Officials Add Sensor After ‘can Opener’ Bridge Causes 107 Crashes

Officials add sensor after ‘can opener’ bridge causes 107 crashes

"After years of trucks accidently skimming the bottom of a low-hanging bridge in North Carolina, sensors were installed alerting drivers if their vehicles are too tall to pass through unscathed."

WOW!!! That's a little scary. BUT the clearance is clearly marked. Hope the sensor works well.

WOW!!! That's a little scary. BUT the clearance is clearly marked. Hope the sensor works well.

There is just no hope...

Very hungry canopener bridge defeats fancy, new warning system

Published on Jul 7, 2016

"In May, the Dept. of Transportation installed a very nice LED blank-out warning sign at the 11foot8 bridge.The new sign is combined with a traffic light that stops traffic when an overheight truck approaches. Yet, when the bridge is hungry, it will eat. Watch as the canopener lures in an unsuspecting moving truck and chews up the roof."

Wow. So many threads on here about trip planing, not blindly following GPS and the importance of paying attention. How does one drive and not pay attention to what is ahead?

How does one drive and not pay attention to what is ahead?

I've heard texting while driving is one possibility. Talking on the phone while driving is another.

OK, gang, I don't ever want any of you to drive into this bridge and have the video posted on 11-foot-8.com. I've watched a lot of those videos. It is very helpfully marked on Google maps at the intersection of Gregson and Peabody in Durham, NC.

Big Scott ponders:

How does one drive and not pay attention to what is ahead?

It's not what's ahead. Even that driver sees that sign. But he has to match up the sign with the information he should know, but not thinking about: height of the truck.

When I see a bridge sign, I always compare it to my (and probably your) truck height: 13'6". The one that gets me is 16'3".

Stop or go?

Big Scott ponders:

How does one drive and not pay attention to what is ahead?

It's not what's ahead. Even that driver sees that sign. But he has to match up the sign with the information he should know, but not thinking about: height of the truck.

When I see a bridge sign, I always compare it to my (and probably your) truck height: 13'6". The one that gets me is 16'3".

Stop or go?

STOP?!?

Big Scott ponders:

How does one drive and not pay attention to what is ahead?

It's not what's ahead. Even that driver sees that sign. But he has to match up the sign with the information he should know, but not thinking about: height of the truck.

When I see a bridge sign, I always compare it to my (and probably your) truck height: 13'6". The one that gets me is 16'3".

Stop or go?

Go, but I'm only 11'3" unless I've got a tall load.

Big Scott ponders:

How does one drive and not pay attention to what is ahead?

It's not what's ahead. Even that driver sees that sign. But he has to match up the sign with the information he should know, but not thinking about: height of the truck.

When I see a bridge sign, I always compare it to my (and probably your) truck height: 13'6". The one that gets me is 16'3".

Stop or go?

I'd put on flashers, inch up to it, and GOAL to see if I can clear it. Sometimes those signs aren't accurate and you can make it after all. If you can make it, it's alot easier than calling law enforcement and having them back you out of there.