sales@wheelstopsfactory.comHow to choose Car Park Bump Stops in the UK?
Car park bump stops, commonly known as wheel stoppers or parking blocks, are parking lot safety devices used to avoid collisions between parked vehicles. These traffic calming equipment increase functionalities of parking spaces, parking garages, parking lots, and residential parking areas to discourage fatalities.
However, you can get the most out of this tool if you choose the correct piece, meaning its dimensions, materials and other features are according to your needs and the area’s parking regulations.
So, whether you are searching for parking blocks for commercial or residential use, make sure to learn how to choose them as per UK rules.
What dimensions should you select?
UK parking blocks have certain standards in which their dimensions are most significant, and the key to selecting the right wheel stops lies where you want to install them.
You can find wheel stops in different lengths, such as 500 mm or 2 feet long, 900 mm or 3 feet, 1220 mm or 4 feet, and 1830 mm or 6 feet.
The height of wheel stops ranges from 100mm to 150mm, while you will see their width of 150mm to 300 mm approximately. The difference in these measurements is mainly due to the different construction designs of the wheels.
For instance, car wheel stoppers are ideally suitable for all types of cars, bikes, and bicycles. They don’t destroy wheel alignment even if the car reaches the edge. Wheel stops help in disabled parking areas or parking emergency vehicles. You can also install these wheel stops in residential parking zones and public or commercial parking spaces.
On the other hand, longer wheel stops serve best at bus stations and are known as bus tyre stoppers. These wheel stops have dimensions that support bus wheels and don’t make passengers in the bus uncomfortable.
Lastly, 1830 mm or 6 feet wheel stops are the longest in the UK and are used for heavy-duty purposes. They are sturdy and long enough to stop trucks and lorries at truck parking areas, mining sites, and industrial parking zones. So, all these wheel stops’ basic purpose is to stop vehicles at the parking spot without colliding with neighbouring vehicles.
What material to use for your car wheel stopper?
You can find wheel stops of different materials such as recycled rubber, recycled plastic and concrete. To a great surprise, a combination of rubber and plastic is also available in plastic-rubber mix wheel stops.
All these materials have advantages and disadvantages, but you must select one that suits your needs.
- Rubber wheel stops are most widely used all around the UK for their best road experience. They are sturdy, firm and durable having maximum grip with the wheels. Weather and chemical resistance is also up to the mark. Above all, they don’t break or crack under heavy weight. But the price of rubber wheel stops often worries people as they are the most expensive.
- Plastic wheel stops are also installed at parking sites but have the risk of breakage under the constant influence of traffic. The colour of plastic wheel stops also fade with time and needs repainting to make them visible. Additionally, they are intermediate to withstand weather and chemical exposure.
- The third and most prominent material, Plastic-Rubber composite, has replaced all other materials in terms of its functionality, durability, and affordability. These wheel stops give all rubber and plastic qualities, including strength, firm grip, no slip, no weather impact, and high visibility. They don’t fade and remain highly visible even at night. A huge plus point of these wheel stops is they are highly budget friendly with no additional installation cost, even at spacious parking bays.
- Concrete wheel stops are also used at different sites depending on the traffic flow. These wheel stops can damage wheels due to less flexibility.
On what types of grounds can car stops be installed?
You can install car wheel stops on asphalt, gravel, and concrete. All these surfaces are stable enough to support wheel stops and help build a parking structure.
Here you must know parking blocks are equally suitable to be installed on even or uneven surfaces and make accessible parking. You place wheel stops on the ground and screw tight to avoid movement. All vehicles will be parked safely when wheel stops are held in place.
You must consider providing enough parking information and mentioning whether parking space is available to all vehicle types.
What option to choose for your car stop?
After getting all parameters of the wheel stop selection, you must be on the verge of making the final decision and looking for what’s best for you. So, the best bet is to finalise wheel stops parallel to your car and made of the best material of your choice.
Secondly, car stops must be easy to install as it will save extra installation costs, and you don’t need to hire professionals for installation. Above all, road users, motorcycles, emergency vehicles and other vehicles must get a secured travelling zone.
Additionally, consider these things:
Wheel stop fixings
Wheel stops selected from any provider must have fixings, including screws, wheel nuts, spikes, bolts and bearings, to make vehicle parking as quickly as possible.
Parking blocks without these fixtures make installation complicated as you need to find nuts of different sizes or designs, and failure to do so results in delays in parking construction. Store-bought fixings may not fit well to your car stop.
Thus, always bear in mind to consult your provider about fixings included in the package; in fact, it also proves budget friendly and saves from the extra expenditure of separately buying things.
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Customised logo
Another thing you must not forget to inquire about is the option of a customised logo.
Customised logos help your parking lot’s branding and promote your business, which is a plus point. It seems more professional and gives a unique parking layout if parking blocks of uniform design with customised logos are installed.
You can give a logo design with the required colours and style. All you need is to do a consultation with the provider’s team and finalise everything before making your deal final. The team will take all necessary information and also guide accordingly.
The colour of the reflective films
The reflectivity of wheel stops is critical and can increase or decrease road casualties. Reflective films of different colours are on the wheel stops to aid visibility.
These colours could be yellow, red or blue, but yellow is considered the most prominent and reflective to avoid tripping accidents. Road users can easily find wheel stops on the road, even in dark or low light.
So, when choosing wheel stops, don’t forget to consider reflective films; otherwise, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists or motorists will trip and get injured.
Conclusion
Wheel stops are vital road safety devices used on roads, curbs, streets, and residential garages to park vehicles safely.
Drivers often hit walls, lights, planters, and nearby cars when parking and may cause property damage. Parking blocks are the most economical and functional in avoiding accidents and saving properties. But you can only get all the benefits of parking blocks if you choose them wisely.
Find wheel stops that are allowed in the UK with the best material in your budget and install them carefully without damaging them. You will see a noticeable decline in collision accidents after installing wheel stops.
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