In driving on an interstate the other day, I saw a sign that read, "Rumble Bumps Center Lane." And I looked at the center lane, and, sure enough, the road had been graded in such as way as to leave those bumpy impressions that would wake you up before you crossed the center lane to the other side.

My question is: Is "rumble bumps" a term generally used at least in the United States?

And, if so, what are some other terms that are used elsewhere?

Rumble bumps are a great idea and they certainly are effective!

We call 'em "rumble strips" over here, Dub-dub - much the same, I guess. They're mostly used as an audible warning, to back up the visual signs that you are about to enter a restricted-speed zone.

Whoops - me finger twitched and I sent the same thing twice - and it ain't that good !!

I'm thinking we've got two different things here. I took Dub's description to be of a warning section at the edges of your safe driving area. I've mostly seen them on interstates or other limited access roads at the edges of the road; their purpose being, as Dub mentioned, to wake you up. They are more or less continuous. Rhuby's description I took to be of the discrete rows of the same type surface that are found on the approach to a tool booth or a work area and are even found on some secondary roads when an unexpected stop sign is looming ahead.

so, my fine fool, you are pointing out that the patterned highway pavement, that creates a noise, and a sensation of bumpbing, come in strips and bumps, with the word rumble being the common factor?

rumble strips at the side of the road are not to common in the NY metro area, local law requires highway lighting with in a half mile of exit/extrance road, and there are very few area where the exits are more than one mile distant. rumble bumps, (the same pavement configuration, but a full lane wide, and about 2 meters in length,) are fairly common, at toll booths, and highway construction sites.

WW, tell me about the center lane... do you mean a center(turn) lane in a 3 lane road that is one lane going one way, one lane going the opposite, and the center lane is exclusively for cars making turns (that would have them cross traffic)?

or was it it a highway? and were there rumble strips on both sides of the center lane? or just as you crossed into the passing lane?

i can see the value in the first case (a two direction for turning only center lane) but not on in the second.

The "rumble bumps" were on a highway. Sometimes the highway was divided by a median strip, but other times the lanes of opposing traffic were only separated by a center lane that variously accommodated either direction of traffic. When that was the case, there were the strips of rumble bumps dividing the oppositely moving traffic in the center. A median strip of rumble bumps, so to speak.

I'd just never heard or read the term and wondered about it. There were also rumble bumps or strips on the far right to wake you up should you drive off the road--or just to let you know that you were venturing too far to the right. I, for one, really appreciated having those rumble bumps as an auditory and kinetic marker. I heard one person say that rumble bumpkins named rumble bumps.

I reckon we're not too clear on the terminology here in the UK, either - at least I'm not.

Only ever heard of rumble strips, and tended to apply the term to roads where the surface has been treated so as to make it very noisy when you're driving faster than the recommended limit (on some motorway, too - not just slow roads).

However, thinking about it, rumble strip must be the white line that runs near the central reservation on some roads, with evenly-spaced little bumps built into it. This is especially common on fast roads, so is probably intended to alert you to the fact that you're drifting too close to the edge of the road.

That leaves me unaware of what you call the aforementioned "textured" roads or sections of road.

"Rumble strip" is the official name, in the UK, for the lines across the road, sometimes in a red-tinted tarmac, to warn of speed limits, etc. I have seen the term in police reports and documents from the County Council, District council and DEFRA (the governmaent Dept that deals with roads, over here)
But I have never seen or heard any reference to the bumpy bits along the side of M-Ways and dual-carriageways, to which Dub-dub refers. So I have no idea if they have an official name - certainly they don't seem to have acquired an unofficial one, which is odd in a country in which all things to do with motors and motoring attract the weirdest of nick-names.

Born and raised in Connecticut, lived in New Hampshire, Florida, New Mexico, California and now Illinois and I've never heard the term "rumble bumps" though that term is now a part of my vocabulary that I intend to use at every appropriate opportunity.

On a semi-related sidenote: When I was stationed in Panama, I occasionally drove over a dead policeman in the road.

No, really! The term "dead policeman" (in Spanish, natch) is what they call speed bumps down there, even on traffic signs since, like the police, they control speeders. They just aren't breathing...

>When I was stationed in Panama, I occasionally drove over a dead policeman in the road.

Our term for the same is a little kinder. Ours are merely sleeping.

I think that in Zild they are generally called "What the f... was that?"

I occasionally drove over a dead policeman in the road.

In UK, CJ, these are known as "Sleeping Policemen" and refer to the bumps, about six to ten inches high, used to force you to either reduce speed or ruin your car's suspension. They are usually marked with white stripes so that you are aware that you are approaching them, so can slow down.

Our term for the same is a little kinder. Ours are merely sleeping. ~ jmh

In UK, CJ, these are known as "Sleeping Policemen" ... ~ RC

Welcome to the club, Jo.

Good heavens, Anna, I got that before I even saw your subject title! I'll pass the toast.

What a wonderful evocative term is rumble bumps.
Here in stuffy old New England the signs say:
"Uneven pavement, motorcycles proceed with caution."
I will use rumble bumps at every opportunity and see if I can precipitate adaptation of rumble bumps on our signage!

>Welcome to the club, Jo

Maybe my comment was too subtle, like me. Although is this being discussed in two places because I thought I saw them mentioned in the daily e-mail from one of the places that I hardly ever get time to look at - Wordplay and Fun, maybe? I'm too busy for fun [sob emoticon]

polisi tidur (sleeping police) here as well.

Bingley