The Guadalajara Reporter

Driving over speed bumps

Dear Sir,

This letter is addressed to those drivers who find themselves driving over the “speed-strips” (mini-topes) which were recently installed in San Antonio Tlayacapan and Riberas del Pilar.

For those of you who think that by speeding  up or continuing at a high rate of speed will somehow lessen the damage to your car, I would like you to consider the following:

1.  You may remember from your high school Physics that Kinetic Energy (the energy of motion) is equal to 1/2 times the mass (weight) times the velocity squared.  This means that as one’s speed (velocity) increases, then the amount of energy that must be absorbed by the car’s suspension also increases.

2.  Consider two boxers.  If they are of equal weight then the punch that is moving faster will carry the most energy and hit the hardest.  Applying this to driving over the speed-strips, if two cars are of equal weight, it is the car that is moving faster that will inflict greater punishment on its front end components.

Or, ask yourself this question:  Which hurts more - stubbing your toe on one of the rocks in the street while walking slowly or while walking quickly?  If your car suspension could talk, then it would surely say the same thing as that of your toe:  “Slow down!”

3.  Finally, I have spoken to several mechanics along the Carreterra and all agree that their work involving shock absorbers, alignments, tie rods etc. has at least doubled or trebled since the installation of the strips.

Drivers who continue to think that by driving fast over the strips will somehow lessen the damaging effects are defying the laws of Physics and engaging in wishful thinking.

Only by slowing down will damage be averted and also, by the way, will lives be saved, which was the original purpose of the strips in the first place.

Christopher Ward, San Antonio Tlayacapan