Speed humps cause premature tyre failure - official

I have just had my car MOT test done. Only doing approx 6k miles per year because I choose to cycle to work most days. The examiner asked "do you go over a lot of speed humps?" I said I try to avoid them like the plague but my local authorities are making it impossible to avoid completely. He then pointed out very nasty wear on the inside edges (chamfers) of all four tyres. He said that he is seeing a massive increase in this problem and in his opinion it is all due to drivers straddling the speed humps which are described as "cushions" by some local councils. These are the square type humps with angled edges. He pointed out that one of my tyres is worn to a dangerous degree will have to be replaced due to this abnormal wear pattern even though the flat part i.e. circumference of the tyre is 2-3mm above the normal wear indicator. Worst case is that due to location of the wear (inner edges which are not in normal view) you might not realise you are wearing thin until a catastrophic failure or blow out occurs.

To try and reduce abnormal wear on your tyres don't straddle these type of humps - try to drive one wheel in between and one over the top part of the hump. Apart from that write to your local councillor / MP / and the Lft Hon Dictator Livingstone for a change of speed hump policy now!!!