Palletways driver trying to get round the a38 closure tries to take his 16ft lorry under a 14ft bridge. Didn’t end well. Sorry no pictures, I was driving at the time. Being a pro driver and what not.
Tries looking for info in the local rag but nothing up yet. Does seem to be a popular bridge for strikes though. Wonder why.
You knows the rules “no photo it didn’t happen “ 
Some will say the hgv hit the bridge,others will say the bridge hit the hgv 50/50 tbh…
xichrisxi:
Some will say the hgv hit the bridge,others will say the bridge hit the hgv 50/50 tbh…
You mean something like the “knock for knock” that insurance companies used to use and each party paid for their own damage.
The driver…
Said he missed the sign at the top of the road in an interview with the BBC who were making a documentary about the bridge being hit all the time.
yourhavingalarf:
The driver…Said he missed the sign at the top of the road in an interview with the BBC who were making a documentary about the bridge being hit all the time.
Yeah I thought that too 
Then again… what can you say?
Following satnav sheep like, instead of planning own route.
Was the official signed diversion to rejoin the A38 taking traffic under a 14ft bridge?
If so then whichever clowns plan the diversion bare a small amount of responsibility.
DickyNick:
Was the official signed diversion to rejoin the A38 taking traffic under a 14ft bridge?If so then whichever clowns plan the diversion bare a small amount of responsibility.
Nah…
I’m not buying that at all. If the local council directed traffic to drive off a cliff would you do it? Of course not.
Please don’t try to excuse ■■■■ poor planning, panic and stupidity.
DickyNick:
Was the official signed diversion to rejoin the A38 taking traffic under a 14ft bridge?
Even if it was, there’s a signed and short alternative route around the bridge for overheight vehicles.
yourhavingalarf:
DickyNick:
Was the official signed diversion to rejoin the A38 taking traffic under a 14ft bridge?If so then whichever clowns plan the diversion bare a small amount of responsibility.
Nah…
I’m not buying that at all. If the local council directed traffic to drive off a cliff would you do it? Of course not.
Please don’t try to excuse ■■■■ poor planning, panic and stupidity.
Panic and stupidity yes I agree. ■■■■ poor planning? Half the time you drive at night you aren’t aware of diversions until your at them no matter how much you try and plan. To then follow a diversion that takes you to a low bridge, no I’m not saying it’s an excuse to still drive under it and hit it, but it certainly adds to a stressful situation the driver might be alrewdy in by this point.
If an official diversion route does have a low bridge they should either provide an alternative diversion for higher vehicles or at least put in the sign bridge this height ahead, over height vehicles seek alternative route.
Just because we are HGV drivers doesn’t mean we know absolutely everywhere and can easily find a suitable diversion somewhere we don’t know.
Never sure why companies spec trailers higher than 4.2m for a curtainsider on general haulage unless there’s a lot of suitable loads that fill the height as at 4.2m you can get under most of them on major routes but 4.5m and suddenly you can’t.
yourhavingalarf:
The driver…Said he missed the sign at the top of the road in an interview with the BBC who were making a documentary about the bridge being hit all the time.
Missing seeing the sign wasn’t the problem though was it …he also missed seeing the ■■■■ bridge.
If he does not even notice overhead bridges at whatever height as a pro driver, he should not have a licence.
Yet another ■■■■ muppet with a Class 1.
robroy:
yourhavingalarf:
The driver…Said he missed the sign at the top of the road in an interview with the BBC who were making a documentary about the bridge being hit all the time.
Missing seeing the sign wasn’t the problem though was it
If he does not even notice overhead bridges at whatever height as a pro driver, he should not have a licence.
Yet another [zb] muppet with a Class 1.
yes but he didnt miss the text he was reading at the time 
Own Account Driver:
Never sure why companies spec trailers higher than 4.2m for a curtainsider on general haulage.
For Palletways and similar, its not that the pallets wont fit, but there’s a lot of low pallets and light ones which go on the top deck of the 16’ double deckers overnight. Get 36 pallets on instead of 26.
Would agree not sure why they need single deckers higher than 4.2m for daytime usage unless those are low specialised double deckers. Anything higher gets hard to strap.
Robroy:
he also missed seeing the [zb] bridge.
But in his defence, someone painted the bridge black rather than bright green or he’d have spotted it thinking it was owned by the green brigade and likely waved at it…before hitting it.
Own Account Driver:
Never sure why companies spec trailers higher than 4.2m for a curtainsider on general haulage unless there’s a lot of suitable loads that fill the height as at 4.2m you can get under most of them on major routes but 4.5m and suddenly you can’t.
We take a lot of stuff that wouldn’t fit in something 4.2m high. Needs about 4.7m to fit in. Also double decker 16 footers on night trunks. Over 200 trailers and the entire fleet is above 4.7m and bridges don’t get hit, and loads of stuff goes to London the capital of low bridges.
So there is definitely a need for high trailers and it’s definitely possible to drive round the whole UK in towns, cities, and countryside and all in between and to not strike bridges.
What’s with these signs? 4.2metres/14 feet? There’s one in exeter too, 4.2 metres is less than 13 foot 8 and that’s a big difference so the missus says. Misleading, although not in a 16 foot trailer, granted.