I have recently had a few close calls with low bridges that could easily have resulted in a bad accident.

Does anyone know of a good GPS system or add on for my Garmin that would give a low bridge warning?

Something like a speed camera POI list could work, but I can't seem to find anything.

Many thanks.

I dont know of anything electronic but We always use the Motor Carriers Road Atlas as a guide.

We also use the Motor Carriers Road Atlas and try to stay on the truck routes. In addition, we have the Mountain Directory. This gives detail of mountain passes and steep grades. We don't like to over plan, but when there are multiple routes available we prefer to choose the safest one.

Would like to add that Trooper also posted this on Escapees and aparrently there are some Garmins available that do give you this information.However I would like to know before I get on  certain road so for me I will stick with Motor Carriers Atlas. I also don't want to pre plan to much but want to be sure I can get thru.Just had an occasion on our last trip where I misunderstood my Garmin and made a  wrong turn.It recalculated and wanted me to go down this winding dirt road to get back to where we were supposed to go.Many Garmins don't know you are pulling 38 feet of 5ver behind you.

We don't use anything ourselves (we're only 12 1/2 ft high) - although there have been a couple of times we had to make a detour (or turn around).  We have talked to other RVers about this and they use the Rand McNally Motor Carriers atlas (here is the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/McNally-Deluxe-Motor-Carriers-Mcnally/dp/0528942123)

-Colleen

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice. I have decided to try a POI database that has been recommended to me on several forums. You can download it at http://www.lowclearances.com It looks really good. Thanks again.

Even with some sort of advanced warning, you still need to be careful with bridges that are close to your overall height. We were travelling down a secondary road in Illnois trying to get to a campground. It was just before nightfall. I made a wrong turn and started to go under a railroad bridge that was marked 13' 5" clearance. Our 5th wheel is just under 13 feet in height, but something just didn't feel right. I stopped and climbed the ladder at the back of the 5th wheel. Our A/C unit would have been wiped out. It appears something had hit the bridge and part of the structure had bent down, so in reality the bridge clearance was about 12' 10". Too close for comfort. Had to back up about a 1/4 of a mile to turn around. On the same trip we saw a pipe hanging down from a bridge, I was able to move over into the opposite lane and miss the pipe.

I spoke too soon.  We were in the Niagra Falls area today heading from I-190 to R. Moses Parkway and saw a 12 ft bridge.  We were glad we had found a campground prior to that because there would have been no place to turn around the RV.  We saw a sign that said "No Commercial Trucks" but I'm not sure I would have known that it meant no RVs as well.  I guess maybe we should have bought that atlas ourselves.

-Colleen

Trooper_D wrote:

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Thanks everyone for your helpful advice.

I have decided to try a POI database that has been recommended to me on several forums.

You can download it at http://www.lowclearances.com

It looks really good.

Thanks again.

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Seems trooper is "marketing " this link on several sites.

 

Garmin has a new GPS out this year that is made for truckers. Go to the Garmin site, https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=275&ra=true it is a 465T. I don't have it, to costly for me, but I would guess it should do the trick for you.

Thanks for the heads up (yeah! pun on words). I thought all bridges had to be clearly marked for all motorist. Now I will know better.