How will this gague work as if it was some kind of beam affair it won’t work until your stuck and it’s not if the height is constantly changing as you drive. Measure when you pick the trailer up or when you load it and that’s the height until the end.
But wouldn’t it be handy if someone made a foolproof gadget that did it for you? I know the old ■■■■■ would look down on it but they do that with satnavs and they’ve revolutionised the job.
miketdt:
My yacht has a cheap fish finder depth gauge that shows me how deep the water is and were the mud banks are, couldn’t this be used upside down for telling drivers the height of bridges etc? Just a thought.
This worries me.
The Highwaymen nail signs to the bridges stating their height.
All that’s required then is for the driver to know how high his trailer/load is.
You do know how high your trailer/load is, don’t you?
If not, do you know how to use a tape measure or yardstick?
Thousands of drivers protesting the CPC on the grounds that it’s patronising and teaching them how to ■■■■ eggs, then a question from a driver like this. Makes me think, some people are in desperate need of the CPC!
Mr B:
But wouldn’t it be handy if someone made a foolproof gadget that did it for you? I know the old ■■■■■ would look down on it but they do that with satnavs and they’ve revolutionised the job.
And how many times is the sat-nav wrong? Or just not quite accurate?
What would be the outcome if these height sensors got it wrong, or weren’t quite accurate?
The trouble is, if it’s electrical, it’s never foolproof.
Further, foolproof devices breed fools in my opinion.
No need to invent one anyways. There’s already an app for that ithinknew.com/measure-distance-h … oid-phone/ 
In 1993 Fed Ex entered me in UK driver of the year, I never even got a place in that competition, well … 12th out of 86 but the best driver I saw and he was also the outright winner showed knowledge of trailer height better than any man I have ever seen. A steel girder was suspended by a crane and he sat in his cab and used hand signals to get the crane drive to lower the girder to the safe height, when in position he drove underand the gap was 1/2" the crowd were stunned and he was well rewarded with the trophy … I was about a foot bellow the spot.
miketdt:
My yacht has a cheap fish finder depth gauge quote]
What is the average price of fish?
Juddian:
Edit…read the bloody OP proper…doh.Actually on second thoughts, you could easily use a height stick to measure internally as well as its normal use, so here’s the link.
arinsdale.com/ProductGuide/t … fault.aspx
Proper car transporter companies have issued these to drivers for years.
I never think making those out of metal is a good idea with overhead cable risks.
I think there is a gap in the market though for something more compact made of plastic or nylon type material that’s like a telescope radio aerial.
damoq:
Thats why they put signs up telling you the bridge height.
So why do we see so many bridge strikes ? I think my fish finder works by sonar, it sends signals out and back at high speed and shows a picture of whats under you, about 30 metres ahead of you. I set the alarm to beep when I get into shallow water, ie 5 feet as I need 4 feet minimum daft under the boat. In my experience driving brick crane artic’s with a roll loader crane, very often you would go under railway arches where the sign height stated you couldn’t go. Also when folding the crane up to back load 3 packs high timber to get your weight on , you couldn’t always get the crane as low as you would wish. Another thing with the brick cranes was you couldn’t always see the top of the crane in your mirrors so it was easy to forget it was there, not that I hit any bridges in 17 years but I have stood on the brakes once or twice at the last minute.
miketdt:
damoq:
Thats why they put signs up telling you the bridge height.So why do we see so many bridge strikes ? I think my fish finder works by sonar, it sends signals out and back at high speed and shows a picture of whats under you, about 30 metres ahead of you. I set the alarm to beep when I get into shallow water, ie 5 feet as I need 4 feet minimum daft under the boat. In my experience driving brick crane artic’s with a roll loader crane, very often you would go under railway arches where the sign height stated you couldn’t go. Also when folding the crane up to back load 3 packs high timber to get your weight on , you couldn’t always get the crane as low as you would wish. Another thing with the brick cranes was you couldn’t always see the top of the crane in your mirrors so it was easy to forget it was there, not that I hit any bridges in 17 years but I have stood on the brakes once or twice at the last minute.
Driver error probably about 99.9% of the time. Fitting a warning aid would almost certainly make drivers rely on such a device as their only means of avoiding bridge strikes. All well and good till the one time it doesn’t work and you hit a bridge. Then the excuses would be similar to the ones from drivers following their satnavs blindly without good old common sense.
Own Account Driver:
I never think making those out of metal is a good idea with overhead cable risks.I think there is a gap in the market though for something more compact made of plastic or nylon type material that’s like a telescope radio aerial.
Again, common sense says you don’t wave a metal pole around overhead power lines.
Do we really need plastic ones just in case someone does decide to put it on power lines?
If the user is really that stupid, then they’d be doing the world a favour…
Think inventing a ‘driving’ brain or common sense would be a better idea! 
miketdt:
Why does’nt someone invent a height gauge for a truck?
Why don’t you?
I’m pretty sure Thomas Edison didn’t think “why doesn’t someone invent a light bulb?” and sit there mulling it over on an internet forum; he got off his arse and got in with it.
Truth is, you knew it was a crap idea otherwise you wouldn’t have posted it on here. You should be charged with wasting TNUK’s time and put on pre-mod until you stop being silly.
I hope this helps.
cieranc:
Own Account Driver:
I never think making those out of metal is a good idea with overhead cable risks.I think there is a gap in the market though for something more compact made of plastic or nylon type material that’s like a telescope radio aerial.
Again, common sense says you don’t wave a metal pole around overhead power lines.
Do we really need plastic ones just in case someone does decide to put it on power lines?If the user is really that stupid, then they’d be doing the world a favour…
OAD makes a good point in my opinion. You might say that only a suicidally stupid person would wave a metal pole around near cables, but check out the accident stats and you’ll find that it happens more often than you might think. Other advantage of plastic is that it would probably be lighter.
We are, however, discussing bridges not electrical cables.
Longman5978:
Think inventing a ‘driving’ brain or common sense would be a better idea!
No chance we’ll stick with OAD’s idea
Nowt wrong with the stupid being electrocuted but where there’s blame there’s a claim 
& the eleccy company would probavly be sued .
I doubt you’d be surprised but there’s a fair few bridge strikes on the motorway, car transporter took 6 cars off , site machinery etc.
Surely the driver needs a slap ?
The people that think such a device would be a stupid waste of time are probably the same ones that think the invention of the twin tub was bad because it gave women time to watch JK on day time TV. 
Is this what the DCPC will teach us, What happened to common sense, logik, simple physics and professionalism, wake up for gods sake, 146" bridge, 149" truck = wont fit, 149" bridge and 146" truck will fit, simples, buy a truckers atlas with bridge heights on and plan the route instead of relying on a TomTom slacknav that is totally rubbish and doesnt take into account truck heights or weights, plenty of signs to warn nowadays. Can somebody pass me the toilet roll and wipe my a[zb]se for me please due to me being so useless I cant do it myself. 
Yes its the old I have done more miles in reverse routine but some young uns dont know the unwritten rules of the road and cant do anything for them selves unless they are told how to do it.
Devices already exist, companies too tight to fit them.
I already investigated for the sake of a patent on a design I made a year or so ago.
Is this what you had in mind?
miketdt:
damoq:
Thats why they put signs up telling you the bridge height.So why do we see so many bridge strikes ?
not that I hit any bridges in 17 years but I have stood on the brakes once or twice at the last minute.
So you are a fantastic judge of bridge height by eye, but can’t see a clearly marked sign?
I think your signature says it all.
If you really want a height stick, you can get them from Belle Trailers at Dunmow that where most car delivery companies get them from, use to be about £80.