Why it's really important to know how tall your trailer is.

[Donna D.]

While crusin' the WWW earlier, I came across a sad post to an Escape trailer. I'm posting most of the info here, just as a warning to others. I have no desire to embarrass the owners... although I did check, and don't see that they're members here:

Take heed! Scraped the AC off our Escape 19

Gps sent us down a dark road with a low hanging tbar and it removed our fan lid and plucked the AC right off the trailer!!! Luckily it was not raining. Right now plastic is over the fan and a storage bin lid is duct taped over the hole that used to house the AC.
Waiting on a call from our nearest campingworld. (Phoenix az)

Need to live in it for two more weeks. (I have gigs in la and Las Vegas) before returning home to XXXXXXX.

Who else has been through this?

Is campingworld Phoenix the right answer or should we continue on to camping world in Santa Clarita? Or other?

Yike!

[thoer]

Major bummer and good warning Donna. What is a tbar?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by thoer

Major bummer and good warning Donna. What is a tbar?

I really don't know. Maybe it's a height barrier... you know the kind that hangs down and says on it "If you're taller than this, you won't make it under the bridge" ? ? Anyone know?

[Jim Bennett]

Yikes, that would not be fun. From my days driving big rigs I know full well to be aware of all vehicle and load heights. This was drilled into us.

Originally Posted by thoer

What is a tbar?

[Loren & Cathy]

A lot of low bridges and overpasses have a very heavy I beam or channel iron in front of the bridge; This serves to bring your over height vehicle down to the correct dementions so you don't damage the bridge. Loren

[wetzk]

And usually there is a warning that there is a height restriction.
I'm surprised if that is the case here though as a lot of vehicles are higher than an escape 19. I know the neighbors transit van is taller for instance. I wonder if the GPS was making its own road as ours has done in the past.

[rbryan4]

On another note, a GPS is a poor substitute for eyes, ears, and situational awareness, particularly on unfamiliar roads. I remember a story about someone driving off a pier in San Francisco because the GPS "misguided" them.

[thoer]

Thanks Jim, guess that's all it meant. I didn't know what a piece of steel tee bar would be doing across a road, but it must have been a low support piece on a bridge? I was envisioning something special like those lowering barrier bars that can put across some roads to close them in bad weather conditions.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by thoer

Thanks Jim, guess that's all it meant. I didn't know what a piece of steel tee bar would be doing across a road, but it must have been a low support piece on a bridge? I was envisioning something special like those lowering barrier bars that can put across some roads to close them in bad weather conditions.

Who knows, they might have just used it as a generic term meaning steel bar, quite possibly an I-Beam.

[float5]

I guess that people sometimes do forget that they are towing a trailer, the same way many forget that they have loaded the car roof and can't fit into the garage. I have to be careful about that myself. Hope the trailer does not have any really bad damage.
In this case, they could not see the obstruction in the dark.

[Iowa Dave]

I have three low bridge stories. Bring this up at Osoyoos along with a boat ramp stories. I will make you laugh and cry. Low bridges and having to center on bridges are common problems in parks.
Dave

[Kountrykamper]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I remember a story about someone driving off a pier in San Francisco because the GPS "misguided" them.

Recalculating

[C&G in FL]

If using a GPS, there are add ons that can be installed on the GP S to warn you if there are low bridges ahead, and they are customizable to display the minimum height you want. There are any number of databases available such as one which tells you that you are approaching a rest area or even a quilt shop. It has been a while since I "customized" my Garmin, but if anyone wants to do so please post saying so and I will refresh my "poor" memory by looking at my computer and then provide greater detail. Haven't encountered any bridges/obstructions lower than 11'7", but Stupid (my Garmin's name) does inform me when I am approaching a rest area.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

", but Stupid (my Garmin's name) does inform me when I am approaching a rest area.

[Cypherian]

Go here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqXirniy2fg

it is the toughest bridge in the US it is only 2.50 min long that if you wait you will see someone clean the top of their 5th wheel off completely at about 1.39 min This is a longer version if you want to be entertained:}

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USu8vT_tfdw

. As for GPS accuracy ... one story of many Bad GPS Directions May Have Caused This Deadly Car Accident


Cypher

[Cypherian]

The second vid has a very expensive toy hauler clear it's roof right at the beginning lol


Cypher

[blhvet]

My first GPS experience was with a rental car south of Bisbee. I asked it to take me a nearby town with a lovely little Pecan shop. Next thing I knew, I was on a gravel road and when I came over the hill, there was the Mexican border, complete with armed guards.

[Greg A]

Originally Posted by blhvet

My first GPS experience was with a rental car south of Bisbee. I asked it to take me a nearby town with a lovely little Pecan shop. Next thing I knew, I was on a gravel road and when I came over the hill, there was the Mexican border, complete with armed guards.

The Pecan shop was just a lil bit further, but you need a passport.

[dmetz]

Originally Posted by Greg A

The Pecan shop was just a lil bit further, but you need a passport.

I can't tell you how many times I've cursed at that lady who lives in my GPS. She has led me astray so many times, I've shut her up for good.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

If using a GPS, there are add ons that can be installed on the GP S to warn you if there are low bridges ahead, and they are customizable to display the minimum height you want. There are any number of databases available such as one which tells you that you are approaching a rest area or even a quilt shop. It has been a while since I "customized" my Garmin, but if anyone wants to do so please post saying so and I will refresh my "poor" memory by looking at my computer and then provide greater detail. Haven't encountered any bridges/obstructions lower than 11'7", but Stupid (my Garmin's name) does inform me when I am approaching a rest area.

Looked at my computer and the added data are "points of interest." The Garmin site has a download for the "POI Installer." If one Googles GPS POIs, it is amazing how many are available for all sorts of different things.