5th Wheeler with no roof

Submitted: Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 11:27
ThreadID: 54175 Views:2546 Replies:10 FollowUps:20
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Saw on the news last night the result of towing a 5th wheeler under a 3 metre bridge in Melbourne. The poor family sold their home in Qld and poured all of their funds into a large 5th wheeler and truck. Got lost in Melbourne and went under the low bridge. The truck fitted, so did the first metre or so of the van. The rest of the roof and back wall was ripped off and shredded. Could see inside to the luxury recliner chairs and front loading washing machine. Also saw big sign warning of low clearance.
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Reply By: madfisher - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 11:41

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 11:41
You have got to feel for the poor buggars, it is so easy to get lost in a strange city, especially when you are getting on a bit
Pete
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Reply By: Bonz (Vic) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 11:51

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 11:51
hmm it said CLEARANCE 3.0M on the bridge, surely when you are towing something like that you know how high your rig is????

The stupid presenter suggested that maybe it was time to do something about this low clearance bridge on Montague St, I think they should sharpen the steel protecting girder to make the cutting easier......

Oh and I guess a BIG SIGN a bit back down the road saying low clearance ahead would be nice too.

Is it harsh to expect someone to take responsibility for themselves? I think not.
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Follow Up By: Kev & Darkie - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 11:57

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 11:57
I wonder how they would go with an insurance claim.

"The bridge saw us comming and just lower itself so we didn't fit, honest" LOL

Kev
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Follow Up By: SteveL - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:01

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:01
I think you are being a bit harsh on the old bloke.It is not so difficult to do if you are in an unfamiliar city in a vehicle that he only bought recently.Plenty of locals have hit that bridge.
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Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 14:29

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 14:29
No issue with insurance, thats what you pay it for.
The bloke was elderly and made a mistake nothing more nothing less.

Its a $hit bridge and certainly deserves some attention from Mr Brumby.
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Reply By: _gmd_pps - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 11:59

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 11:59
why would you feel sorry ?
drivers like this should not be on the road. one should be happy that it ended this way and no innocent person got killed.
gmd
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Follow Up By: fisho64 - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:49

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:49
that can also be said about people who dont strap their kids in properly, dont indicate properly, speed, park dangerously, run orange lights etc etc, depends how radical you are?

Might be going a bit far to say that?
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Follow Up By: Outnabout David (SA) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 13:25

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 13:25
Obviously you guys are perfect. I quite often in a lapse of concentration forget that I have the roof rack on when going in supermarket/shopping centre carparks. Lucky I have my "height indicatior" UHF antenna that reminds me when it touches.

What you don't see above or behind is easy to forget it i there.

Go easy on the bugga he probably was very tired after a long drive and in a strange city.........very easy done me thinks.
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Follow Up By: Kumunara (NT) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 13:57

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 13:57
_gmd_pps


It must be nice to be perfect.

Most of us are unfortunately not. I realise he has made a stupid mistake. We all do at times. Some of us who are not perfect are able to show compassion.

I saw the item on three channels. Not one of them refered to it as a 5th wheeler. They came up with numerous names. If the media makes that many mistakes should they cease to report events.



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Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 16:54

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 16:54
It is not about being perfect or not.
Now assume when this would have been a road train driver with livestock on board. What would you say ??
I do not measure with different measures and I expect the same care from a 5thwheel driver, caravan tower, boat tower or whatever you are driving/towing when you are part of the public road system.
The truck driver would be fired and called gross negligent.
So why should I feel different about a gray nomad with possible heart attack risk every 100ks and being nightblind or getting disorientated in a strange city. those people should NOT be on the road.
I would vote for a night drive ban of all towed vehicles over a certain size unless drivers have full truck driver qualifications.
One can make a stuoid mistake, but this is not the stupida mistake category anymore.

good luck
gmd
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Follow Up By: PajeroTD - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 17:24

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 17:24
GMD, no doubt you only have 3rd party insurance, cos you would NEVER have an accident at your fault.. You wouldnt pay registration either, cos people like you OWN the road, you should collect registration fees from all the other road users, and have your own law enforcement, because you must be the driver of the century. Everyone makes mistakes, and failure to recognize that DEFINATELY makes you over-confident and a danger to ALL other motorists and pedestrians!!!...See how dumb it sounds when people generalize your crappy driving skills??? Not nice is it?
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Follow Up By: Gramps (NSW) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 17:29

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 17:29


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Follow Up By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 18:37

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 18:37
GMD,
Hate to tell you mate, but your not the only one who does/has driven trucks for a living, and i dont like to burst your bubble, but if this was an articulated vehicle with a prime mover I reckon he would have had to have a truck lic to suit, he may even be an ex trucky, dont know myself, dont know him nor did I see the news report, but it must be a hell of a drain on your mind to be so perfect !!!
Hope i dont have to help with your rescue when you come unstuck while passing through our patch of the woods!

Cheers Pesty
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Follow Up By: Member - barry F (NSW) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 18:38

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 18:38
WOW!! Hey there, Please never assume Anything because ASSUME can make an ASS out of U and ME.

Or maybe seeing you live in a perfect world you are also immune to making any manner of misjudgement. If you had your life over again you would do it all the same? Probably not. Cheers.
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Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 18:44

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 18:44
GMD,

Chill out mate, people make mistakes in life. This time it didn't hurt anyone so don't say "What if...?" No such thing mate...it didn't, get on with life.

I feel sorry for them...I wish I had never made a mistake in my life...hahaha


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Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 10:45

Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 10:45
I never drove trucks for a living and yes all my cars including my truck have only third party insurance. I have no accident since 36 years and the only worry I have is theft and vanadalism in this country with so little protection and lenient sentences. With so many people struggelling now with their payments one would start thinking about fully comprehensive when such an idiot runs into you because it is hard to reach into a naked mans pocket. That would be my main concern, not me causing an accident in such a stupid and negligent way.
good luck to you all and hope with all your mistakes you won't cross my path, because it is obviously normal in this country to bump into others cars and drive off.

gmd
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Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 10:52

Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 10:52
A couple of things GMD.

Have you ever had a close call that was your fault (any type) ?
Have you ever made a mistake whilst driving that did not cause an accident ?

If your answer to these questions is NO, then you are either telling fibs, or one of those drivers that although may not have an accident in 36 years, has caused plenty.

have a good day mate and remember we are all fallible and WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES IN LIFE.
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Follow Up By: PajeroTD - Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 14:12

Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 14:12
The difference is GMD, not that we are less superior to you, we acknowledge, like any decent human being would, that we all make silly little mistakes. It's the ones who don't acknowledge their weaknesses who are over-confident and end up learning it the hard way, while they take someone else out with them - unfortunately. We all can agree on one thing though, we hope we stay out of your way too. Obviously you think all the roads in the world were built just for you. Too bad the bridges werent designed to accomodate trucks, busses and RVs.
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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 20:00

Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 20:00
:party: :evil:

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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 20:01

Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 20:01
DAMN: I tried to copy and paste some emicons (or whatever they're called) that says "THIS POST IS USELESS WITHOUT PHOTOS".....
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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 20:05

Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 20:05
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Reply By: nowimnumberone - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:06

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:06
i was talking to an insurance bloke last week who came to write of one of our customers hiluxs from water damage and he said insure companys should have a stupidty clause where if its bleeding obvious that centain things are going to work.
(1)4wd hilux wont cross 6 foot deep water crossing.
(2)big van wont fit under 3 metre bridge.
etc then there should be no cover for them.
i know the bridge they hit and its pretty clear well b4 they went under it about the size.
AnswerID: 285306

Reply By: madfisher - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:29

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:29
Hands up anybody who has never made a stupid mistake in their life, I certainly have just have not paid as big a price as these poor buggars. Put the rear wheel of a concrete agi into a large pier hole once
Cheers Pete
AnswerID: 285312

Follow Up By: Gramps (NSW) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:34

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:34
LOL forget it Pete. You're talking to the all knowing, perfect ones who never make mistakes.

They're just happy to poke fun at someones misfortune.

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FollowupID: 550125

Follow Up By: SteveL - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:37

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 12:37
I agree,very easy to be critical when the largest/longest thing you have ever driven is a Landcruiser.
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Reply By: lizard - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 15:08

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 15:08
Feel for these people , and this could happen to me (I too am not perfect) ... I have seen several low bridges/crossings that have low level warnings (like balls hanging from chains at that height - prior to the crossing/bridge) ..... so you hit them and warns you - negligible damage - maybe authorities should put more of these in ... these are not the first , and will not be the last to hit these things .
AnswerID: 285358

Reply By: John S (NSW) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 16:08

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 16:08
I too feel sorry for these poor people - not the best way to enjoy a new city. But in saying that, every time I haul something that is higher than the car, I always check the height.

Any low bridges, etc on main roads should have vehicle height sensors and lights that activate if you are too high to warn you. They have them for trucks on major routes, why not for smaller vehicles on secondary roads ?? especially at known black spots.

Since I have been driving 4WD's as work vehicles, I have gotten paranoid about height clearance. My way to over come the 'forgetfulness' is to mount a UHF aerial that is 50-75mm higher than the 4WD. If you hit the aerial - STOP. If you can't find the right height UHF, grab on old 27Mhz aerial and cut to size (or those fibreglass cattle whips you get from Ag Field Days and spring mount them). Since using this concept, not one of our employees has damaged the top of a vehicle and the wife thinks its such a cool idea and now takes the Cruiser underground.

As my father once said - common-sense is learnt not inherited.
AnswerID: 285370

Reply By: wheeleybin - Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 16:50

Sunday, Feb 03, 2008 at 16:50
It can happen to anyone experienced or not.

Back in the sixties an R&H Transport left Bundaberg with a brand new calandria (I hope thats right) for Broadwater Mill and got it jammed under a low level bridge in Brisbane.

One buggered unit.

The driver had been driving the NQ Express run for years.

Im not perfect and the only ones that have the right to condemn the old fella in Melbourne are the ones that are.



AnswerID: 285380

Reply By: Member - Bucky (VIC) - Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 08:49

Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 08:49
Does it not get back to the old saying,,,

Know your load, look around, and obey the signs.

That's what they are there for..

I still feel sorry for them, POOR BUGGERS ! ( what a beautiful setup ) But it does not alter the fact, that they have not done their homework.

Cheers
Bucky
AnswerID: 285480

Reply By: Member - Dashy (QLD) - Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 21:47

Monday, Feb 04, 2008 at 21:47
Poor Bugger, anyone here ever been with their grandparents on a trip or doing something out of the norm? Do you remember when your grandpa made a boo boo or took a wrong turn, how hard did ya grandma rip it up him. I feel greatly sorry for him. Not to mention that there dreams are smashed on the road ending their trip.

Dashy.

PS not all of us are perfect. Learn by his mistake, I know I will.
AnswerID: 285657

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