Low Clearance question

Good Sam Trip Manager has a height feature that I like

It has the following warnings you can set


Show RV Warnings


RVs Prohibited

All roads where RVs are prohibited from driving.


Low Clearances

Show all low clearances below 13'6".


No Propane Allowed

Show roads where no propane is allowed.


Propane Restrictions

Show roads that have propane-related restrictions.


Tunnels

Show a warning for all tunnels.


Bridges

Show a warning for all bridges


link below
http://trips.goodsamclub.com/

Get behind a tall 18-wheeler. If they get through, you can.

The problem with using the Truckers Atlas is it doesn't list all the side and back-roads, ie like the one that leads to that obscure campground you are going to for the first time.

If you use a GPS, there is a firm selling a POI file for it that lists all known (something like 50,000) low clearance (below 14 ft) locations in North America. See here

As for utility lines, they are all supposed to be high enough (14 ft) to allow the clearance of legal vehicles, at all times and in all locations. This allows things like say, moving trucks, to move about and load/unload households.

My answer will not tell you about low bridges but will give you RV height. I placed a long 2x4 on top of my A/C so it overhung the side of the RV and measured to the ground from the 2x4. A/C was my highest point. As far as knowing low bridges in advance I am no help.

I plan my route using my Garmin. Then I check the route with my trucker’s atlas. The trucker’s atlas has all roads the trucks can travel on marked in orange. If any part of my suggested Garmin route is not orange when I look in the atlas, I do not follow the Garmin route. I then plan an alternate route and program my Garmin accordingly. This approach has worked well for 7 years so far.

K Charles wrote:
Common sense and read the sign. Know how tall your rig is.

That was a huge help to the op.... Yes there are signs on the highways to avoid low bridges and yes you should know how tall you are but that may not be enough if you get off the beaten path and roll up on something too low. I thought there was an app for this, read about it here awhile back.

I've only gotten in this situation once so far by accident, wrong turn with a 40' 5er that almost put me into a very old small town with very low hanging wires. Luckily I was able to dip off into a parking lot and get turned around.

Not always about common sense and knowing how tall you are.

We have a truckers book of maps and if going back roads I check if there are any listed on that road. Flying Js sells the book.

Common sense and read the sign. Know how tall your rig is.