Two speed bumps in a row: a chronicle of chaos in Fresno
In Fresno, California, there is a road anomaly that has been amassing millions of views on YouTube for over four years. Two speed bumps are located so close together that cars driving over them literally bounce into the air. A local resident, who lives opposite this stretch of road, films it all on video and posts it to a channel called Speed Bump Olympics.
During this time, the channel has garnered over 6.2 million views and nearly 23,500 subscribers. Despite numerous complaints and obvious danger, city authorities have yet to take any action to rectify the situation.
Update: Four years and 100 videos later, the infamous speed bumps in Fresno are still tossing cars, and the city still hasn’t touched them. The Speed Bump Olympics channel has added dozens of new clips since our last update, new reflectors have appeared on the bumps, but they are still ‘hunting’ for victims.
How did this ‘landmark’ come about?
The two large speed bumps are located on a half-mile stretch of Chestnut Avenue in east-central Fresno, between Gettysburg and Ashland. This is just one of three similar sets scattered along the same road. Why someone decided to place two large bumps so close together remains a mystery. However, it makes for very interesting footage.
The channel owner documents how motorists hit the first bump at high speed, hoping to get over it without braking, and then encounter the second, which sends them airborne. Among the ‘victims’ are a variety of vehicles, including a police Ford Explorer, whose driver seemingly should have known about this road feature.
100 videos and counting
Since the story was first published, the Speed Bump Olympics channel has been updated with new videos. In one, a driver tries to ‘fly’ over both bumps but lands with a heavy thud and scrape. In another, a motorcyclist seems to enjoy conquering the obstacles.
Despite the regular damage caught on camera, the road has plenty of warnings. Several signs are installed, ‘BUMP’ markings are painted on the asphalt, and the bumps themselves have arrows and reflective elements to improve visibility at night.
Damage report
Cars suffer various types of damage. Some scrape their undersides on the bumps, sending out a shower of sparks. Others bounce, damaging front and rear bumpers. The consequences are visible on the road itself: hundreds of grooves have been cut into the asphalt, some up to an inch deep. Notably, the channel owner claims to have lived opposite these bumps for over ten years and has never seen them cause an accident.
According to the channel operator, who spoke to the Fresno Bee, the bumps have been modified several times, and about a year ago, additional reflectors were added. Judging by the footage still coming in, this has done little to reduce the chaos.
Poor design
The idea of placing two speed bumps so close together is not new. There are plenty of examples of poorly designed bumps that cause more harm than good. Bumps that are too steep, too high, or too close together can cause real damage to vehicles. They can also pose a hazard to pedestrians and cyclists, who may lose control on the uneven surface. Fresno is well acquainted with this problem: the city installed roughly 1,000 bumps between 1987 and 1997 before a moratorium was put in place in 2006, which lasted until 2021. Now, residents can petition for new bumps in their neighborhoods.
Residents of the street remain divided in opinion. Some praise the bumps for finally slowing down traffic, while others complain about the constant thud of cars hitting them.
What do authorities say?
According to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, the height of speed bumps should not exceed 3-4 inches, but some bumps can be up to 6 inches high. If they are placed too close together, it can create a ‘washboard’ effect, damaging cars and causing discomfort for passengers.
Many municipalities install speed bumps as a way to slow down traffic in residential areas. While they can be effective at reducing speed, they can also cause noise pollution and inconvenience for residents. Some even complain that they create a hazard, as drivers may maneuver to avoid them, potentially leading to an accident.
The Speed Bump Olympics channel mocks poorly designed road obstacles, but also serves as a reminder of how important distance, height, and materials are. If done correctly, a bump slows traffic without punishing the cars that cross it.
For now, the bumps on Chestnut Avenue remain in place, with all their reflectors. The channel has just crossed the 100-video mark, and judging by the steady stream of cars still ‘catching air,’ the 200th video is only a matter of time.
This story is a vivid example of how poor road infrastructure planning can create not only inconvenience but also potential danger, as well as become a source of entertainment for millions of people online. The lack of reaction from city authorities to a problem that has persisted for years raises questions about the effectiveness of local governance and priorities in road safety. At the same time, this case highlights the importance of adhering to road element design standards, as even a small deviation can lead to serious consequences. The channel’s popularity demonstrates that such ‘mistakes’ generate broad public resonance and can become a powerful tool for drawing attention to urban planning issues.