Watch out for those back-breakers

THE HINDU TRICHY

TIRUCHI, March 17, 2015

Watch out for those back-breakers



Unscientifically designed speed-breakers giving nightmare to drivers



Motorists driving in the city often encounter a back-breaking experience because of the unscientifically designed speed-breakers laid at various spots.



Established with varying lengths and heights on different stretches with no uniformity in design and absence of proper markings, the speed-breakers have virtually turned out to be a bane for motorists, complain vehicle users.

In a city where the road safety laws are violated with impunity, speed-breakers were put up at vantage locations on busy thoroughfares to check the accident rate. However, lack of uniformity in sizes of the speed-breakers with no standard specifications is posing problems for the vehicle users — especially for the motorcycle riders and those riding pillion.

Riding over the hump on some of these unscientifically erected speed-breakers itself causes a hurdle for the rider and their pillion. Many speed-breakers have not been laid as per Indian Road Congress norms, says M. Sekaran, member of the Road Safety Committee.

Caution boards to alert road users of the approaching speed-breakers have not been put up at any of these spots which further compounds the problem for the motorists, especially at night, Mr. Sekaran adds.

Many speed-breakers do not have fluorescent white markings to caution the vehicle users, says C. Balasubramanian, president, Tiruchi District Exnora.

The unscientifically designed speed-breakers could themselves lead to accidents if the rider is not extremely careful while passing over them, Mr. Balasubramanian says.

There have been occasions when the authorities concerned laid speed-breakers bowing to public demand, The three fatal accidents on the busy Thanjavur road and the Madurai road a few months ago is a case in point.

The speed-breakers with no uniformity in design were laid on different stretches along the two busy thoroughfares to curb over-speeding. However, none of them have been laid as per proper specifications with markings, Mr. Sekaran said.

Ill designed speed-breakers could strain the spine in neck and back besides causing back pain and sprain at a very early stage to the rider and the pillion, says M.A. Aleem, a city-based neurologist.

At a time when the officials and the police have accident prevention as a priority, scientifically designed speed-breakers become a necessity, says Mr. Balasubramanian.