Lorry strikes bridge - What more could be done to prevent it?

[bangor-toad]

Here's yet another BBC news story about a lorry striking a bridge:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-43055581

Lisburn: Lorry stuck under railway bridge

A lorry has become stuck under a railway bridge in County Antrim.

It happened on Wednesday afternoon on Antrim Street in Lisburn.

Of itself it's not particualrly remarkable but here's a photo of the scene:

Is there any way that they could have made it clearer?
Oh well, hopefully it'll be sorted before it's time to go home...

Cheers,
Mr Toad

 

[Dr_Paul]

One way would be a substantial gantry over the road at the height of the bridge 100 yards from either side of bridges that are regularly hit. A lorry driver would know if his vehicle was too high for the bridge before he had the chance to hit it. I imagine that the gantry would need repairing or even replacing now and again, but this would surely be cheaper and less disruptive to rail traffic than having the bridge itself hit.

 

[rich r]

Some locations do indeed have a beam suspended some distance from the bridge so that the high vehicle hits that first (and presumably stops). But it's by no means possible to do that for every low bridge that's at risk.

 

[Darandio]

Question: What more could be done to prevent it?
Answer: You cannot prevent stupidity. I mean just look at the picture.

 

[DelW]

If you look via Google or Youtube for videos of the "11 foot 8 bridge", you'll find that almost nothing will stop some drivers. It is, as the name suggests, an 11ft 8in high rail over road bridge, in this case in the US, which has suffered numerous collisions from lorries, vans and motorhomes despite all kinds of preventive measures.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Question: What more could be done to prevent it?
Answer: You cannot prevent stupidity. I mean just look at the picture.

You named that tune in one. Unfortunately most are road users and not rail users .

 

[furnessvale]

One way would be a substantial gantry over the road at the height of the bridge 100 yards from either side of bridges that are regularly hit. A lorry driver would know if his vehicle was too high for the bridge before he had the chance to hit it. I imagine that the gantry would need repairing or even replacing now and again, but this would surely be cheaper and less disruptive to rail traffic than having the bridge itself hit.

This is the only way but the cost MUST come from the roads budget.

 

[johnkingeu]

Hahaha a very amusing photograph!

Though I have to admit it took me longer than it should have to notice the ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE LOW BRIDGE SIGNS.

I think because they are pasted on billboards my brain just skipped over them as adverts and I suspect this is what happened to the driver. It is not unusual for advertisers to use large black text on a bright orange or yellow background, after all. There seems plenty of space for a gantry.

 

[jopsuk]

Make the penalty summary disqualification. Potentially for life. Might sharpen the mind.

 

[johnkingeu]

Doubt it. Unless you think that people are clocking that it is a low bridge that will wreck their vehicle and going, “Oh well, at least I won’t lose my license”

I think it is likely (and judging from the 11 foot 8 bridge strikes) that most of these drivers are not professional truck drivers and take no notice because they are used to driving a car and don’t need to.

 

[EM2]

I like the water curtain solution at the Sydney Harbour Tunnel:

 

[Failed Unit]

Charge the vehicle the full cost of repairs and delay minutes. Getting hit with a bill like that will soon focus the mind. I bet if hauliers were getting hit with the true costs, the fear of it happening to them would drive a better culture.

 

[Bald Rick]

Charge the vehicle the full cost of repairs and delay minutes. Getting hit with a bill like that will soon focus the mind. I bet if hauliers were getting hit with the true costs, the fear of it happening to them would drive a better culture.

If the vehicles are traced, that is exactly what happens. But knocking one haulier for it doesn't register with the tens of thousands of others.

 

[Bald Rick]

One way would be a substantial gantry over the road at the height of the bridge 100 yards from either side of bridges that are regularly hit. A lorry driver would know if his vehicle was too high for the bridge before he had the chance to hit it. I imagine that the gantry would need repairing or even replacing now and again, but this would surely be cheaper and less disruptive to rail traffic than having the bridge itself hit.

There are some unfortunate legal issues with this approach. Has been discussed on these very pages previously.

 

[snowball]

A more practicable method would be a higher bar with bells dangling from it, or no bar at all but light beam height detectors linked to flashing signs or klaxons.

 

[Spartacus]

One way would be a substantial gantry over the road at the height of the bridge 100 yards from either side of bridges that are regularly hit. A lorry driver would know if his vehicle was too high for the bridge before he had the chance to hit it. I imagine that the gantry would need repairing or even replacing now and again, but this would surely be cheaper and less disruptive to rail traffic than having the bridge itself hit.

Taking just this example, you can just see a side road to the left of the bridge, that's a goods entrance for a shopping centre, and not far from the other side is a road used for PW access to the line. In short one reason why you can't have protection beams more than a few feet from the bridge is because they'll cause access issues to traffic that might not be wanting to go under the bridge.

 

[Cletus]

There probably needs to be a law so that vehicles over a certain height have their height displayed clearly in the cab.

My employers have them, and no-one here has ever hit a bridge!

 

[DarloRich]

Auto turrets? Missile carrying drones? Land mines? Snipers?

Look that that picture - you can not educate mince.

 

[james60059]

Some locations do indeed have a beam suspended some distance from the bridge so that the high vehicle hits that first (and presumably stops). But it's by no means possible to do that for every low bridge that's at risk.

The bridge over the A5 near Hinckley has a big beam either side of the bridge, plus there's illuminated warning signs that get triggered by large vehicles on the approaches but still doesn't stop the average once a week bash.

 

[Llanigraham]

A more practicable method would be a higher bar with bells dangling from it, or no bar at all but light beam height detectors linked to flashing signs or klaxons.

Been tried, and they still get ignored.

 

[Bantamzen]

Auto turrets? Missile carrying drones? Land mines? Snipers?

Look that that picture - you can not educate mince.

Just what I was thinking, but maybe with lasers.....?

Seriously though an instant ban of a minimum of 12 months and a major fine to at least the cost of the disruption caused and any damage repaired will focus many hauliers minds. Beyond that save even more signs maybe in the long run truck manufacturers could build in GPS systems that automatically alert lorry drivers when approaching a low bridge, although doubtless some would still ignore the warnings.

 

[skyhigh]

There probably needs to be a law so that vehicles over a certain height have their height displayed clearly in the cab.

My employers have them, and no-one here has ever hit a bridge!

Good idea, that You have to display the height in the cab (in both feet and metres) for vehicles over 3m in height. Legislation is here, although I won't quote it as it's long and a text only webpage, and I've summarised the main point.

I think as mentioned though that the main issue is drivers forgetting they're not in a car, so I don't think people chancing the height of their vehicle is the biggest problem.

 

[plymothian]

LOW BRIDGE writ large, but only 2 small signs that give the max height.

Here's a challenge, try getting to the centre of Plymouth from the A38 at Plympton; streeview your journey following the signs and see if you can spot the any of the signs that Plymouth council deign sufficient for the 2 low bridges on the routes that are most suitable for HGVs, and the other on a possible diversion.

 

[rebmcr]

Maybe in the long run truck manufacturers could build in GPS systems that automatically alert lorry drivers when approaching a low bridge, although doubtless some would still ignore the warnings.

That system could probably be integrated into road pricing tracking systems that will replace tax at some point. By that point, however, vehicles might all be autonomous anyway.

 

[Spartacus]

There probably needs to be a law so that vehicles over a certain height have their height displayed clearly in the cab.

My employers have them, and no-one here has ever hit a bridge!

Not really that good a system as the tractor unit could switch trailers, or carry additional loads behind it such as containers which might be above the height of the cab. I remember one case where a lorry driver stokk a bridge and was going crazy at the staff who attended as his in cab height was lower than the bridge height, he couldn't quite grasp that his trailer was a good 18 inches or more above his cab, and it was THAT which had collided with the bridge!

 

[Monarch010]

Just what I was thinking, but maybe with lasers.....?

Seriously though an instant ban of a minimum of 12 months and a major fine to at least the cost of the disruption caused and any damage repaired will focus many hauliers minds. Beyond that save even more signs maybe in the long run truck manufacturers could build in GPS systems that automatically alert lorry drivers when approaching a low bridge, although doubtless some would still ignore the warnings.

I believe that GPS systems designed for lorry drivers do provide such warnings, but if a driver is using a system designed for a car driver then such a warning won't be produced.

 

[Dr_Paul]

Taking just this example, you can just see a side road to the left of the bridge, that's a goods entrance for a shopping centre, and not far from the other side is a road used for PW access to the line. In short one reason why you can't have protection beams more than a few feet from the bridge is because they'll cause access issues to traffic that might not be wanting to go under the bridge.

That is something that did cross my mind; turnings close to a low bridge would necessitate a gantry rather closer to the bridge.

 

[Bromley boy]

Not really that good a system as the tractor unit could switch trailers, or carry additional loads behind it such as containers which might be above the height of the cab. I remember one case where a lorry driver stokk a bridge and was going crazy at the staff who attended as his in cab height was lower than the bridge height, he couldn't quite grasp that his trailer was a good 18 inches or more above his cab, and it was THAT which had collided with the bridge!

Indeed. I’m sure this type of thing is what causes the majority of these incidents. Forgetting, driving the same route 9 times in a low vehicle and the 10th in a vehicle that doesn’t fit underneath, last minute changes, distractions, the usual “human factors” type stuff.

Beam activated signs seems like an excellent dea in high risk locations.

 

[WelshBluebird]

How about some kind of engine cut off / emergency brake system that would legally have to be fitted to every tall vehicle, and then a system (either gps or using some kind of system mounted on the roadside) that would trigger the engine cut off / emergency brake when the vehicle gets to a low bridge? Sure it may be a hammer to crack a nut (as it would be expensive and wouldn't allow for differences in height) but if drivers continue to be stupid and reckless then what else can we do? Maybe a ban for such drivers under dangerous driving laws?

 

[Carntyne]

Not really that good a system as the tractor unit could switch trailers, or carry additional loads behind it such as containers which might be above the height of the cab. I remember one case where a lorry driver stokk a bridge and was going crazy at the staff who attended as his in cab height was lower than the bridge height, he couldn't quite grasp that his trailer was a good 18 inches or more above his cab, and it was THAT which had collided with the bridge!

HGV drivers must be aware of the height of their vehicle. Regardless of whether the trailer is changed or not.

NR are actively pursuing the cost of the delays also now, so hopefully it'll focus some minds.