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Bridge Strikes
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Chris M
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And people will continue to try it.
Personally I can't think of a reason why driving a vehicle past a height restriction sign displaying a lower height than the height of a vehicle should not be an automatic fine and 3 points on your license - regardless of physical consequences.
Yes people make mistakes, but people have to accept responsibility for their mistakes. I can't count the number of times I've heard railway staff on here talking about "please explain" notices or chats with the boss without tea and biscuits as a result of things that may not even be incorrect.
Personally I can't think of a reason why driving a vehicle past a height restriction sign displaying a lower height than the height of a vehicle should not be an automatic fine and 3 points on your license - regardless of physical consequences.
Yes people make mistakes, but people have to accept responsibility for their mistakes. I can't count the number of times I've heard railway staff on here talking about "please explain" notices or chats with the boss without tea and biscuits as a result of things that may not even be incorrect.
Attached image snipped from
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/traffic-signs
You can interpret that as "you may be able to fit a 15'10" vehicle through here, but this sign says that you're not supposed to". Pretty much like the speed limit signs, really - of course you can drive down the M3 at midnight at 100mph*, but the "70" inside a red circle means that you're not supposed to.
* I have not to my recollection ever driven down the M3 at midnight at 100mph, and I would not condone behaviour of this sort...
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fairysdad
Member
A height in a red triangle is a warning rather than a restriction, so is more like "you may be able to fit a 15'10" vehicle through here, but this sign says you shouldn't"; the height in a red circle (as you posted) is a restriction which is "you may be able to fit a 15'10" vehicle through here, but it's illegal for you to do so".
edwin_m
Veteran Member
Why is the triangular version ever used? As an individual driver can't really stop and measure the bridge, any sensible driver shouldn't be risking it. In which case why not remove the ambiguity and make it a prohibition rather than a warning?
As I see it, one reason would be when there isn't a reasonable alternate route. By using the warning sign the onus is put on the driver to check if their vehicle can fit, rather than forcing all tall vehicles to take an extensive detour.
Chris M
Member
The triangle version should be used in advance of the restricted bridge, e.g. here the 13'3" bridge is about three miles beyond this junction and there is no reason to prohibit high vehicles before that point.
However, I notice that the low bridge also has a triangular rather than circular sign. I don't know why.
The bridge now carries the cycle track using the trackbed of the former Cheddar Valley branch line.
However, I notice that the low bridge also has a triangular rather than circular sign. I don't know why.
The bridge now carries the cycle track using the trackbed of the former Cheddar Valley branch line.
With the circular sign being a Regularity Sign, a Traffic ManagementOrder is required to enable legal enforcement of any transgressions, whereas a triangular signis only advisory and hence can be freely erected as required.
Latest example in Dover yesterday. Possibly didn't hit the bridge itself as there is protective steelwork there.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/lorry-crashes-into-bridge-close-101883/
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/lorry-crashes-into-bridge-close-101883/
As said up thread, there's an average of 3-4 across the rail network every day
BestWestern
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At the risk of putting this thread back on subject I wonder why there's not some sort of electronic warning device on the more commonly struck bridges that triggers if approached by vehicles of above regulation height. After all these sort of devices triggered by speed are all over the place.
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
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Yes there are, at a few locations around the country, but in the case of my local example, at Swaythling where the A27 passes under the BML, the local authority (presumably Southampton council) won't maintain it any longer, so it just sits there with the 'divert' warning permanently displayed...
Tulse Hill got a new electronic system fitted about a month ago but one of the new signs that was a bit close to the edge of the pavement has already got clouted through 90 degrees so it isn't visible (lots a camber at that point...)
3 strikes since the new signs went in! and lorries are now even hitting the other Tulse Hill bridge which is good for at least 16'6" (no signs)
Including putting a high cube transit on the top deck of a car transporter
edwin_m
Veteran Member
They need to add another sign warning drivers not to drive into the first sign.
The one on the East side of the bridge is LED and used to work fine a few years ago (since I last went on a U1A bus which always trigger it of course, being double decker and going on a route that goes very close to, but obviously not passing under, the bridge in question). But yeah, the one on the main road is an older mechanical sign which has just been stuck on the "divert" screen for at least since I first lived in Soton (2012), perhaps longer.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Here's the old mechanical one that's "stuck":
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.9...03&h=100&yaw=115.71547&pitch=0!7i13312!8i6656
And here's the same type that's on the other side of the bridge (this isn't the exact one):
http://www.coeval.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/08-e1437503543579.jpg
Just for a change this bridge was hit from the opposite direction.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/lorry-hits-railway-bridge-115381/
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/lorry-hits-railway-bridge-115381/
How on earth did the driver expect to get under that? The cab is too high let alone the trailer:roll:!
Three in Kent just today!
Kearsney bridge hit again this morning :roll: The line has re-opened fairly quickly though.
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