Are you a high sided vehicle? (1 Viewer)

[haganap]

Just coming back down the motorway over Thelwall having gone for stereo fitting in the van.

I was listening to a story of a trucker prosecuted today after he (presumably) attempted to drive his truck over the 4th road bridge at 2am and said vehicle overturned and smashed through the central reservation.

Anyhow, going over Thellwall there were several advisory speed restrictions in place for "high sided Vehicles". So got me thinking how high is high and what defines "high sided" anyway..

I was surprised to see that my van meets the criteria to be deemed "high sided" but a google search does not seem to reveal specific criteria for what is deemed high sided other than the 4th road bridge description which is as listed below..


So are you high sided or not?

Wind Speed Restrictions
Gusts > 35 mph 40mph speed limit on bridge.
Gusts > 45 mph Bridge closed to double-decked buses.
Gusts > 50 mph
Bridge closed to:

~ All high-sided vehicles

~ Transit van style with modification

~ Vehicles with trailers or caravans

~ Vehicles with roof boxes or wind-susceptible roof rack items

~ Motorcycles

~ Bicycles

~ Three-wheeled cars

~ Any other vehicle which appears, in the judgement of bridge staff or the police, to be clearly at risk.

~ Pedestrians

*See below for further guidance on what is and is not permitted to cross when these restrictions are in place.
Gusts > 65 mph
Bridge closed to all vehicles except cars.

30mph speed limit on bridge.

Gusts > 80 mph Bridge closed to all traffic.

 

[ABZSteve]

I take the long route around if there is any more than a slight breeze, bit of a chicken

 

[Jill]

The Cleddau Bridge near me regards vehicles over 1.9m as high sided

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[DavidG58]

A useful list there Paul, I would guess we would all come under the transit style with modifications

PVC owners you appear to still have to make your own decisions

I have wondered myself when using the M1 by Meadowhall, the advisory signs are often out or lit these days, but equally left on long after the event has well passed, my logic is always play safe, especially as in the Meadowhall example where there is a lower deck to use easily, not so easy or convenient with the Thelwal Viaduct though and many other diversions

I wouldn't want to be the one looking sheepish when laid on my side causing chaos, plus a recovery bill and potentially a summons, just to save a few minutes travel time

 

[2657]

I once drove over the Humber Bridge from the south (toll booths on the North bank) with a fairly low 7.5t curtainsider when the warnings where flashing. Man in the toll booth said did you not see the warnings, I said that I followed a single decker bus of the same height over, there was also one that had just gone through the toll booths as well. I asked him if he wanted me to go back!

 

[Riverbankannie]

The definition for both Severn Bridges is a vehicle over 2.1 m
Thanks for the original post as I would not have thought about it.

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[GJH]

Collins English Dictionary provides a definition - "an official term for lorries, vans, trailers, etc with a height greater than that of motor cars".

 

[GJH]

The Cleddau Bridge near me regards vehicles over 1.9m as high sided

The definition for both Severn Bridges is a vehicle over 2.1 m
Thanks for the original post as I would not have thought about it.

Those figures seem reasonable, especially when one takes into account that they are similar to the measurements used for height barriers to prevent access by high sided vehicles.

 

[Gellyneck]

BBC News article here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-38575843

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[Kingham]

....
PVC owners you appear to still have to make your own decisions

My personal decision, erring on the side of caution will always to consider my PVC to be high sided, irrespective of any height restrictions, the reason being that the width of the vehicle is not usually considered when they put blanket figures up.

A PVC may not be as high as a motorhome, which in turn may not be as high as a Large Goods Vehicle, but they are each in turn, narrower and therefore as unstable as each other.
The maths would still show LGVs as being the most prone to tipping due to the greater area exposed to the wind, but I'll be keeping my hard earned as safe as possible

 

[1_man_and_his_dob(lo)]

The Cleddau Bridge near me regards vehicles over 1.9m as high sided

The definition for both Severn Bridges is a vehicle over 2.1 m

Those figures seem reasonable, especially when one takes into account that they are similar to the measurements used for height barriers to prevent access by high sided vehicles.

Drat! 2.2m

Smugness wiped out before I even got to the end of the page

 

[jockaneezer]

I just open the windows on either side of the van

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[Baileysbus]

Whoever the to**er was that put his lorry on its side going over the FRB today has caused major traffic snarl ups all day I live not too far from the reroute road that goes over to the Kincardine bridge and the traffic is solid for about 13 miles
I gather the driver has been charged! The warning signs clearly stated bridge closed to high sided vehicles but nah ...... there's always one muppet that has to give it a go!

 

[Kingham]

I just open the windows on either side of the van

That's fine as long as you don't have a 'Trumpesque comb over' to consider

 

[Bailey58]

Anything that could be described as a box over 2m tall is my take on high sided.

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[Minxy]

Collins English Dictionary provides a definition - "an official term for lorries, vans, trailers, etc with a height greater than that of motor cars".

I wasn't aware of this, or other definitions, but my common sense (yes I do have some!) would make me think anything over the height of a standard card would be classed as high sided and susceptible to the wind.

 

[Minxy]

That's fine as long as you don't have a 'Trumpesque comb over' to consider

Anything that could be described as a box over 2m tall is my take on high sided.

Are these 2 things the same???

 

[GJH]

That's fine as long as you don't have a 'Trumpesque comb over' to consider

Anything that could be described as a box over 2m tall is my take on high sided.

Are these 2 things the same???

No. The first is what he has and the second is what he should have

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[Rapido925M]

I wasn't aware of this, or other definitions, but my common sense (yes I do have some!) would make me think anything over the height of a standard card would be classed as high sided and susceptible to the wind.

So would you include "tall" cars such as a Toyota Verso, Vauxhall Zafira, Range Rover or many SUVs?

I asked this question when I got my van 10y ago and was told that a police definition was "if your height is greater than the distance between the outermost wheels on your widest axle". Well, mine is, so I avoid anything with that sort of warning: to paraphrase @GavdG58 "the consequences don't make it worth the risk". - Gordon

PS my nephew's lorry overturned on the M1 a couple of years ago: he just missed crashing down an embankment and was not "flavour of the month" for quite a while.

 

[pappajohn]

Would you risk it.....

 

[Bailey58]

I like the vocabulary if nothing else.

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[Badknee]

I just open the windows on either side of the van

I used to open the curtains of my trailer if I was empty. Got me home a few times in bad weather.

 

[haganap]

Whoever the to**er was that put his lorry on its side going over the FRB today has caused major traffic snarl ups all day I live not too far from the reroute road that goes over to the Kincardine bridge and the traffic is solid for about 13 miles
I gather the driver has been charged! The warning signs clearly stated bridge closed to high sided vehicles but nah ...... there's always one muppet that has to give it a go!

I suppose this was the whole point of my post. If it would have been me in my Rapido A class or another funster in a PVC who had caused the chaos to which you refer, would they too be a tosser? I have limited driving experience having only driven for 31 years and various classes of other vehicles on my license,, and reading the above and a google search still have no definitive answer to what is "a high sided" Vehicle is.

Anything that could be described as a box over 2m tall is my take on high sided.

but your take might not be the other persons, I never thought for one moment that my van at 2.9 meters is considered as "high sided" before today.

I wasn't aware of this, or other definitions, but my common sense (yes I do have some!) would make me think anything over the height of a standard card would be classed as high sided and susceptible to the wind.

So what height is a standard car? there are an awful lot of SUV and 4x4 type vehicles nowadays that clearly are higher? would they consider themselves to be high?

I used to open the curtains of my trailer if I was empty. Got me home a few times in bad weather.

Oddly enough Paul, I opened my curtains in the van today after reading your post, and guess what? nope, made no difference.

 

[gus-lopez]

Wh
I gather the driver has been charged! The warning signs clearly stated bridge closed to high sided vehicles but nah ...... there's always one muppet that has to give it a go!

Not a lot of use if they weren't in Lithuanian.

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[Gromett]

I asked this question when I got my van 10y ago and was told that a police definition was "if your height is greater than the distance between the outermost wheels on your widest axle".

I like that, simple and to the point with no room for argument. shame it isn't the official definition.

Seem to me the logical answer as well as anything below this height will by definition have a less than 45° angle and anything above will exceed 45° giving good leverage to the wind.

 

[1_man_and_his_dob(lo)]

Right...problem solved.....

<https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trail-Gator-439985-Trailgator-Stabilisers/dp/B0011HVY42/ref=sr_1_14>

 

[Gorse Hill]

Just coming back down the motorway over Thelwall having gone for stereo fitting in the van.

I was listening to a story of a trucker prosecuted today after he (presumably) attempted to drive his truck over the 4th road bridge at 2am and said vehicle overturned and smashed through the central reservation.

Anyhow, going over Thellwall there were several advisory speed restrictions in place for "high sided Vehicles". So got me thinking how high is high and what defines "high sided" anyway..

I was surprised to see that my van meets the criteria to be deemed "high sided" but a google search does not seem to reveal specific criteria for what is deemed high sided other than the 4th road bridge description which is as listed below..


So are you high sided or not?

Wind Speed Restrictions
Gusts > 35 mph 40mph speed limit on bridge.
Gusts > 45 mph Bridge closed to double-decked buses.
Gusts > 50 mph
Bridge closed to:

~ All high-sided vehicles

~ Transit van style with modification

~ Vehicles with trailers or caravans

~ Vehicles with roof boxes or wind-susceptible roof rack items

~ Motorcycles

~ Bicycles

~ Three-wheeled cars

~ Any other vehicle which appears, in the judgement of bridge staff or the police, to be clearly at risk.

~ Pedestrians

*See below for further guidance on what is and is not permitted to cross when these restrictions are in place.
Gusts > 65 mph
Bridge closed to all vehicles except cars.

30mph speed limit on bridge.

Gusts > 80 mph Bridge closed to all traffic.

It was really bad this morning on my way to work and actually thought wouldn't like to be driving the van over today (would probably use warburton bridge instead), brave man atttemping that today butt clenching time me thinks
On my way home tonight not so bad (on lower bridge)
In the last 25yrs only known it to be closed for high winds a couple of times

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[PeteH]

Ah!! the old "Thelwall Fire duck" much beloved of Messrs Wogan and Moore!. Along with the Tinsley, (that which is now commonly known as Meadowhall?). Dragging back from an overnight "Trunk". Listening to the pair of them used to keep me Awake and chuckling. Crossed the Humber bridge once when they "paired" trucks up!. The theory being that in the Gust the worst case was you would nudge the other!. but neither would flop! 30MPH max. Opening the Curtains when unladen was common practice?.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I just open the windows on either side of the van

Well if you have a curtainsider trailer or truck and nothing on board you must open the curtains right up tie them up securely, and the wind goes through it and does notice you. Empty is a lot dodgier than loaded, even train trucks get blown off the tracks empty.

 

[The general]

Whoever the to**er was that put his lorry on its side going over the FRB today has caused major traffic snarl ups all day I live not too far from the reroute road that goes over to the Kincardine bridge and the traffic is solid for about 13 miles
I gather the driver has been charged! The warning signs clearly stated bridge closed to high sided vehicles but nah ...... there's always one muppet that has to give it a go!

M

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