100 Videos In, These Two Speed Bumps Are Still Launching Cars In California

Update: Four years and 100 videos later, the infamous Fresno speed bumps are still launching cars, and the city still hasn’t touched them. The YouTube channel Speed Bump Olympics has added dozens of fresh clips since our last update, the bumps got new reflectors, but they’re still claiming victims.

Whether you call them speed bumps or speed humps, we can all agree that they can be an annoyance. But in many areas, they are a necessary measure to slow down traffic and minimize speeding. But lining up two of them back to back, with a third lurking a short distance later? That seems bizarre, to put it mildly.

The ’11 Foot 8’ bridge may be the most infamous viral road obstacle in recent years, but a YouTube channel, dubbed Speed Bump Olympics, might give that famous bridge a run for its money. Since launching in April 2022, the channel has racked up more than 23,500 subscribers and over 6.2 million views.

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For a little over four years, the owner of one YouTube channel has been documenting vehicles barreling across a pair of speed bumps sat directly in front of their house. The bumps occupy a half-mile stretch of Chestnut Avenue in east-central Fresno, between Gettysburg and Ashlan, and they are just one of three sets scattered along the same road. Why anyone decided two large speed bumps belonged this close together is anybody’s guess. It does, however, make for some very entertaining footage

100 Videos And Counting

Since our original story, the Speed Bump Olympics channel has added a slew of new videos featuring fresh instances of speed bump fails. In one video, a driver attempts to launch their car over the two speed bumps, only to land with a heavy thud and scrape. In another, a motorcycle rider seems to have some fun going over the humps.

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Many drivers approach the first speed bump with far too much speed, likely thinking that they can get over it without slowing down. They’re then confronted with the second speed bump that sends many of them bouncing into the air. All kinds of drivers and vehicles can be seen getting caught out by the speed bumps, including a police officer driving a Ford Explorer who you would think would be aware of the dual speed bumps if they frequently patrol the area.

Despite the damage regularly captured on camera, the road is hardly short on warnings. There are multiple signs, “BUMP” markings painted onto the pavement, arrows on the humps themselves, and reflective markers meant to improve visibility at night.

The Damage Report

The cars suffer all kinds of damage. Some scratch their undertrays along the speed bumps, sending sparks flying into the air. Others bounce up and down, causing damage to their front and rear bumpers. The toll is written into the road itself, with hundreds of grooves gouged into the asphalt, some as deep as an inch. Remarkably, the individual behind the YouTube channel says he has lived opposite the speed bumps for well over a decade and that they have never actually seen a crash caused by them.

According to the channel’s operator, who spoke to the Fresno Bee, the bumps have been modified several times over the years and were updated roughly a year ago with extra reflectors. Judging by the footage that keeps rolling in, it has done little to slow the carnage.

Bad By Design

The notion of stacking two speed bumps this close together is nothing new. There are countless examples of badly designed bumps that do more harm than good. Ones that are too steep, too tall, or too closely spaced can inflict real damage on vehicles. They can also endanger pedestrians and cyclists, who may lose control on the uneven surface. Fresno knows the pattern well, having installed roughly 1,000 bumps between 1987 and 1997 before a 2006 moratorium that held until 2021. Residents can now petition to have new ones added in their neighborhoods, according to the Fresno Bee.

Residents along the street remain divided. Some praise the bumps for finally slowing traffic, while others gripe about the constant clatter of vehicles slamming into them.

What Do Authorities Say?

According to the Federal Highway Administration, speed humps should be no more than 3-4 inches high but speed bumps can be as much as 6-inches in height. If placed too close together, they can create a washboard effect that can be damaging to vehicles and uncomfortable for passengers.

Many municipalities have installed speed bumps as a way to slow down traffic in residential areas. While they may be effective at reducing speeds, they can also cause noise pollution and inconvenience to residents. Some have even complained that they create a safety hazard, as drivers may swerve to avoid them, potentially causing an accident.

The Speed Bump Olympics channel pokes fun at poorly designed road obstacles, but it also serves as a reminder of how much spacing, height, and materials matter. Get those right and a bump slows traffic without punishing the cars that cross it.

For now, the bumps on Chestnut Avenue remain exactly where they are, reflectors and all. The channel just passed its 100th video, and judging by the steady stream of cars still catching air, number 200 is only a matter of time.