Trucks on parkways/hitting overpasses in New York area

My 2 cents worth, have had a car GPS for years, have had it try to put me on many roads and bridges that won't work. I am smart enough to read the signs! Someone that would let a GPS steer them to a low bridge or weight restricted road, would do it anyway, GPS or not!
Jack

 

I know I have posted about these things on different threads here ad nauseum--but here goes; First NYC is NO DIFFERENT than any other major urban area--they all have their drawbacks and problems--and yes NY and NYC bridge markings are a PITA--BUT like anything else--take your time pay attention--PLAN a good route before you get there--then check double check etc--
Couple of quick tips about NYC(and most others actually)that haven't been mentioned--
First don be afraid to ask--just ask right people--
1-Cops;not as bad as you have heard--remember they are the ones that have to deal with the mess when you are in the wrong place--In the boroughs there is one #### near on every corner--and most corners have a bus stop--just use it to pull over and walk up to car and ask
2-Fire Depts--Also one for every 8-10 sq blocks thruout town--doors are always open and No Parking in front--don't be afraid to walk in--These folks really have their S*** together
3-Main routes with bad signs--CITY BUS DRIVERS--they run these routes/areas 25-50x a DAY! They know anywhere you can't go--because they have seen the results
For the most part these tips apply anywhere but especially NYC
BUT THE REALITY IS:THOUSANDS of big trucks go in and out 24/7 and NEVER get in any trouble--don't make it more than it is--it is doable--and IMHO relatively easy Frankly--But if(as many have posted here)you start overthinking/worryin about it 1500 miles away--you will make it insurmountable by the time you get there--
So like any other unfamiliar situation--SLOW DOWN--PAY ATTENTION--RELAX
Just my $.02

 

And BTW one other thing--like everything else in life Don't believe ANYTHING you HEAR and only HALF of what u see--The BS stories about NYC are rivaled only by political ads in their level of BS,,and I've heard most all of em--all over the country--Back when I was a little younger and liked ###### with people more(I've grown bored of the game frankly)I used to love to listen to all the stories about the POINT etc--and I would inevitably wait for the others to chime in their BS--Then put on my best Dumb**** Countryboy act and ask the instigator directions to the Point--or if they seemed to have the BS down really well--I would ask for directions from the point into the Bklyn Mkt or Vice cersa--and of course they sounded good but were far off--then depending on the person I would either walk away thanking them(while others sat listened and realized he was full of ######--or then correct him and tell him to quit makin up stories--produced some fun results--BUT I am somewhat of an instigator--LMAO

 

Scottcp36, I'm not amazed at all. I grew up in Brooklyn N.Y. (sheepshead bay) and used to see several truckers attempt to get on the belt parkway. If you take a look at an Atlas map. If you dont know about parkways, coming off the V.Z. bridge, the belt pkwy looks like the smartest route to get to nassau county or queens. But since the N.Y. hi-way system was set up so HORRIBLY its a cluster screw to get around with a big rig. If its not the parkways, its the #### Subway overpasses in brooklyn etc. I'm glad i learned to drive in that area, but i'm glad i no longer live or drive in that mess anymore.

 

Scott, tthis ones complicated. Many of NY's bridges are not marked correctly. I learned to drive in NYC doing sidewalk deiveries of P&G freight to all 5 boroughs. Some like Broadway in Brooklyn and jerome in upper Manhattan I delivered to stores under the L's. Never hit a bridge in the 30 years I drove. I have accidentely wandered onto the Cross Island Parkway from the Van Wick by mystake during a construction detour once but stopped immediately at the bottom of the ramp. Then drove across 12 lanes of traffic and up the other ramp. LOL Not a good day. I learned to drive without a GPS. To this day I can not figure out why bridges in NY are marked much lower than they really are. For instance, the BQE under the overhang just before the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. Many trucks get off and get lost trying to go around a bridge that a 13'6" box can get unmderneath easily. It's posted, and those who don't know any different follow the detour. The detor is poorly marked once you ge off, resulting in a very frustrating moment for anyone that doesn't know the area. Some who are coaxed through by CB radio by the locals continue on the BQE and go under. This eventually leads to false pretense for other similiar situations where the drivers may very well thik it's okay and drive under another bridge similiary marked only to find out it's too low, like the bridges after the Tri Borough on 278. After all the one by the tri borough leads u onto the service road pass the police station. Majority of the time the road is so congested with illegaly parked cars and double parked cars, you wonder if your going the right way, and if you can get past all the congestion. Going towards the tri borough from brooklyn the detour isn't properly marked, your just guessing. This is not just a NYC thing either. This problem is a NY thing. Across the state many of the bridges are marked much lower than they really are. Unless you see a Big green sign with white lettering saying Actual clearance their all marked incorrectly. As far as a driver hitting the bridges well that's something that only one person can control or do anything about, the person behind the wheel. When in doubt stop and check.

Correcting this problem.........Weelll a few things.

1. Mark the bridges with actual heights like every other state does.
2. Any detours off of interstate highways to avoid low clearances should be well marked, and the signs maintained, actually as those bridges go under repair or are repalced, bring them up to clearance.
3. I've noticed carriers big and small taking new hires, with little experience, they'll send them to the cities. This should stop. Don't know how but part of the problem. Can u imagine how frustrated this individual is? Just a matter of time, being human, they will make a mistake.
4. Carriers are just as responsible for the save and proper routing of their trucks. I'm not sure what reg it is, there is one. This is more and more neglected as carriers move to better their bottom line by replacing experienced, hardened dispatches with less experience to save money on payroll.

Bottom line, under no circumstances, there is no excuse for hitting a bridge period. When confronted with a low clearance, call 911 and get help to get turned around properly and safely.

 

I suspect that basic english reading and comprehension skills (lack thereof) are the primary cause for many of these incidents. Having said that, I also understand that at some points throughout NYC, there are 2-4 key, critical signs that must be read simultaneously by truckers while traveling down very narrow, busy lanes to avoid problems and especially for the new drivers in NYC, there is a lot to take in in a very short span of time.

 

trucker gps's won't route you under a 12.2 bridge. they also don't route you on streets that trucks aren't allowed. at least mine don't.

there's also settings you can configure for your height.

but, we all know that gps's aren't perfect.

and yes. i've been through new york city a number of times.

 

I'm not talking about the numbers ... I'm talking about the signs telling drivers to avoid the parkways in the first place which is the original subject of the OP. Something tells me EZX1100 may be the poster child for those running up on these low bridges in the NYC area.

if you believe English reading and comprehension is not a real problem that at least some drivers from all across North America suffer from, you are seriously deluded.

 

i have never topped a trailer (scraped mine for about 3" once) and i understand english very well

if i go into an area and the bridge is low, regardless of what any sign says i stop, that doesnt require english comprehension, just open eyes (which is appears texans have a problem with)

why is it every country in the world prides itself in more than one language except the usa?

you ever been to quebec (its north of texas), they speak french, if they had your attitude, no american drivers would survive, but because people are generally bilingual, it makes everything smoother

considering you are on the border of mexico, i would presume most texans speak some sort of spanish, but i guess that would be imitating "those people"

 

If you rely on a "truck gps" you will find yourself in trouble.Calling ahead for directions and looking in your atlas for the low bridges helps