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A Question of Height
I have been in the back woods of Louisiana and East Texas on many a smaller road. I have noticed No of overpasses labeled 13 2 or less, usually RR overpasses with what I can only describe as hefty amounts of scar tissue. My dash placard shows 12 7……… So here is the question, considering where I am, the apparent ages of both the signage and overpasses, considering there may well be another 4-6 inches of pavement laid down since the last sign update….how much excess or lack there of, do people allow?
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4 Replies
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I don’t attempt anything less than 13’6″ no matter what. I don’t use back roads unless absolutely necessary to get into a campground or such.
We had several of our truck drivers hit overpasses where the sign was wrong. Last one was around Grand Forks, ND a few years ago, where they had just put down new asphalt and not checked or revised the sign. They paid for our damaged trailer in that one.
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John, obtain three sections of suitable plastic pipe/conduit that will store in a bay or toad.
Mark them off so that when clamped or taped together you can pole the questionable underpass.
Be creative and be safe.
JIM
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John,
I cannot speak to southern practice but in the snow belt of western New York it was customary to mark bridge clearances as 12 inches less than actual. The reason was to compensate for heavy snow build-up.
It might be a regional practice.
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Boy, I bet it makes a hell of a lot of noise when the bridge is a bit lower than expected! There are a few YouTube videos of such items! A friend with an H3 says his wife always ducks when going under an overpass. And they have had this coach for four years! Scares the crap out of her!
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