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csziggy

(34,139 posts) Mon Dec 30, 2019, 08:56 PM Dec 2019

Oh, NO! The 11' 8" bridge is no more

For those who don't know what I am talking about, the 11'8" has been the nemesis for tall trucks for a long time. A guy with an office across from the bridge set up web cams and has a YouTube channel with the crashes that ensue.

The 11foo8 bridge is a railroad trestle over Gregson St in Durham, North Carolina and it has earned a reputation for for its rigorous enforcement of the laws of physics. No truck taller than 11 feet and 8 inches will pass under this stubborn piece of infrastructure. Period. On this channel we document the various attempts of hapless drivers trying to get past this bridge. Some try to be sneaky, some try to be quick, some try to argue, but the bridge always wins. There is a reason why the locals call it the "canopener!"

So if you're driving a truck, please let these videos be a warning not to argue with low bridges. They have the law (of physics) on their side. Just heed the warnings and drive a different route. Be safe, y'all.
https://www.youtube.com/user/yovo68/about

On October 29, 2019, a crew hired by Norfolk Southern and the NC Railroad Company raised the 11foo8 bridge on Gregson St. in Durham, NC by 8 inches (20 cm) to increase the clearance over Gregson St to 12 foot 4 inches. The purpose of this $500000 project was to improve traffic safety at this railroad trestle. We have documented 150 crashes of overheight vehicles at the old 11foot8 bridge since April 2008. This is the end of the old 11foot8 canopener ... welcome to the 11foot8 +8 bridge. Let's see what happens

As one comment on YouTube said:

Mark S
1 month ago
Amazing. The favourite food of this bridge are rental trucks at 12' 6".

So to avoid collisions, they raised the bridge to 12'4"

Somebody has a sense of humor.

It has saved at least one truck from serious damage:

But not some furniture:

19 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Oh, NO! The 11' 8" bridge is no more (Original Post) csziggy Dec 2019 OP

Noooo! dewsgirl Dec 2019 #1

Someone has a sense of humor, all right! Omigod. CaliforniaPeggy Dec 2019 #2

I love that there have been two more since the raising jberryhill Dec 2019 #3

I subscribe to many YouTube channels, but don't check them regularly csziggy Dec 2019 #7

Those parking lot tow videos are great. Codeine Dec 2019 #13

#DRUMBEATS NurseJackie Dec 2019 #14

The comments and sound effects add to the videos, too csziggy Dec 2019 #15

The stats are fun... NurseJackie Dec 2019 #17

Wow. Their "LOADING ZONE NO PARKING AT ANY TIME" sign is huge and poo rominently tblue37 Dec 2019 #18

The End Times have arrived! PJMcK Dec 2019 #4

i have an 11'2" bridge at the end of my block. good times. mopinko Dec 2019 #5

You should set up some webcams and get a YouTube channel csziggy Dec 2019 #6

ikr? like i need another project, but... mopinko Dec 2019 #9

Got you beat one of ours is 10' 9" whistler162 Dec 2019 #12

12' 4" is still really low! Wednesdays Dec 2019 #8

Don't raise the bridge, lower the road. edbermac Dec 2019 #10

On one of the things about the bridge, there are utilities below the road csziggy Dec 2019 #16

Free couch! lol Renew Deal Dec 2019 #11

remember a story from years ago SCantiGOP Dec 2019 #19

dewsgirl

(14,961 posts)

1. Noooo!

Reply to csziggy (Original post)

Mon Dec 30, 2019, 09:02 PM

Dec 2019

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,741 posts)

2. Someone has a sense of humor, all right! Omigod.

Reply to csziggy (Original post)

Mon Dec 30, 2019, 09:03 PM

Dec 2019

Its just too much, my dear csziggy!

Happy New Year!

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

3. I love that there have been two more since the raising

Reply to csziggy (Original post)

Mon Dec 30, 2019, 09:09 PM

Dec 2019

That is one of the only channels to which I subscribe on YouTube.

csziggy

(34,139 posts)

7. I subscribe to many YouTube channels, but don't check them regularly

Reply to jberryhill (Reply #3)

Mon Dec 30, 2019, 09:42 PM

Dec 2019

11'8" bridge and GTOger which has great videos of vehicles towed out of their lot are fun when I am in the mood.

Here is one of the towing videos:

Codeine

(25,586 posts)

13. Those parking lot tow videos are great.

Reply to csziggy (Reply #7)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 09:59 AM

Dec 2019

I’ll miss the Can Opener, to be sure.

NurseJackie

(42,862 posts)

14. #DRUMBEATS

Reply to csziggy (Reply #7)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 12:16 PM

Dec 2019

I subscribe to this Youtube channel. These partiers and bar-goers think that the rules don't apply to them. It's very satisfying to see rule-breakers and sign-ignorers get what's coming to them.

That's especially true for us who DO read signs... who DO NOT park illegally.

csziggy

(34,139 posts)

15. The comments and sound effects add to the videos, too

Reply to NurseJackie (Reply #14)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 01:45 PM

Dec 2019

A few weeks ago they put up a video with just the tow, no comments, no sound effects - and nowhere near as fun.

I suspect most people think it's a 9-5 business and don't realize they do tech support 24/7 so need parking all the time. But still, it is well posted and many of the towees read the signs and ignore them. Dumbasses.

NurseJackie

(42,862 posts)

17. The stats are fun...

Reply to csziggy (Reply #15)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 02:02 PM

Dec 2019

... it's interesting to see the most-often-towed make/model info.

They must be in a bar/nightclub district... because there are a LOT or people taking a leak in their parking lot. The smells must be horrendous.

tblue37

(65,502 posts)

18. Wow. Their "LOADING ZONE NO PARKING AT ANY TIME" sign is huge and poo rominently

Reply to csziggy (Reply #7)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 02:11 PM

Dec 2019

displayed. How anyone could miss it or think they'd get away with parking there anyway is beyond comprehension.

PJMcK

(22,059 posts)

4. The End Times have arrived!

Reply to csziggy (Original post)

Mon Dec 30, 2019, 09:15 PM

Dec 2019

And yet, there have been a couple of smacks of the new bridge!

mopinko

(70,273 posts)

5. i have an 11'2" bridge at the end of my block. good times.

Reply to csziggy (Original post)

Mon Dec 30, 2019, 09:23 PM

Dec 2019

it's a really, really long street too, so gps lulls them to sleep.
the best so far was the kid on his first solo run w a load of budweiser. opened that sucker right up. free beer for the whole block.

about 1 in 100 know that traffic lanes are about the direction you are moving, not the direction they are pointing. i am thinking of making a 'driving tips' flyer.

csziggy

(34,139 posts)

6. You should set up some webcams and get a YouTube channel

Reply to mopinko (Reply #5)

Mon Dec 30, 2019, 09:39 PM

Dec 2019

You'd make a fortune, now that the 11'8" bridge won't be catching so many unaware drivers. Think of the fun editing the videos!

mopinko

(70,273 posts)

9. ikr? like i need another project, but...

Reply to csziggy (Reply #6)

Mon Dec 30, 2019, 11:05 PM

Dec 2019

whistler162

(11,155 posts)

12. Got you beat one of ours is 10' 9"

Reply to mopinko (Reply #5)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 07:17 AM

Dec 2019

and sadly has caused at least one fatal accident. Can't easily raise the bridge since it is a main North-South rail route and likely can't lower the road easily since it adjacent to the lake. The state is considering reducing it to one lane from two to make it safer? One excuse was the driver couldn't understand English well. Okay, but comparing and knowing the difference between the height of your truck and 10' 9" is a little boggling.

Wednesdays

(17,453 posts)

8. 12' 4" is still really low!

Reply to csziggy (Original post)

Mon Dec 30, 2019, 10:57 PM

Dec 2019

I've seen low clearance warnings on bridges with heights of more than 14-6! Bet that site will continue to get lots of crash videos!

edbermac

(15,947 posts)

10. Don't raise the bridge, lower the road.

Reply to csziggy (Original post)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 01:55 AM

Dec 2019

csziggy

(34,139 posts)

16. On one of the things about the bridge, there are utilities below the road

Reply to edbermac (Reply #10)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 01:47 PM

Dec 2019

So it can't be lowered. I suspect 12'4" is as high as it can go.

Renew Deal

(81,885 posts)

11. Free couch! lol

Reply to csziggy (Original post)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 03:12 AM

Dec 2019

Thanks for the update.

SCantiGOP

(13,874 posts)

19. remember a story from years ago

Reply to csziggy (Original post)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 02:24 PM

Dec 2019

A truck got stuck under a bridge like that.
About a dozen cops and the truck driver and nosy passers-by stood around for a while trying to figure out what to do before a kid walked by and said, "Why don't you just let the air out of the tires?'

That's one big "Duh!"

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