I knew the tannoy announcement lets you know if you are too high, and a flashing light on the overhead gantry also lets you know to divert off at the next exit, but also a barrier drops down preventing you going any further.
But a Romanian artic must have gone past all of the above, he was waiting in the naughty corner, he was in a side slip road with a barrier at the end, in a holding area waiting for the Police to arrive to donate some Shillings for the Christmas party knees up ball at the Hilton.
I could not see how he could have gone past the point of no return, its marked four metres, he said , he was trying to get the Woolwich ferry crossing ?
Tbh, I did feel sorry for him, it looked liked he was going to be bursting in to tears.
Put it another way, you are locked in like this chap in a foreign country, you have no idea what is going to happen to you, the language barrier, will they impound the truck, will I be arrested,late for delivery, sacked by my boss’s or missed my reload ?
Should make it as simple as possible for him. Pay up, like we have to in Europe. 
This one is obvious, but how many of the messages on GB motorway matrix signs can any of us translate into French, German, Spanish or Italian? Let alone the language some of these vehicle drivers speak?
For instance: “Think Bike”
Or read the signs that tell you the height of the tunnel you’re about to drive into and save all the hassle.
Everyone on here goes on about professional drivers etc but if you don’t look at simple signs what hope have you got, it’s probably the most signposted height limit in London
And before anyone mentions the language barrier, the signs are in both ft and meters
I did that, but left on the sliproad. Had been pulling a flatbed for a couple of weeks and…erm…forgot!
nickyboy:
Or read the signs that tell you the height of the tunnel you’re about to drive into and save all the hassle.Everyone on here goes on about professional drivers etc but if you don’t look at simple signs what hope have you got, it’s probably the most signposted height limit in London
And before anyone mentions the language barrier, the signs are in both ft and meters
In meters?? Really?? Electricity or gas meters? 
can’t really understand why he would be waiting as he would be 4 mtrs as that’s the max height you can run at in Europe, and the clearance on the Blackwall north bound is 4 mtrs.!!!
wildfire:
can’t really understand why he would be waiting as he would be 4 mtrs as that’s the max height you can run at in Europe, and the clearance on the Blackwall north bound is 4 mtrs.!!!
It’s a bit of a vague 4 metres though, until a few years ago it was signposted 4 metres /13’ 4" and then overnight it became 4 metres / 13’ 0".
He might have had his suspension up.
I have been caught there too. I was driving a Blake’s trailer and the height was clearly painted on the front - 13 feet. I sat for a while and the tunnel cops came round and used a measuring stick which was hanging on the wall. I was 3" over. We had a chat and decided that it must have been measured on a lower unit (I was in an ERF) and they let me off which was nice. Is my memory playing tricks, or did it used to be 13’4"? I remember when there was only the one tunnel.
I also remember taking a rigid through Rotherhithe - that was scary.
I believe that most of the closures from tall trucks hitting the overheads is when they stray into the right hand lane.
if he cant speak English [even basic]and could not read the signs then don’t come to the uk,i have no sympathy for drivers who come here and cannot speak English and cannot understand our signs [and no never been to Europe and would not want to]although to be fair some English drivers have been caught out as well at blackwall tunnel
it was definitely 13’ 4" a few years ago as we had a trailer just over 13’ that did wall the london work .
Santa:
He might have had his suspension up.I have been caught there too. I was driving a Blake’s trailer and the height was clearly painted on the front - 13 feet. I sat for a while and the tunnel cops came round and used a measuring stick which was hanging on the wall. I was 3" over. We had a chat and decided that it must have been measured on a lower unit (I was in an ERF) and they let me off which was nice. Is my memory playing tricks, or did it used to be 13’4"? I remember when there was only the one tunnel.
I also remember taking a rigid through Rotherhithe - that was scary.
I believe that most of the closures from tall trucks hitting the overheads is when they stray into the right hand lane.
It did used to be 13’4",I used to go through with a 13’3" a few years back,don’t know why it was changed to 13’ 
truckman020:
if he cant speak English [even basic]and could not read the signs then don’t come to the uk,i have no sympathy for drivers who come here and cannot speak English and cannot understand our signs [and no never been to Europe and would not want to]although to be fair some English drivers have been caught out as well at blackwall tunnel
Daft answer. I cant speak Danish, Norweigan, German, French etc…And I drive to these places a lot. I can read numbers just fine. So I shouldn’t go there because I can’t speak the lingo? OK then, because you say so.
Euro trucks are 4m the prob is the height sensors you have to slow down coz all it takes is a little puss of wind underyour tarp to put you over
I got caught three weeks ago,got a 4m trailer thought it was going to go through then the lights and barrier of shame come on and I was diverted away and had to get the ferry over.
I couldn’t understand why I was turned away as if been through there with a stobarts trailer at 13-3ins a few years ago but not since they’ve possibly resurfaced it or mad truck banner Boris decused to lower the height.
I know it’s not the best tunnel to get through but apart from the Rotherhithe you’ve only got 3 crossings on the east side of cockneyville which in this day and age is terrible.
Santa:
I also remember taking a rigid through Rotherhithe - that was scary..
I went through with an eight legger. That was scary… for everyone coming the other way. 
The sensors on that tunnel are crap. Ive been stopped twice with trucks under the limit. I feel sorry for the chap, being in situations like that in foreign countries can be scary. Even more so when you think you’ve done nothing wrong which he probably hasn’t. I dont go through Blackwall anymore, the last straw was when one of those metal posts was hanging lower than others and it took a chunk out of a brand new fridge.
truckman020:
if he cant speak English [even basic]and could not read the signs then don’t come to the uk,i have no sympathy for drivers who come here and cannot speak English and cannot understand our signs [and no never been to Europe and would not want to]although to be fair some English drivers have been caught out as well at blackwall tunnel
Ah, a little Englander. There’s always one.
switchlogic:
truckman020:
if he cant speak English [even basic]and could not read the signs then don’t come to the uk,i have no sympathy for drivers who come here and cannot speak English and cannot understand our signs [and no never been to Europe and would not want to]although to be fair some English drivers have been caught out as well at blackwall tunnelAh, a little Englander. There’s always one.
I was going to use a different description, but yours is more family friendly… 
In my 2nd week of driving I was sent around that way! The first week I had used the m6 toll with a different company as I was agency and they refused to pay back the money. So this day I crossed the dartford crossing payed and didn’t want to pay to come back as I expected not to get the money back as that’s how I understood it worked! I was with a different company this week though and as I say I was heading towards it and yes there is plenty of signs but I just kept thinking to myself there has to be a diversion for high trucks ect?? I got to the barrier and had already decided enough was enough and I was heading back the other way. Got to the barrier all the lights going off and I felt like someone was shouting at me over the microphone but could not hear a thing they was saying! Pulled forward panicked I was in big trouble. Rang the boss of the company I was working for and he said no worries just take this ferry it’s free! I explained I had been shouted at and stuff and didn’t want him getting a letter or a fine with out me telling him first! He was cool about it, found the ferry straight over job done! Also had some tipper drivers turn up who could tell I was new in the game and told me to get going before vosa turn up! Got back and found out this company pays tolls!
Never again will I hope or presume the must be a diversion! If I see any signs like that now I stay well clear!!! Lesson learnt for me!!! I’m sure I will get a slateing for this! It’s easy to pass the test and drive around the areas you are familiar with but getting into new places can be scary!! But like I say a lot of lessons learnt that day!!!