Bridge 1:0 Bus
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From: "MatSav" matthew | dot | savage | at | dsl | dot | pipex | dot | on 23 Dec 2009 06:51 johnwright" <""john\"@no spam here.com wrote: > > I think one of the most interesting routes the Tom Tom has done > was to > bring us home from an obscure dog breeder in the middle of > Leicestershire. I know the route home from Eastbourne to near Heathrow very well, including lots of possible diversions. However, when making the journey late one night, I decided I'd use "shortest" on the TomTom. When it said "take the next right", the suggested route was into a minor road with a width restriction and a steep gradient sign, so I ignored the instruction. The next suggested junction looked more promising, so I followed the newly-suggested route instead. After a couple of miles, the road got narrower, and the trees completely overhung the road. There had been no warning signs of width restrictions that I'd seen - but there weren't any passing places either. Fortunately, nothing came the other way! Then the tarmac ran out. I was driving on a dirt road, little more than a bridleway, at 1am, with no idea where I actually was! I won't make the same mistake again... -- MatSav
From: "MatSav" matthew | dot | savage | at | dsl | dot | pipex | dot | on 23 Dec 2009 06:57 Denis McMahon wrote: > > This 2005 story > > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/4509806.stm > > suggests that the problem is pretty widespread, ... > > It's interesting that according to that report, some drivers > manage to > ignore "collision protection beams and chevron marking and > improved > signage" - presumably by collision protection beams they are > referring > to an optical overheight detection coupled with a warning > system. Then you may be wrong. I believe they mean "beams" as in "girt big f-off steel girders, brightly painted, mounted just before the bridge at the same height" (in order to prevent damage to the bridge itself). -- MatSav
From: Cynic on 23 Dec 2009 07:37 On 22 Dec 2009 20:04:20 GMT, Adrian <toomany2cvs(a)gmail.com> wrote: >Cynic <cynic_999(a)yahoo.co.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much like they >were saying: > >> In that case are you opposed to the plethora of warning hooters in >> passenger aircraft cockpits? After all, the pilot has a map that tells >> him how high the mountain is and an altimeter that tells him how high >> the aircraft is, so it is just as easy for him to work out if he will >> get over it as it is for the lorry driver to know whether he will get >> under the bridge. Yet you will find a terrain clearance system that >> operates as a last resort warning if the pilot screws up. Same applies >> to undercarriage warnings, stall warnings, engine overspeed warnings, >> door unlatch warnings etc. etc. > >There's a rather big difference between installing a warning device in >the plane and installing a warning device on every single mountain... Next time you see a tall aerial mast, look at the top of it. You will note that it has a flashing red beacon. Guess why that's there. And those are fitted to *every* tall mast. -- Cynic
From: Cynic on 23 Dec 2009 07:38 On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:35:34 -0000, "Mr X" <invalid(a)invalid.com> wrote: >>>> I see. So presumably you are completely opposed to the huge amount of >>>> money we spend on gritting the roads every year. We should instead >>>> simply laugh at all the smashed up vehicles whose drivers were obviously >>>> too stupid to realise that the roads were slippery. >> >>>Where did I say that sensible precautions weren't required? I'd have said >>>a compulsory sign in front of every low bridge and a compulsory notice in >>>the cab of every tall vehicle were such sensible precautions. >> >> As are hanging chains on the approach. >> >Which could shatter the windows of the bus. Which is preferable to shearing off the whole roof. -- Cynic >
From: Cynic on 23 Dec 2009 07:41
On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:11:57 +0000, Roland Perry <roland(a)perry.co.uk> wrote: >In message <t492j5h6tucglm1uehlqgbtma47u7umc1u(a)4ax.com>, at 20:00:36 on >Tue, 22 Dec 2009, Cynic <cynic_999(a)yahoo.co.uk> remarked: >>Maybe you should remove all the safety equipment from your car and fit >>a huge spike to the centre of the steering wheel. After all, provided >>you never make a mistake, you'll be no worse off. > >Unfortunately, about half the relevant mistakes are made by someone >else. But as a perfect driver, you should be able to anticipate and avoid them. -- Cynic |