I took a 14ft 6" trailer under a bridge that was 14,6 and had the window down just incase i heard contact ha. Ridiculous really but i had sweaty palms and a clenched ■■■■ as i went under.
My main concern was i measured the trailer with a tape measure by standing on the cat walk and measuring form the top down and then from the bottom of the trailer to the floor and added the numbers. You just have that bit of doubt in you. After that when i was parked up with a transporter guy i borrowed his height stick and it was 14ft 6" so it was OK.
MrGodSquad:
If your truck is 4.4m would you go under a bridge that was plated at 4.5m or 4.6m or higher?
If your vehicle was measured at 4.4 m, you can pass a height limit if 4.4 m, as that indicates the maximum height vehicle that may pass the sign.
If you measured you vehicle and it was 4.42 m, you would mark it in the cab as 4.5 m, and that is the lowest height limit you could pass (height limits are always marked in multiples of 0.1 m or 3 inches).
i give 2 inches. say if truck hight is 15’ 7" min i go under is 15’ 9". and i am paranoic bout that one as well lol. still drive very slow. it can be that some drivers forget to lvl air in unit or sum like this and it can become dangerous. plus the road can be unlevel and make ur truck or trailer jump a bit. if i see a bridge like same hight as me. IF i give a go i do like 1 mile an hour and as one of our guys here said with my head on the window lol.
MrGodSquad:
I was just wondering today, at what high difference on a low bridge do you give before you say its to close. Say your height is 4.4M or 14ft 5in, what is the smallest high of bridge you would go under?
or in other words what high difference do you give yourself?
thanks
It’s all set out nicely here for you in this quote:
If a vehicle is higher than the dimension(s) shown on a circular traffic sign, you must stop and must not pass the sign. If you pass the sign you are likely to collide with the bridge and be prosecuted.
If the vehicle is higher than the dimension(s) shown on a triangular traffic sign at the bridge, you should not pass the sign.
The above quote is from page #2 of this downloadable and saveable .pdf from here…
Well at the end of the day if your marked up at say 14.4 you can go under anything that’s 14.4 and under as if you hit the bridge in my eyes you are in the right as your vehicle does not exceed the height limit stated. It is illegal to pass under a bridge if you are higher then what the sign is marked up. But obviously if you was 14.4 I would be taking it very slow and maybe even get out and check once in front of the bridge to cover your arse
All depends on your fifth wheel height. For instance the bridge into Swinton to morphy Richards is 14.9 in our dafs we fit under with a 14.9 trailer the fifth wheel height is 1250 but now in the MAN the fifth wheel height is 1300 so we take the harder route lol. Also should check what the trailer is measured to. They should say based on the fifth wheel height of ________ and so on
If you struck any Bridges such as Height, Width or Weight you are aware that your company/driver is personally responsible for repairs and responding to the accident and any loss of income from it. For example a well known Transport company struck a Bridge near me and that company had pay Network Rail for cost of repair to bridge + Cost of compensation which the train operators had pay to people for cancelled services + cost of temp transport at Train Stations + Council Services Cost + Emergency Service Costs!!
Better example was a Lorry got stuck on a narrow traffic calming point which was put there to stop lorries coming that route which that transport company damaged there truck + had pay council around 3K in repairing the traffic calming measure as I remember the morning getting call from Police letting us know about it!
You should all remember your training and if your truck is 4.4M well that the measurement, don’t try think of I fit in a 4.36M bridge coz there a couple mm of a difference, personally I rather not risk it and explain to my Transport Manager why I ripped the roof of his truck as we all know how grumpy Transport Managers are on a good day!
exit:
The bridge height sign indicates the maximum height of a vehicle which can safely pass. The bridge is likely to be higher.
I reckon this is about right. I have tried researching this subject and failed so far to find anything conclusive to say there is a tolerance between what the sign says and the actual height.
I suppose it is a case that if it is a round sign - it is illegal to pass it if your vehicle is higher. If it is triangular then as long as you fit under it’s OK
The fact that a bridge might actually be higher than a posted limit does nothing to alter a posted limit. 
