Rookie drivers: Buy and study and atlas!

I hate to tell all of you this, but a map doesn't mean squat if your stupid or choose to ignore it and road signs. There is a low bridge in Denver, on Old Brighton Road, the clearance is 11'6", it's been 11'6" since the 50's when the road/bridge were built. every road atlas since then shows 11'6", there are 3 roads that lead to this bridge and all of those roads have multiple signs that say 11'6" underpass ahead.

Guess what, the bridge on both sides is multi-colored, from what, from all the OTR trucks who ignore the sign and promptly turn their condo into a convertible.

This morning, the road was closed for 3 hrs when a.....wait for it......... O/O with 20 yrs exp. ignored not only his truck GPS, but his Rand McNally AND 3 STREET SIGNS. Used to be a very nice 379 Pete, now, it's a 379 convertible. He managed to wedge it far enough under the bridge that they had to deflate all the steers and the front drive so the wrecker could drag it out. Oh, and his truck was blue, so the overpass now has a new blue stripe on it.

The drivers comment to Denver PD and the tow truck driver, WELL, IT'S MY FIRST TIME TO DENVER AND I THOUGHT THE SIGNS WERE WRONG. So much for exp., a road atlas, road signs, and a GPS. You just can't fix stupid.

Again, this was an O/O with 25 yrs exp.

 

I look at my gps then the atlas to find the longest way. I like to drive and get paid by the odometer I'll use an interstate over a back road when I have time and need the extra miles but if I got to get there quick I'll take the shortest route.

 

I think some you are using Rt 301 through the dc baltimore corridor alot and need to lighten up - I m tryin to get some sleep @ night !!!

 

Isnt blue Werner ?

 

How did he make it 20 years on the road? Thats the real mystery.

 

Sorry I erased my post. I dont like to come off as a know it all.

 

i been driving for years now, and i have a GPS. but i only have it for a back up if im lost to get me back on track or in a situation like that. i keep 2 map books in my truck and a list of numbers of buddies who can help me out.

a GPS isnt a bad thing to have, its a tool and a dangerous one in the wrong hands...

 

on the other hand, i havent even turned mine on in prob about 8 months

 

I use my GPS all the time, now, it is for 4-wheelers. 99% of the time I use it soley for time reference so I can tell my dispatcher how long it will take me. Even when going places I've been before I use it. Now, if I'm going someplace totally new, I will let it route me, then I'll jot down the route and check it against my Motor Carriers Atlas for restrictions and low clearance and make notes of anything in the atlas that is different from the GPS for future reference. We have a customer in Billings that is like this, the GPS routes me through a 9'6" underpass. I take the detour around it, let my GPS catch up with me, and all is good.

 

Striker, you use the most important routing tool available, for free, to any driver. The 3½ pound organic computer permanently attached to your body and encased in a protective shell called a skull. Not all drivers are, apparently, capable of making effective use of this instrument. Therefore, they blindly rely on toys such as GPS.