Some RVs, especially motorhomes and fifth-wheels, are quite tall, but their drivers already know that. So you wonder what they were thinking when they saw the road signs leading up to this bridge (clearance of only 11 feet 8 inches) in Durham, North Carolina, that has already claimed hundreds of trucks and other high vehicles since its inauguration about a century ago, reports Carscoops.
Even though the city installed “low clearance” signs several blocks before the bridge, as well as lights that flash when detecting vehicles that are too tall, accidents keep happening. According to reports, at least one vehicle a month falls victim to the bridge.
One of the most recent incidents was caught by security cameras on October 13, when an over-height fifth-wheel trailer tried to cross under the bridge. In his defense, the driver slowed down as he saw the flashing warning just before the underpass. He somehow believed he could pull it off so he continued to slowly drive forward.
For a while, the “strategy” seemed to work – but that was only until the camper’s A/C unit got smashed into pieces by the crash beam. The driver backed up, then carried on, destroyed A/C wreckage left on the road, as if nothing had happened.
It looks like the driver knew exactly what they were doing.
Just got a notice moments ago that the “11 foot 8 inch” can opener has already claimed its first victim since the clearance increase. A box truck. And the hits just keep on comin’.
UPDATE: Now the 12′ 4″ (or 11′ 16″) bridge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0Bu_AOIa2o
I get notices from this famous underpass when things go wrong. I’m guessing things will STILL go wrong, even with the increased clearance.
This happens all the time in my home town Milford Connecticut, not so much to RVs but to tractor trailers , so it’s not just RV drivers that can’t read or see, or don’t know the clearance height of their vehicles , that is why they had to reroute US 1 thru town, but the idiots still try.
Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
I thought maybe this was staged for the camera.
I’m thinking he just STOLE the rig & was trying to get away! LOL
Dave
You can see a lot of these on the internet. I always wonder if anyone watching them goes…”OMG that was us”.
Dumb s..t.
The dude yelling in the background makes the video. After watching I checked out some of the other videos on that bridge channel. Seems quite a few RV’s have lost their AC units…makes me wish I had a RV repair business in that area.
I wonder if the GPS that came with the truck told him to go this way? He probably thought “it says to take this road so it can’t be wrong.” Some people shouldn’t be allowed to own an RV. They put not only themselves in danger, they endanger others on the road, too – in this case with debris falling from their RV and now in the road.
More than Unbelievable! I mean the RV looked like a piece of Crap anyway. You can only hope he ran into a Heavy Downpour Rainstorm down the road!
He is just one of many people that don’t know the height of their RV’s and DON”T READ BRIDGE Signs or Pay attention to flashing warning lights.
Bottom LINE: Just another IDIOT on the road!
Why do you think it’s a piece of crap? Because it’s not brand new?
PEGGY:
First off, I have seen NEW RV’s that look like absolute Crap also.
But consider this, the RV is very old, only 1 A/C unit and is being towed by an OLD Dodge RAM 3500. That tells allot right there.
The Driver ignores all the warning signs and after hitting the Low Bridge Bumper (that’s an accident) and requires the driver to stop and see what is going on and probably call the police.
The fact that he kept on going, leaving debris in the road, creating a traffic hazard and also leaving the scene of an accident, (in most cases, this is a FELONY)
So, if you read this comment, I will say this and simply ignore your silly comment!
Look at the facts!
Jeff, This guy’s “…OLD Dodge Ram 3500 …” sure looks to be in better condition than a lot of newer trucks on the road and apparently does what he needs. I just recently, and sadly, replaced my 20 year-OLD 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 with 276,000 miles on it because it couldn’t safely and efficiently pull our travel trailer, yet was (and still is) so reliable that I would have driven it anywhere at any time.
Now the driver of that “OLD Dodge Ram 3500″….
This is unbelievable! Signs, lights, flashing sign telling you you’re too high . . . And you go anyway.
Well, maybe he was…too high… 😉
All I could think of was that song: “That’s the way you do it, do it…”
I think he just said, “Oh screw it.. Already going to be a mess…”
But, leaving the scene of an Accident is in most cases a FELONY! This guy or gal probably didn’t want to face the consequences.
Plus, the RV may not have even belonged to him, so he could care less if it gets damaged or destroyed!