Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Go slow and be rewarded with flat speed bumps]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/12/go-slow-and-be-rewarded-with-flat-speed-bumps/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/12/go-slow-and-be-rewarded-with-flat-speed-bumps/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/12/go-slow-and-be-rewarded-with-flat-speed-bumps/#commentsFiled under: , ,



We happen to know of a housing development in Southern California that recently had its central road repaved. Out went the crumbling asphalt and nasty old speed bumps, and in went shiny new black pavement... and an additional helping of nasty new speed bumps. The paving company had actually doubled the number of bumps, presumably in an attempt to slow down traffic through this residential area. What actually resulted was cars now speeding up even quicker and slowing even faster between the bumps, wasting gas, wearing out brakes and putting out more emissions in the process. Too bad they didn't know about these new speed bumps from the fertile minds of designers Jae-yun Kim and Jong-Su Lee.

These sleeping policemen actually flatten when the vehicle is traveling the speed limit, but stay upright when someone is speeding. The new design uses a small damper inside to flatten out when a car drives over it at low speed, but higher forces from a faster vehicle keep it upright, causing a nasty jolt. To make them more visible than your typical speed bump, they're outfitted with LEDs all around. The designers say their goal was to encourage drivers to maintain a constant slow speed, reducing the amount of stops and starts made, and thereby the amount of exhaust pollution from the car. The world's first green speed bumps? These are just a concept for now, but hopefully someone will put them into production soon, and bring them to So. Cal.

[Source: Engadget]

Go slow and be rewarded with flat speed bumps originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jae-yun kimJae-yunKimjong-su leeJong-suLeespeed bumpspeed bumpsSpeedBumpSpeedBumpsFri, 12 Dec 2008 17:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Speed bumps are bad for the planet]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/27/speed-bumps-are-bad-for-the-planet/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/27/speed-bumps-are-bad-for-the-planet/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/27/speed-bumps-are-bad-for-the-planet/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Britain's Automobile Association has found another bump in the road to environmental kindness: speed bumps and really low speed limits. They took a car that got 58-mpg running a constant 30-MPH, and ran it over speedbumps at the Millbrook Proving Ground, slowing down and speeding up for each bump. What they discovered was that mileage dropped to 31-mpg and carbon dioxide emissions went up. The findings correlate with those of the country's Transport Research Laboratory, which reported that "carbon monoxide emissions are increased by as much as 82% and nitrous oxide levels by 37% on roads with speed bumps."

The AA also found that setting the speed limit at 20-MPH instead of 30-MPH raised car emissions and consumption by 10-percent. Along with the speed bump results, these are intriguing findings, but in the real world, how long do you spend each day driving over speed bumps, and driving 20-MPH? The AA says that it knows speeds need to be kept down on residential roads to keep children safe, but thinks that "average speed cameras" would be more acceptable to the driving public. Based on the comments we get at Autoblog about speed cameras, we doubt it.

[Source: Channel 4]

Speed bumps are bad for the planet originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Jan 2008 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>britaincarbon dioxideCarbonDioxideemissionsenvironmentgreenspeed bumpsspeed humpsSpeedBumpsSpeedHumpsukSun, 27 Jan 2008 14:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Selective speed bumps only nail you if you speed]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/17/selective-speed-bumps-only-nail-you-if-you-speed/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/17/selective-speed-bumps-only-nail-you-if-you-speed/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/17/selective-speed-bumps-only-nail-you-if-you-speed/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Yeah, somebody finally figured out a way not to penalize the rest of us for people who speed in low-limit areas. Observe the embedded video, which depicts a new invention by Gwyn Harvey. Selective speed bumps gauge your speed upon approach, a sign flashes to warn you if you're speeding, and only if you continue to speed do they rise up out of the ground to slow your ass down. If you're going the speed limit, no need to slow down, you're doing things right.

Thanks to Martijn for the tip.

[Source: Fresh Creation]

Selective speed bumps only nail you if you speed originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Sep 2006 12:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>speed bumpsspeed humpsSpeedBumpsSpeedHumpsspeedingSun, 17 Sep 2006 12:07:00 EST