Watch out for low clearance bridges!

**jkwilson** · 07-28-2020, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by powerscol

So which Truckers Atlas is the best. I am not into the smart phone apps yet. Or is their a web page that has the information for trip planning?

Rand McNally Motor Carriers Road Atlas

**bigb56** · 07-28-2020, 11:27 AM

What about the Garmin RV GPS units, don't they steer you away from low bridges?

**jkwilson** · 07-28-2020, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by bigb56

What about the Garmin RV GPS units, don't they steer you away from low bridges?

Theoretically, but the atlas and GPS are just planning aids. Eyes and the thing behind them are the best tool.

**powerscol** · 07-28-2020, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by jkwilson

Rand McNally Motor Carriers Road Atlas

Thanks
Keith

**traveldawg** · 07-29-2020, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Tall Paul

Brian - I stayed at your park a few weeks ago. The park does a good job of highlighting that low bridge in their paperwork - but we’ve all done dumb things.

Hopefully he gets the same mobile tech I had who was willing to come out on the 4th of July to fix my dead refrigerator.

(BTW - beautiful park).

At least that park warns you ahead of time. DON'T try to enter Chatfield Park in Denver via the west entrance off of CO121. Their ticket entry gate portal is only 13'. I found out the hard way and had to back out - a long way! And they don't bother to mention it anywhere; at least they didn't last year. I wonder if Garmin GPS units or the truckers atlas has that listed?

**KamFlyer** · 07-30-2020, 12:03 PM

What drives me batty is committing to a fuel island and then when you pull in you see a small sign that lists the clearance as just under your measured height!

**WhittleBurner** · 07-30-2020, 02:09 PM

One time many years ago I was traveling with a friend who drove a big box truck.One night when we needed gas he pulled into a station that had a overhang. Sign said 13' 6" no problem he was 13'. Pulled into the end pump only one open when we heard and felt the crunch. Turned out there was a slope to the overhang and the only spot that was 13'6" was the pump next to the office. Another customer that was there at the time told us this was the 3rd time he knew of for this to happen. He had no idea why they don't change their sign.

**bigb56** · 07-30-2020, 03:43 PM

My first camper was a slide in truck camper. Living in the desert I put a Rec-Air (now called Turbo-Kool) 12 volt swamp cooler on the roof which is about the same size as an AC unit. Took the truck to Jiffy Lube for an oil change, drove in fine but when it was time to pull out the opposite door they had lowered the door a bit to block the sun, hit the cooler and destroyed it. They were nice enough to pay for it.

**SolarPoweredRV** · 07-30-2020, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by WhittleBurner

One time many years ago I was traveling with a friend who drove a big box truck.One night when we needed gas he pulled into a station that had a overhang. Sign said 13' 6" no problem he was 13'. Pulled into the end pump only one open when we heard and felt the crunch. Turned out there was a slope to the overhang and the only spot that was 13'6" was the pump next to the office. Another customer that was there at the time told us this was the 3rd time he knew of for this to happen. He had no idea why they don't change their sign.

If that had been me, they would have been paying my repair bill. Especially if that was the third time this had happened !!!!

Nobody should mark the highest point, that's just stupid !!!

**orbiker** · 07-30-2020, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by bertschb

There is a sign prior to the bridge warning about it's height. But, I believe some roads have WAY too many signs. Sign overload. We have some pedestrian crossings on our main city parkway (Bend, OR). Aside from the fact that there shouldn't be any crosswalks on a parkway, these crosswalks probably have a dozen signs around them including signs that light up with bright flashing lights when the person hits the "walk" button. Among all these signs are actual stop signs imbedded in other signs that say something like "Stop for Pedestrians". IMO, there should not be any kind of stop sign symbol on any road unless the driver is actually required to stop. Do you really need to tell people to stop for a pedestrian? I think the bright flashing lights and person standing in the road might be your clue. There are so many signs at these crosswalks that you can't read all of them before passing them at 55mph. All that to say, I can see how somebody would miss a sign about a low bridge.

The fact that this low bridge is so close to the RV park and one of only two ways into the park makes it a serious danger. The RV resort does have warnings on it's website about the low bridge. There is also a sign as you exit the park warning about the low bridge if you turn right.

I've measured the height of my RV and I check RV Trip Wizard to look for low brides along my route but I still wouldn't be surprised if I hit a low branch or even the side of a low underpass some day. It can happen to any of us.

My wife talked to the guy that this happened to and she said he was in good spirits and had and RV tech coming this afternoon to work on the RV. Hopefully the repairs are pretty straightforward and other than the A/C units, no major damage was done to the roof.

Brian
Is that the bridge going to Crownvilla on Brosterhous? I was there today working in the laundry room. KEN