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11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

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Re: 11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

#61

Post by __s »

jacquesm wrote: post #35
teraflop wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> a sign indicating that too large vehicles must turn, which most drivers won't read/see in time When the sign activates, it also causes the traffic light to turn red. In theory, that provides plenty of time to notice and respond to the sign; in practice, collisions still happen because people just run the red light. If someone's sufficiently determined to do something stupid and reckless, there's only so much you ca…

Running a red light should be an automatic re-exam for your license. Not two weeks ago: I stop for a red, the guy behind me stops, the guy behind him overtakes both of us and nearly kills a cyclist that had started to move in front of me. A fraction of a second quicker response by the cyclist off the mark and he'd be dead. I hate red light runners with a serious passion.

Note people aren't running reds here necessarily. A system detects a tall vehicle moving towards the bridge & times a red light. They stop, & during that time they might notice that the bridge is low & there's a sign telling them the max height. Some don't notice, & when the light goes green they drive on under

Re: 11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

#62

Post by [deleted] »

rlanday wrote: post #37
weeksie wrote: post #32

So far the best solution I've seen to this sort of thing (other than building a taller bridge) is the waterfall approach. Probably a bit spensie for some rando railroad bridge but it's clever nonetheless. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1008464/Amazing...

That’s really cool. Is that a divided highway? How do the trucks back up and turn around there?

[deleted]

Re: 11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

#63

Post by sebastien_bois »

chrisseaton wrote: post #11
sebastien_bois wrote: post #3

Still not high enough. They raised it another 8 inches to make it an even 12ft not too long ago, but evidently that still not enough. One would think they would've looked more closely at the traffic on that road and adjusted it accordingly. It's also really silly to have a sign indicating that too large vehicles must turn, which most drivers won't read/see in time, and practically force them to crash into the bridge,…

You make it sound like it's normal that people would expect that they can drive into a bridge without checking the height first - as if it's the bridge's fault for being too low. Why don't the drivers check?

> You make it sound like it's normal that people would expect that they can drive into a bridge without checking the height first

1. Most people would correctly expect that road-approved vehicles would clear all bridges.

2. This one is literally a couple of inches out for clearance; it looks like the truck is 12ft (or whatever the current bridge height is), which is probably what the truck's height indication is. It's not unreasonable for the driver to expect to clear the bridge even knowing the height of both, especially if they match closely.

3. The bridge was recently lifted to its current height - if this is a 'local' driver, they probably expect all vehicles to clear it now, knowing it got lifted.

Re: 11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

#64

Post by chrisseaton »

sebastien_bois wrote: post #63
chrisseaton wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You make it sound like it's normal that people would expect that they can drive into a bridge without checking the height first - as if it's the bridge's fault for being too low. Why don't the drivers check?

> You make it sound like it's normal that people would expect that they can drive into a bridge without checking the height first 1. Most people would correctly expect that road-approved vehicles would clear all bridges. 2. This one is literally a couple of inches out for clearance; it looks like the truck is 12ft (or whatever the current bridge height is), which is probably what the truck's height indication is. It'…

> Most people would correctly expect that road-approved vehicles would clear all bridges.

Oh right ok that's it - in my country you absolutely can't assume this so everyone is careful at all low-looking bridges.

Re: 11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

#65

Post by rtkwe »

chrisseaton wrote: post #10

What is so special about this bridge? Why do people drive under it without checking their height? You wouldn't normally think you can just drive under any bridge, would you? It doesn't even look like a very low bridge. Why do people approach it without a care in the world at full speed? My vehicle is only 2m tall and I still do take a quick look at height signs as I approach them.

It's much lower than most bridges in the US so truckers not used to thinking about their height because they're below the height of most bridges can get caught. Add to that many of these crashes are in rental trucks so you have people even less used to having to think about the height of their vehicle encountering this abnormally low bridge.

Re: 11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

#66

Post by gobins »

Animats wrote: post #53

The Sidney Harbor Tunnel had a similar problem. They came up with an elaborate but successful solution.[1] There are detectors and huge flashing warning signs that light up. Then, there's the last-chance sign. At the entrance to the tunnel, pumps force a curtain of water straight down across the entire roadway. Then a powerful laser system projects a giant octagonal red STOP sign onto the water curtain, filling the e…

This is the first time I am hearing about this. Very elaborate but I guess it’s worth it.

Re: 11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

#67

Post by underwater »

teraflop wrote: post #38
sixothree wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

White is usually used to indicate information. And in the video in the link the signal turned red after the cab of the truck passed the signal. I mean I get it. It's funny. But if it were designed well, there wouldn't have been 100+ accidents.

There are at least five signs at eye level on the road leading up to the bridge, four of which are the standard yellow warning signs: https://imgur.com/a/owITLZC In addition, the illuminated "OVERHEIGHT MUST TURN" sign flashes to attract attention. I get what you're trying to say, but this bridge is better-marked than the vast majority of road hazards one might encounter. There's a certain point beyond which it doesn…

"OVERHEIGHT MUST TURN" is such a stupid phrase. It doesn't even mean what they intend: ”OVERHEIGHT! MUST TURN!"

Re: 11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

#68

Post by sixothree »

teraflop wrote: post #38
sixothree wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

White is usually used to indicate information. And in the video in the link the signal turned red after the cab of the truck passed the signal. I mean I get it. It's funny. But if it were designed well, there wouldn't have been 100+ accidents.

There are at least five signs at eye level on the road leading up to the bridge, four of which are the standard yellow warning signs: https://imgur.com/a/owITLZC In addition, the illuminated "OVERHEIGHT MUST TURN" sign flashes to attract attention. I get what you're trying to say, but this bridge is better-marked than the vast majority of road hazards one might encounter. There's a certain point beyond which it doesn…

And how's that working out for them? 100+ accidents?

Re: 11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

#69

Post by Invictus0 »

Animats wrote: post #53

The Sidney Harbor Tunnel had a similar problem. They came up with an elaborate but successful solution.[1] There are detectors and huge flashing warning signs that light up. Then, there's the last-chance sign. At the entrance to the tunnel, pumps force a curtain of water straight down across the entire roadway. Then a powerful laser system projects a giant octagonal red STOP sign onto the water curtain, filling the e…

Why cant they put a swinging bar at the tunnel height some distance before the tunnel? The bar knocks the top of the truck and wakes up whoever is driving to the fact that the truck is too tall.

Re: 11 Foot 8 – The Can-opener Bridge

#70

Post by johan_larson »

How about something counter-intuitive: lower the limit? There is a built-in hard limit imposed by the structure itself. Set the marked limit to something well short of that, like 8 feet. Then add very obvious soft barriers like light swinging bars to indicate the lower boundary. That would encourage anyone driving anything that might actually hit the hard limit to take an alternate route. (Of course, that means there actually needs to be a realistic alternate route.)
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