Protecting heads from low beams...

[Penners]

We have a number of low doorways in our house, and the top of my head is rarely without some sort of damage. Fortunately rarely more than flesh wounds.

My problem is twofold: firstly, I have no trichological protection whatsoever on the top of my head, so the slightest tap causes a cut or an egg; secondly, the low doorways are only just too low. In my experience, obstructions that are very low are so obvious that you tend to avoid them successfully. Those that are a few centimetres too low catch you out all the time.

 

[88v8]

...a few centimetres ...

Foreign doorways damaging our English heads! I blame the EU

 

[Minkeycat]

A low dangling straw chicken a foot out from the beam works very well. Thank you for this idea suggestion!

Having listened to the radio last week about yet another lorry that'd hit a bridge near Plymouth cancelling trains, stopping traffic and causing a significant cost to the local economy, it occurs to me that councils/bridge builders should employ a similar system with a cheap template erected across the road a hundred meters or so before the bridge so lorries can take that out for a few quid rather than the whole local economy. Just an idea but shows the genius of this thread! Thanks all!

 

[88v8]

Templates. What an excellent notion. Seriously, you should suggest it to the Min of Tran, then when they ignore the idea, pursue it in the media.

One could develop this theme, with door-shaped templates outside fast food shops

Reverting to chickens, I notice my brother's chickens seem to duck when entering their egloo. I wonder if it would save their heads if one hung straw people outside.

Ivor

 

[Flyfisher]

Having listened to the radio last week about yet another lorry that'd hit a bridge near Plymouth cancelling trains, stopping traffic and causing a significant cost to the local economy, it occurs to me that councils/bridge builders should employ a similar system with a cheap template erected across the road a hundred meters or so before the bridge so lorries can take that out for a few quid rather than the whole local economy. Just an idea but shows the genius of this thread! Thanks all!

I've often seen exactly this idea near the exits of extensive roadworks or building sites, presumably to prevent vehicles loaded to high from joining the roadway, but such situations usually have 'banksmen' looking after the site traffic and would spot if a vehicle hit such a templates before allowing it on its way. Out on the open road, a high vehicle driver might not realise a flimsy template had been hit and simply carry on regardless.

I read somewhere recently that commercial vehicle GPS systems are available with maps that include bridge heights and weight restrictions etc. With the vehicle weight and height correctly entered the system should navigate the vehicle around such restrictions. Sounds like a good idea but even this capability doesn't seem to prevent the occasional mishap.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I read this thread with a smugness someone at 5ft 0 seldom feels in a world of giants, mirrors mounted too high, groceries out of reach, and clothing 6 inches too long everywhere.

This is my reward :twisted:

 

[philpjuk100]

I used to work at an engineering firm that had a low railway bridge just outside the main gate.Often lorries would hit the bridge and our winders would go to the gate and give the driver a round of applause and at lunch times take a chair and their "butties" and sit on the pavement watching the chaos. Cruel bug*ers!,The most dangerous lorries were the curtain side ones where the complete top would shear off and land on the car behind.Some low bridges in our area have a gantry with heavy chains both sides about a hundred yards or so before the bridge to give a warning.

 

[Feltwell]

I read this thread with a smugness someone at 5ft 0 seldom feels in a world of giants, mirrors mounted too high, groceries out of reach, and clothing 6 inches too long everywhere.

This is my reward :twisted:

Come come Joce, you're forgetting the bane of tall people everywhere - leg room. Buses, cinemas, theatres, aeroplanes, in fact any form of public seating design often seems to forget that some people are over 6'. Many is the time I've been stuck on some European economy flight with my knees jammed hard up against the seat in front.

 

[Feltwell]

I used to work at an engineering firm that had a low railway bridge just outside the main gate.Often lorries would hit the bridge and our winders would go to the gate and give the driver a round of applause and at lunch times take a chair and their "butties" and sit on the pavement watching the chaos. Cruel bug*ers!,The most dangerous lorries were the curtain side ones where the complete top would shear off and land on the car behind.Some low bridges in our area have a gantry with heavy chains both sides about a hundred yards or so before the bridge to give a warning.

There's a bridge in the USA that is notorious, despite lots of warning signs and flashing lights:-

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

It's the drivers that go really slowly that amuse me - I've seen the flashing lights telling me I'm too tall, but if I creep up on it then it might not notice me.....

I've got a "truck" satnav in my motorhome into which I input the height, width and length of the vehicle - it does do a good job of guiding you away from low bridges and weight restrictions, but they're never foolproof, as the regular pictures in the news of someone stupidly following their satnav down an impossible route proves!

 

[philpjuk100]

A local bridge has these chains as a warning but if you turn the radio up you can ignore them! still get the odd lorry stuck under the bridge!.

 

[Hobden]

A local bridge has these chains as a warning but if you turn the radio up you can ignore them! still get the odd lorry stuck under the bridge!.

Not sure Mrs H would stand for that in front of our bedroom door