my atlas shows a 14’9" bridge at beddgelert on the A4085 which counts a decker out but other than that theres nothing obvious to set the alarm bells of
i deliver around that area to farms etc and that road should be better signed and some of the outher routes around that area.
i used to go from bangor to aberystwyth regular and my sat nav allways took me A487 A470 A487
a casual glance at the map would have shown that
the A487 Caernafon to Porthmadog road was the better option
though being longer its indicated as being a trunk
therefore more suitable for trucks
thats green roads in the truckers atlas
it also shows that the A4085 runs thru the National Park
which could well mean its a bit hilly and twisty
now which way would i have gone
not knowing the road with a decker A487
with a low trailer and time to kill A4085
jimti:
Can someone with the “truckers atlas” let me know what it says about that route please?
The “AA Truckers Atlas” shows clearly that going through Beddgelert is not the best way to go in an artic, whilst we don’t know exactly why the driver took that route this does appear to be a case of a driver blindly following a sat-nav.
Assuming that he took the A4085 from Caernarfon there was nothing to be gained by diverting from the Primary route (A487).
Whilst it’s possible to have some sympathy for the driver on the first run I’m at a loss to imagine why he would turn back up the same road from Porthmadog 
On a slightly different topic maybe it’s time that the road classification system was reviewed, technology and the way people use the roads has changed a great deal over the years but road classification has for the most part stood still since the 60s 
Things have changed a lot since the A and B road system was reviewed with primary routes being added in the 60s I think, with most people now having access to a sat-nav maybe it’s time to add something like an A1 classification to show that the road is not a primary route or is not suitable for large vehicles.
This would make it more obvious whether or not a road was on a primary route without having to check a map, there’s no excuse for a lorry driver using a car sat-nav not checking the route on the sat-nav to see what class of roads are being used on the route.
Scanned from the “AA Truckers Atlas (7th edition)”
The plot thickens, looking at the map and Assuming that he took the A4085 from Caernarfon how did he get under the 14’ 9 bridge in Beddgelert. Looking at the news report I don’t know if it’s the camera Angle but that looks like a decker to me
tachograph:
jimti:
Can someone with the “truckers atlas” let me know what it says about that route please?The “AA Truckers Atlas” shows clearly that going through Beddgelert is not the best way to go in an artic, whilst we don’t know exactly why the driver took that route this does appear to be a case of a driver blindly following a sat-nav.
Assuming that he took the A4085 from Caernarfon there was nothing to be gained by diverting from the Primary route (A487).
Whilst it’s possible to have some sympathy for the driver on the first run I’m at a loss to imagine why he would turn back up the same road from Porthmadog
On a slightly different topic maybe it’s time that the road classification system was reviewed, technology and the way people use the roads has changed a great deal over the years but road classification has for the most part stood still since the 60s
Things have changed a lot since the A and B road system was reviewed with primary routes being added in the 60s I think, with most people now having access to a sat-nav maybe it’s time to add something like an A1 classification to show that the road is not a primary route or is not suitable for large vehicles.
This would make it more obvious whether or not a road was on a primary route without having to check a map, there’s no excuse for a lorry driver using a car sat-nav not checking the route on the sat-nav to see what class of roads are being used on the route.Scanned from the “AA Truckers Atlas (7th edition)”
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Thank You for the concise reply, looking at the map you are right it doesn’t look like the best route, but on saying that, it doesn’t look like a “NO GO” route either and I agree that UK roads need reclassifying, but the AA (other maps are available) sell their maps as a “TRUCKERS ATLAS” so surely they should be highlighting this road as unsuitable. We are all quick to blame sat navs, but I am still left with the impression that there are no warning bells ringing for the route the Halfords driver took, the first warning would have been when he came to the sat nav sign, how far down the road was that, anyone know?
I still can’t believe he went the same route twice though
I can honestly say that given the same circumstances and using the AA map, had I been caught up in say heavy traffic, or fancied a scenic drive I would have no worries about using the route this driver chose, unless the “satnav” sign was at the start of the A4085.
You have to understand that I have never driven in the area before so am unfamiliar with the terrain.
The sat nav sign is on the A4085 at the roundabout just before you get to Waunfawr so you can spin around and go back, up until this point the road is fine but if you miss the sign and go through Waunfawr the road really starts to narrow to almost single track at some points and once you get to Beddgelert it gets even worse
The problem is too many drivers ‘Engage Sat-Nav’ then ‘Disengage Brain’.
I dont even own a Sat-Nav but if I did, I would only switch it on when I got within a couple of miles of the Town/City I was going to.
Any driver that needs a Sat-Nav to drive from one end of the country to the other needs to get a different job.
Even if you are new to the job a quick look at the Atlas before setting off should be all you need until as stated above you arrive near the Town/City you are going to.
One more thing, I’m sure Porthmadog is sign posted (via A487 ) from Bangor ? Even if it isn’t its obvious from a quick look at that page from the Atlas to follow the A487 via Porthmadog and then on to Aberystwyth. So this looks like a case of ‘Engage Sat-Nav’ ‘Disengage Brain’ ?
‘Happy New Year’
using that route once shows a lack of common sense,twice is negligence.Its the same old story ,most of us are professional drivers.Then theres a large bunch of licence holders engaged in logistics solutions
This article tells a slightly different story and explains why he headed towards Beddgelert a second time.
jimti:
We are all quick to blame sat navs
I don’t and never have blamed sat-navs for this kind of incident, you can blame the driver or the lack of proper road signs but I fail to see how anyone can blame the sat-nav.
When journalists write these stories it must be hard for them to decide whether to blame the sat-nav or the lorry driver, either way it’s going to be a popular story 
I’ve gone off primary routes to save time but in this case I don’t see how taking that route is likely to save time which is what makes me think perhaps the driver was blindly following a sat-nav.
A lesson to be learned in my opinion 
By the way I’ve just set my Tomtom up for car use and set a route from Bangor to Aberystwyth and it would have taken me down the A4085 , after resetting it to truck mode it routes down the A487 
europleb:
using that route once shows a lack of common sense,twice is negligence.Its the same old story ,most of us are professional drivers.Then theres a large bunch of licence holders engaged in logistics solutions
No sir there are lorry drivers and men who drive lorry’s!
a sat nav is more than a map if set right
speed cameras cafes and other helpful stuff can be put on
so it can be useful to run with it on all the time
mmm to reiterate better A roads are coded green (trunk)
not only cant people use sat nav right
most of us cant decipher the basics of a map
dont know about halfords, but i thought most big retail companies had usually used a driver to recce the best routes into shops?. i remember woolies used to give you the routes with the notes
Argos Magna Parks idea of a map is a hand drawn by driver jobby
your expected to be able to get some where near then the MAP
warns of the pitfalls of the location
gives turning points and stuff
i will put one up next time i am in to get one
i,ve only traveled that road once never again and i drive a 6 wheeler i now travel up the a487 to caernarfon then onto the a4085 as i deliver to a farm in caeathro the road is narrow if you meet a car you’ve got to stop,telegraph poles wrong side of the stone walls etc
Looking at the second news report I don’t think this has anything to do with sat nav. I have just put into my sat nav Bangor to Aberystwyth and it wants to take me to caernarfon then down the A4085 through Beddgelert.
According to the report he approached Beddgelert via the A498, my guess is that he looked at the map and come out of Bangor and headed down the A5, hung a right onto the A 4086 then onto the A 498 to Beddgelert, which looks quite feasible, in other words he probably fancied the scenic route.
After getting stuck for the first time he has taken another wrong turn in porthmadog and headed back up toward Beddgelert, which makes me think he didn’t have a sat nav at all or he had it switched off.
Either way that was one bad day in the office, the poor bloke must have been suicidal when he realised that he was headed back toward Beddgelert.
Big Roy:
Looking at the second news report I don’t think this has anything to do with sat nav. I have just put into my sat nav Bangor to Aberystwyth and it wants to take me to caernarfon then down the A4085 through Beddgelert.
According to the report he approached Beddgelert via the A498, my guess is that he looked at the map and come out of Bangor and headed down the A5, hung a right onto the A 4086 then onto the A 498 to Beddgelert, which looks quite feasible, in other words he probably fancied the scenic route.
After getting stuck for the first time he has taken another wrong turn in porthmadog and headed back up toward Beddgelert, which makes me think he didn’t have a sat nav at all or he had it switched off.
Either way that was one bad day in the office, the poor bloke must have been suicidal when he realised that he was headed back toward Beddgelert.
when you come into Tremadog from Caernarfon side to stay on the A487 you have to turn right for Porthmadog. If you go straight on you head back for Beddgelert. Lot of people miss the turning and go straight on and by the time they have realised its too late to turn around
Surely he would of known there was not going to be enough room, sometimes abit of thought can save a ■■■■ up, ive found that out a few times, touch wood I dont have a ■■■■ up like this fellow.
It would be pretty embarrasing to be honest.