Tomorrow I have 4 drops in London from Birmingham and at the minute planning the best way to go. Looking at the Atlas, between drop 1 and drop 2 there is a 16’ bridge in my way and guess what I have a 16’ trailer. My TM said earlier that the height stated in the Truckers Atlas was the maximum trailer height permitted and not the height of the bridge (this may be a couple of inches taller). The question is, is he right?
Any comments welcome…
TFI Friday
if the height of your trailer says for instance 5.0m and the bridge height says in a triangle nothing over 5.0m then you can risk it
if its 5.0 in a circle dont do it
because that is the bridge height
measure the height of the trailer so you know the actual height
just because the traffic office say its ok it wont be if you hit the bridge
if your not happy dont go near it
Look in the atlas for the closest bridge to you, then go to the bridge and see if the height is the same as marked in your atlas (which I suspect it will be) or if it shows differently to allow for your trailer (which I suspect it won’t!).
As to whether you risk it or not, I think depends on how much of a gambler you are! I wouldn’t risk it cos I wouldn’t want to have to back up causing disruption to other road users who are wondering why truckers don’t check their heights.
On the other hand, I have seen a lorry drive under one of those height warnings that flashes up on a board, then proceed to get under the bridge without even slowing down - he was driving a local company vehicle so I guess he knew he could get under.
You could measure the trailer. I would play it safe - but I’m a wimp! 
well its totally un related to the bridge in question but i do know of a bridge in london ive been under many times, its the only way to get to a housing estate i often delivered to,
its marked as 13’
my truck was 13,6
everyone in the company knew it
if the bridge height was in reality 20 metres high and the sign in a circle said 4.0 metres it would be an offence to go past the sign
Just because the trailer is marked at 16’ doesnt mean it is.It depends on the height of your fifth wheel.
Also overall height can be affected by raising any lift axles as a colleague of mine once found out to his cost in Germany. 
Axle down his trailer was 4 meters but combination of pin depth and rear suspension raise when mid lift was up meant a hefty repair bill. 
Sounds a bit close to me mate so check very carefully because if you hit it then its your ■■■■ in the firing line… 
I regularly go on the Sth Circular past Kew where there’s a 4.5m bridge. Some of the trailers are marked at 4.47m and they always set off the ‘overheight vehicle - turn back’ sign (I’d love to know where you’re supposed to ‘turn back’ there anyway!! - for those that know it). It’s nice to see the cars following suddenly drop back as I go thundering through. I’ve measured the trailer heights & they are certainly never over the stated height but it would be interesting to get out & measure the actual bridge clearance one day.
TFI Friday:
. My TM said earlier that the height stated in the Truckers Atlas was the maximum trailer height permitted and not the height of the bridge (this may be a couple of inches taller). The question is, is he right?Any comments welcome…
Did your driving instructor not teach you one of the most basic rules in truck driving??.
Never listen to your TM, every word they utter is bovine excretia.