Wait until roadway surfaces start deteriorating faster because of them, straining limited budgets to perform increased resurfacing. Also, the lawsuits, where people have been hurt because of them, will by then have played out and any payouts due will add their punch to the coffers.

[torquer]

Any developments in the WCC's suit against the DOT?

[LesMiner]

I have some roads in my area that have had the rumble strips removed. Then again some newly repaved roads had rumble strips added. It is not so bad if there is an 8 foot shoulder leaving plenty of room to ride. At one time I lived near Westchester. I lived in Stamford and rode north into New York. A lot of twists and turns and no shoulders to speak of. On roads like that any rumble strips would be down right dangerous.

[Elefantino]

Kevan:

I don't mind the rumble strips in your photos, because the shoulder is wide enough. It's when there is no shoulder that they are a danger, as on several roads in this area.

I wish we had more roads like the ones you showed!