The million pound bill to repair our canal bridges

[Wassat]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01n6rs1

 

Towards the end

[luctor et emergo]

Well, no change their then, simply blame the trucks... :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

 

One of these days, we will down tools. Oh how we will laugh, when the little people run around, wailing about empty shops and petrolstations....

[MikeV]

Well, no change their then, simply blame the trucks...

No - the truck drivers for driving away and not reporting the damage!

[furnessvale]

Well, no change their then, simply blame the trucks... :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

 

One of these days, we will down tools. Oh how we will laugh, when the little people run around, wailing about empty shops and petrolstations....

 

Trucks and farmers tractors get the blame for hit and run incidents because a private car is incapable of causing such damage and still being fit to leave the scene. Ask Network Rail about bridge bashes. An average of 3 every day and most trucks, if they can extracate themselves, will leave the scene if not challenged.

 

As for truckers downing tools en mass. They are their own worst enemies, always willing to undercut each other to win a contract. Owners import cheap Polish drivers to depress the wages market and the average driver gets peanuts for such responsibility.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[luctor et emergo]

Trucks and farmers tractors get the blame for hit and run incidents because a private car is incapable of causing such damage and still being fit to leave the scene. Ask Network Rail about bridge bashes. An average of 3 every day and most trucks, if they can extracate themselves, will leave the scene if not challenged.

 

As for truckers downing tools en mass. They are their own worst enemies, always willing to undercut each other to win a contract. Owners import cheap Polish drivers to depress the wages market and the average driver gets peanuts for such responsibility.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

 

Sure, and how does a trucker explain that damage, when he gets back? The number of trucks, using such bridges, is very small. Now, the number of farmers..... and how many farmers, are properly trained, to use modern tractors and farm trailers? Judging by the amount that I regularly see without proper lights or marking, not many.

[furnessvale]

Sure, and how does a trucker explain that damage, when he gets back? The number of trucks, using such bridges, is very small. Now, the number of farmers..... and how many farmers, are properly trained, to use modern tractors and farm trailers? Judging by the amount that I regularly see without proper lights or marking, not many.

 

The fact that the truck is damaged will be self evident whether he stays at the scene or not. If he runs he can at least say to the boss that he saved the insurance no claims bonus (unless of course he is an owner driver with everything to gain).

 

It is unrealistic to try and absolve HGV drivers from all blame. Again, most Network Rail bridges are out of reach for farmers but 3 a day are struck. (Did I say 3. Make that 5).

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Hairy-Neil]

The fact that the truck is damaged will be self evident whether he stays at the scene or not. If he runs he can at least say to the boss that he saved the insurance no claims bonus (unless of course he is an owner driver with everything to gain).

 

It is unrealistic to try and absolve HGV drivers from all blame. Again, most Network Rail bridges are out of reach for farmers but 3 a day are struck. (Did I say 3. Make that 5).

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

I'm amazed that the figures are that low....

 

There's a low railway bridge in Boston that pedestrians have to duck for...

[Guest]

Luc,

 

Not all HGV drivers are saints and whilst they clearly can't be responsible for all the damage surely they must be for some -

 

(The one who did this to us on the M62 a few years back and left the scene was definitely a complete bar steward) -

 

Edited October 11, 2012 by The Dog House

[Naughty Cal]

I'm amazed that the figures are that low....

 

There's a low railway bridge in Boston that pedestrians have to duck for...

 

There is indeed. And if you forget to duck as you are walking back from the supermarket to the moorings with bags full of shopping it bloody hurts

[luctor et emergo]

I'm not saying that all truck drivers are angels, I know very well that they are not. But what gets my goat, and a response even though I should know better, is the simple 'blame the big and nasty/stupid trucks' attitude. Most of these accidents are either local farmers, who whack these bridges with their trailers, or car drivers, who drive to fast down narrow roads. These bridges are usually on twisty corners, on narrow roads. That is where many cars loose control.

 

To be honest, I would like to see statistics, as to the cause of damage to canal bridges. As for the daily bridge strikes that are referd to above, those are bridges over roads, not canal bridges. No excuse for hitting a bridge, but they are not relevant to this subject.

 

Luc,

 

Not all HGV drivers are saints and whilst they clearly can't be responsible for all the damage surely they must be for some -

 

(The one who did this to us on the M62 a few years back and left the scene was definitely a complete bar steward) -

 

 

Glad you walked away from that one Martin. I take it that the truck was moving back into the lane to early, after overtaking you? There is no excuse for leaving the scene of an accident. Without knowing details, I won't comment on the whats and hows.

[Guest]

Glad you walked away from that one Martin. I take it that the truck was moving back into the lane to early, after overtaking you? There is no excuse for leaving the scene of an accident. Without knowing details, I won't comment on the whats and hows.

 

We actually where moving very slowly in queue at around 5-10 mph from memory with him moving only marginally faster and with out warning signalled he wanted to come into our lane - rather than wait for a gap or for Jan to let him in he immediately just cut across the front of us but took the door mirror, front wing and front bumper off Jan's Clio.

 

The bit that really pee'd me off was that he actually stopped in front of us and he said he would wait for us to be picked up by the free recovery (note the road works) - and meet us at the next service station which was about a mile away. The recovery came in what seemed like just minutes along with the police - the police took us to the service station and was he there??? - was he heck.

 

I only had a vague description of the wagon (it had no firms markings on it or the trailer) and it was peeing down and I totally forgot I had a digital camera in the boot until he'd gone. I also didn't get his number and the CCTV pictures were not good enough even though they did capture the accident apparently.

 

I don't know how he explained any damage to his lorry to his boss or he may have been an owner/driver.

 

It's a mistake I will never make again.

 

But as I say I'm sure not all HGV drivers would behave like this clearly.

[luctor et emergo]

We actually where moving very slowly in queue at around 5-10 mph from memory with him moving only marginally faster and with out warning signalled he wanted to come into our lane - rather than wait for a gap or for Jan to let him in he immediately just cut across the front of us but took the door mirror, front wing and front bumper off Jan's Clio.

 

The bit that really pee'd me off was that he actually stopped in front of us and he said he would wait for us to be picked up by the free recovery (note the road works) - and meet us at the next service station which was about a mile away. The recovery came in what seemed like just minutes along with the police - the police took us to the service station and was he there??? - was he heck.

 

I only had a vague description of the wagon (it had no firms markings on it or the trailer) and it was peeing down and I totally forgot I had a digital camera in the boot until he'd gone. I also didn't get his number and the CCTV pictures were not good enough even though they did capture the accident apparently.

 

I don't know how he explained any damage to his lorry to his boss or he may have been an owner/driver.

 

It's a mistake I will never make again.

 

But as I say I'm sure not all HGV drivers would behave like this clearly.

 

 

That is a terrible example. What a pity that you didn't get his number. He deserves to have the book thrown at him.

[Guest]

That is a terrible example. What a pity that you didn't get his number. He deserves to have the book thrown at him.

 

I can only assume he was either an employee on some sort of disciplinary warning for previous or there was something dodgy in his driving history, insurance or tacho records.

 

cost us our insurance excess and NCB too of course

[the grinch]

Sorry but some lorry drivers are dicks! just come to Southampton to see idiotic driving they come off the M271 to go to the docks or Ealing Wharf without slowing down, weaving in and out, changing lanes without indicating and generally driving like morons on a daily basis ELITE container lorries are appauling as are several other repeat offenders.

[MikeV]

To be honest, I would like to see statistics, as to the cause of damage to canal bridges.

That's the issue! If no one reports the incident then no one knows who caused the damage. While I agree farm trailers are likely to also be a cause of bridge damage I think cars are far less likely. It's also often the inside of the corner not the outside, so not likely to be an out of control car.

 

I think this is where they did one of the radio interviews (Streetview) as they referred to their location as being on a "B" road over the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal. This is where long vehicles cutting the corner regularly demolish the parapet.

 

Of course, one anomaly is that although C&RT own the bridge the local council is responsible for the road that goes over it. The only thing they've done here is put arrows and a hatched area to encourage longer vehicles to swing wider. While this bridge is difficult for a long vehicle the council won't put a width or weight restriction on the road. After all, they don't have to pick up the tab for damages.

 

However, one of the main points of the Radio 4 piece was that C&RT have now installed a CCTV camera to monitor one of their bridges that is regularly getting damaged. If this results in them recovering the cost from the next incident (average £25,000 per repair) then more bridges may get their own camera.

Edited October 11, 2012 by MikeV

[Machpoint005]

The basic principle when interacting with HGVs should be - they are bigger than you, and operate on that basis. In the event of contact, you will come off worse, so give them plenty of room. When it comes to accident prevention and self-preservation, the rights and wrongs of it are simply not relevant.

 

However, as a general rule (and I drive about 25000 miles a year by car all over the country) I find that artics/trunkers have good drivers (unless the wagon bears eastern European plates) and bulk tipper drivers are cowboys (therefore give them even more room). There are exceptions.

 

Now when it comes to interactions with canal bridges (or railway bridges, for that matter) it has to be cameras or a lot more ease of reporting incidents.

[Guest]

The basic principle when interacting with HGVs should be - they are bigger than you, and operate on that basis. In the event of contact, you will come off worse, so give them plenty of room. When it comes to accident prevention and self-preservation, the rights and wrongs of it are simply not relevant.

 

Except in our case we had no where to go other than drive into a concrete barrier which you can see in the pic.

 

We could see his mirrors so we assumed he could see us alongside, hence why we were gob-smacked when he just signalled and immediately came into our space as if we were just not there. The lane we were in was bumper to bumper slow moving traffic so he should have known there would be a good chance somebody was along side him even if he couldn't actually see us for some obscure reason.

 

Giving them room is not an insurance against an HGV not hitting you it depends on the circumstances.

 

 

..

Edited October 11, 2012 by The Dog House

[carlt]

Blumming Farmers!

 

[lynalldisocvery]

Except in our case we had no where to go other than drive into a concrete barrier which you can see in the pic.

 

We could see his mirrors so we assumed he could see us alongside, hence why we were gob-smacked when he just signalled and immediately came into our space as if we were just not there.

 

Giving them room is not an insurance against an HGV not hitting you it depends on the circumstances.

 

 

..

 

Easy done in a truck, its raining, his boss wont pay to get the heated mirrors repaired, (you wont believe how many are like this) so all he sees is two vagueish lights and thinks its clear, plus i doubt there was any damage to his truck/trailer.

 

 

Lynall

[Guest]

Easy done in a truck, its raining, his boss wont pay to get the heated mirrors repaired, (you wont believe how many are like this) so all he sees is two vagueish lights and thinks its clear, plus i doubt there was any damage to his truck/trailer.

 

 

Lynall

 

I don't doubt that might not be true in a lot of cases but in this case I don't buy that - he was just passing us moving only marginally faster than we were quite why he would think we had somehow just disappeared up our own exhaust gawd knows.

 

If we had come up on his inside with him stationary then yes I could run with that.

[luctor et emergo]

Blumming Farmers!

 

 

 

Well, what do you expect, when a farmer moonlights in laundry?? Should stick to bumping into bridges with silage trailers, at least they don't get stuck....

[Machpoint005]

>>> as a general rule <<<

 

>>>There are exceptions<<<

 

 

Except in our case we had no where to go other than drive into a concrete barrier which you can see in the pic.We could see his mirrors so we assumed he could see us alongside, hence why we were gob-smacked when he just signalled and immediately came into our space as if we were just not there. The lane we were in was bumper to bumper slow moving traffic so he should have known there would be a good chance somebody was along side him even if he couldn't actually see us for some obscure reason.Giving them room is not an insurance against an HGV not hitting you it depends on the circumstances...

 

Nothing personal intended, as obviously I wasn't there (and no, I wasn't driving the truck either!)

 

However, giving them lots of room is still a good policy.

[Hairy-Neil]

I'm amazed that the figures are that low....

 

There's a low railway bridge in Boston that pedestrians have to duck for...

 

 

There is indeed. And if you forget to duck as you are walking back from the supermarket to the moorings with bags full of shopping it bloody hurts

 

Drove through there today, the bridge is marked 6ft 3in and is considerably less over the pavement. It set me thinking just how low can a low bridge be....

 

Have found one at Bishton Crossing near Newport at 5ft 6in. Google also produced an apparently disused one at Hoddesdon at 5ft...

 

Anyone know of anything lower?

[Graham Davis]

There is a very low one near Hereford Station, and another into Caersws Rugby Club.

Don't know the height of those though.

[The Ents]

There is one in Le Mans on the way to the circuit from the North, underneath the raailway. It is about 5 ft 6 clearance!!