Rumble strips more of a nuisance than utility, say annoyed citizens

HYDERABAD: Ostensibly laid to “improve” safety of commuters, the hundreds of rumble strips that have popped all over the roads in Greater Hyderabad limits are being described as a “nuisance” and “pain in the neck” by motorists. Not safety, rumble strips are causing a lot of discomfort, say motorists who find them uncomfortable to negotiate while driving unlike speed-breakers. 

As part of its “Traffic Calming Measures” to improve road safety on the request of traffic police, the GHMC has laid over 1,400 rumble strips in the limits of the three Police Commissionerates. As if that is not enough, the GHMC says that more such strips would be fixed upon request in a phased manner.Rumble strips are a series of raised strips across a road. A vehicle starts to rumble when it passes over these strips, alerting motorists to be careful of potential danger.  

The civic body’s laying of rumble strips on the city’s arterial roads is in flagrant violation of norms specified by the Indian Road Congress (IRC). The IRC Code specifies erection of speed breakers on crossroads joining main roads and not on main roads itself. Also, rumble strips have to be matched with signages announcing their presence so that motorists can slow down. But on the city streets, there are no markings.“These rumble strips are so troublesome they not only damage vehicles but are also causing backaches and headaches as they rattle the skeletal system,” said Harsha Kumar, a citizen. 

“There are an annoyingly large number of rumble strips. There is no peace travelling on the city roads,” Gowtham said.“In other countries, such strips are used only on the sides to reduce run-off-the-road crashes by warning drivers they are leaving their lane,” said Chaitanya.“The government should have some sympathy for commuters, especially two-wheeler users who have to suffer these jerks,” said Veerachary. “They add to riding fatigue while doing nothing in terms of slowing down traffic,” he added. “The rumble strips on city roads have more nuisance than utility value. Except for rattling our spine, they serve no purpose, as far as I know,” Ahmed Ali said.

Tough to negotiate

Not safety, rumble strips are causing a lot of discomfort, say motorists who find them uncomfortable to negotiate while driving unlike speed-breakers After this, a combined procession with a caparisoned elephant carrying the ghatam of Goddess Mahankali will be carried out

As if that is not enough, the GHMC says that more such strips would be fixed upon request in a phased manner Among those who participated in the festivities on Sunday were Central and State ministers, MPs and MLAs

AAlso, rumble strips have to be matched with signages announcing their presence so that motorists can slow down