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[Sussex] Bus hits Bridge



Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
15,012
Bit off topic but am I right in thinking one side of Kingston Lane is Southwick and the other side is Shoreham?

Yes.

And, to the west, the River Adur is the Shoreham-by-Sea border with Lancing, meaning that Shoreham Airport isn't in Shoreham at all :shrug:
 






jessiejames

Never late in a V8
Jan 20, 2009
2,710
Brighton, United Kingdom
Buses should be fitted with automatic (telematics) braking systems that operate if an obstacle lower than the vehicle height is encountered. The technology is surely already in place for driverless vehicles. It could save lives.

Some lorries have this called adaptive cruise controll the vehicle brakes when near to vehicle in front of it. Problem with it, harsh braking when bird flies in front of you, chevron on sharp corners are also picked up. These cause more problems.

Every vehicle be after than a van will have a height sticker on them, it's down to either the driver being a dumb ass or vehicle coming the other way.
 








Muzzy

Well-known member
Jan 25, 2011
4,787
Lewes
Bridge strikes occur on average 5 times a day in the UK.
Drivers face a minimum 6 month vocational licence suspension if they strike a bridge. The operator is also liable if suitable risk assessments have not been carried out and best practices have not been covered.
This is an ongoing issue that Network Rail have been campaigning for over the last couple of years to try and reduce the amount of strikes occurring.
I’m a transport manager for a coach company as well as being a driver CPC trainer for both bus and truck drivers. Most drivers don’t know the height of an unmarked bridge or what the law states about in cab signage. Education clearly doesn’t work but as professional drivers they should at least know the basics!
All bridges should have better warning systems in place to prevent bridges from being struck by Network Rail as well in my opinion.
This is a serious problem that isn’t just going to stop without further measures being implemented.
 


VAL1850

Well-known member
Nov 22, 2008
1,930
Beachy Head & WSU
Doesn't the Blackwall tunnel have chains dangling at height restriction prior entrance in time to turn around, same as used on road works prior to overhead cables, all right unless your deaf....
 






AmexRuislip

Trainee Spy 🕵️‍♂️
Feb 2, 2014
33,884
Ruislip
Bridge strikes occur on average 5 times a day in the UK.
Drivers face a minimum 6 month vocational licence suspension if they strike a bridge. The operator is also liable if suitable risk assessments have not been carried out and best practices have not been covered.
This is an ongoing issue that Network Rail have been campaigning for over the last couple of years to try and reduce the amount of strikes occurring.
I’m a transport manager for a coach company as well as being a driver CPC trainer for both bus and truck drivers. Most drivers don’t know the height of an unmarked bridge or what the law states about in cab signage. Education clearly doesn’t work but as professional drivers they should at least know the basics!
All bridges should have better warning systems in place to prevent bridges from being struck by Network Rail as well in my opinion.
This is a serious problem that isn’t just going to stop without further measures being implemented.


Do you supply your drivers with satnavs, such as 'Snooper', where you can put vehicle dimensions in, so as to avoid such events as hitting bridges?
 


Aug 13, 2020
1,482
Darlington
Bridge strikes occur on average 5 times a day in the UK.
Drivers face a minimum 6 month vocational licence suspension if they strike a bridge. The operator is also liable if suitable risk assessments have not been carried out and best practices have not been covered.
This is an ongoing issue that Network Rail have been campaigning for over the last couple of years to try and reduce the amount of strikes occurring.
I’m a transport manager for a coach company as well as being a driver CPC trainer for both bus and truck drivers. Most drivers don’t know the height of an unmarked bridge or what the law states about in cab signage. Education clearly doesn’t work but as professional drivers they should at least know the basics!
All bridges should have better warning systems in place to prevent bridges from being struck by Network Rail as well in my opinion.
This is a serious problem that isn’t just going to stop without further measures being implemented.

Unfortunately, given the number of bridges Network Rail are responsible for and the huge list of problems with them, properly signing all the bridges and putting better systems in place for all of them isn't going to happen any time soon.

Realistically the money's always going to be spent on the critical bridges around London and on the main routes, and the rest of them have to wait until it becomes a major issue.
 






reminds me when i worked in burgess hill and had the front and side of my renault clio ripped off by a git who "forgot" he was pulling an overloaded trailer and pulled in the side of the road 5 feet too soon. 3 year old car written off in one second. Oh..and it happened when i wasnt even driving! the car was PARKED!
 


Muzzy

Well-known member
Jan 25, 2011
4,787
Lewes
Do you supply your drivers with satnavs, such as 'Snooper', where you can put vehicle dimensions in, so as to avoid such events as hitting bridges?

In short, no. I do not advocate the use of sat navs for use in our industry as a way to plan and navigate routes. I have no issue with them being used to assist for traffic delay updates and eta times etc, but a professional driver should always plan their routes to take in suitable roads, break stops for legally required breaks and for passenger comfort and enjoyment. There is no button on a sat nav that will assist with these variables.
The traffic commissioners will take further action against a driver if they use a sat nav that does not include vehicle dimensions within its user features and they hit a low bridge.
 


AmexRuislip

Trainee Spy 🕵️‍♂️
Feb 2, 2014
33,884
Ruislip
In short, no. I do not advocate the use of sat navs for use in our industry as a way to plan and navigate routes. I have no issue with them being used to assist for traffic delay updates and eta times etc, but a professional driver should always plan their routes to take in suitable roads, break stops for legally required breaks and for passenger comfort and enjoyment. There is no button on a sat nav that will assist with these variables.
The traffic commissioners will take further action against a driver if they use a sat nav that does not include vehicle dimensions within its user features and they hit a low bridge.


I agree with you about drivers having prior knowledge.
But as we're in a technological age, satnavs are useful tools for a driver.
Our drivers are encouraged to use satnavs, when conveying the passengers into London and other places, that are not easily accessible by looking at a map.
 




Jul 7, 2003
8,677
Many years ago I was working in Dorchester so got a bus from there to Exeter to see a mate of mine for the day. The main road was closed so we were diverted onto side roads which the driver didn't know. Although we didn't hit a bridge, this road has not had the trees cut back for double deckers and at one point there was this huge bang and a horrible metallic scraping noise as we went pas a particularly big tree. When we got to Exeter, looked at the outside of the bus and there was a very large hold along the front over the door where a big branch had opened it up like a corned beef tin. Luckily it had not hit a little higher up or the person sitting across from me on the top deck might have sustained some injuries.
 


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