# Know your height when going thro Rouen.



## DTPCHEMICALS

http://www.paris-normandie.fr/actu/rouen-un-camping-car-bloque-sous-une-tremie

Ouch

Dave p


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## Zebedee

Much cheaper (_and quicker_) to detour via La Mailleraye sur Seine Dave, as that photo clearly indicates!

Ouch . . . that hurt!! 8O 8O

Dave


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## 100127

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> http://www.paris-normandie.fr/actu/rouen-un-camping-car-bloque-sous-une-tremie
> 
> Ouch
> 
> Dave p


Ouch is right, but when can I meet your avitar Dave>


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## sallytrafic

By coincidence I accurately measured the height of mine today more or less fully loaded has a one inch lean to the right but all just under 9 feet (2.75m) which means I would hit that tunnel roof perhaps. 

While I was at it remeasured width 7ft 10" ......

...... and over the mirrors only 4" more 8ft 2" no wonder the mirrors don't give any perspective when reversing they are looking straight down the sides


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## Briarose

Rouen nearly got us.....the warning thingy made us jam on the anchors and reverse !


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## pneumatician

I have a list of all of the vital statistics of our van stuck on the sunblind.

Height 3.1 M but unless it says 3.5M I never risk it. Don't want to leave the Aircon behind do we?

Steve


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## DTPCHEMICALS

Blobsta said:


> DTPCHEMICALS said:
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.paris-normandie.fr/actu/rouen-un-camping-car-bloque-sous-une-tremie
> 
> Ouch
> 
> Dave p
> 
> 
> 
> Ouch is right, but when can I meet your avitar Dave>
Click to expand...

when you can spell avatar correctly :lol:

Dave p


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## Scattycat

I'd say be aware all the time.

A friend of ours mis-judged an underpass in another major French city. 

They did a couple of thousand £'s worth of damage to their van and also took out most of the overhead lights in the tunnel.

It's easily done, we've nearly been caught out a couple of times but so far so good.  

As the old adage goes, 'When all else fails . . . read the instructions'

The heights are usually pretty well displayed, but there are times we all get distracted at the wrong moment :roll:


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## 100127

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> Blobsta said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DTPCHEMICALS said:
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.paris-normandie.fr/actu/rouen-un-camping-car-bloque-sous-une-tremie
> 
> Ouch
> 
> Dave p
> 
> 
> 
> Ouch is right, but when can I meet your avitar Dave>
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> when you can spell avatar correctly :lol:
> 
> Dave p
Click to expand...

Doh!


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## wooly

Hi Been there, very nearly got the teeshirt, friend following nearly had heart failure, he said there wasn't room for a *** packet on top of our van. Lucky!!
Michael


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## MalanCris

Not the same tunnel, but one very similar in Rouen took the Oyster dish off my roof..that's what you get for listening to your SatNav


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## dragonflyer

We too were caught by the same sequence of tunnels in Rouen.

It was a Sunday and the place was swamped with traffic and pedestrians due to the Tall Ships being in harbour and open to visitors.

We too saw the height limit after we had entered the roadway and stopped. Various rooflight debris at the road side indicated that motorhomes regularly struck the bridge.

I must say that the french cars behind us were so very understanding and backed up to allow us to reverse back on to the main road. No tooting or abusive behaviour at all. They had probably seen it all before!

Joyce


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## Spacerunner

Now I always keep to the east of the river in Rouen when driving south.

At Southampton's Hedge End retail park there is a filling station on the one-way exit system. Trouble is the it exits under a 9'6" road bridge and there does'nt appear any warning prior to the forecourt.

I realised that the van would most probably be ok but wasn't willing to risk it. We had great fun backing up a long queue of cars so we could reverse back along the road to find another exit.


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## Johnt1

*Rouen*

We got caught there too!

Luckily for us we hit the warning panel before the tunnel which took off our ariel

In the height of rush hour and had to reverse up, no mean feast I can tell you

John


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## pneumatician

Last year in Deaville (I think) we exited the campsite to find a diversion in operation due to work on the railway crossing.
Following the diversion the road we were on changed to one way and finally came to a 3M high bridge two other roads also merged at this bridge also one way which was under the bridge.
To cut along story short the only way out was to drive up a one way road in the wrong direction. Fortunately it was very early on a Sunday morning and a Deaville council man rescued us by lowering some barriers. 

Steve


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## baldlygo

*Not just MHs*

Rouen seems particularly bad. Visiting friends of ours in a small car with two bicycles on the roof had a problem and had to reverse up on a busy underpass :!:

Paul


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## altom

Briarose said:


> Rouen nearly got us.....the warning thingy made us jam on the anchors and reverse !


That is exactly what happened to us. You follow the road signs and TomTom GPS and they lead you under the junctions. Before you know it you are hitting the chains and bars!! We had to reverse back much to the annoyance of the French motorists and their horn blowing!!

Well I was not going to experience a roof cruncher ...what did they think I should do??

ALUN


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## Mrplodd

Its common all over France !!

They just dont seem to have grasped the simple principle of ADVANCED signing do they ???

I am trying to think where I was last year but there were a number of underpasses under a main rd (motorway??) that only had 1.8m (6ft) clearance, now thats LOW


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## pgjohnso

We also nearly got caught out at the same bridge in our Sundance 590RS (3m) on our first trip in France - 2007. Turned right (no apparent warning signs) and there in front was the bridge. By then we had traffic backing up behind us, so it was a nightmare to turn around.


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## JIMY

avatar


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## georgiemac

Blmey - I thought it was only us that had got caught !! We had to go through with an inch to spare - scariest thing that has ever happened to us when motorhoming!!


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## GROUNDHOG

Yet another one of us in Rouen, followed the satnav and then spotted the warning barrier! Just like the rest had to reverse back up the slip road - flipping nightmare and having just got over that nearly ran over an old lady who just walked out in front of me without any warning.

Rouen is not my favourite place!


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## Ian_n_Suzy

Hi,

Another one caught out here. Though we didn't need to reverse back thankfully as we saw the sign "just" in time to swerve right onto the slip road right.

Weird thing was, our mate was following on a week or so behind us, using a different Sat Nav and making his own route, and he got caught out also (his involved stopping traffic and backing up the ramp, lol).


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## bigtree

The Rouen question again,I'm not going to relax until I get through there.


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## moch

*Heights*

We nearly got caught out leaving Avignon, sat nav said keep right and the next thing was a ramp down to a tunnel - and that was just after it had sent us into the walled city. Severly rattled we finished the day approaching this camp site and just before were two bridges clearly marked 3 metres.
Me: I don't think we should go through
Himself: It'll be OK I'll take it slow.
I looked through the heki and thought that's close and was so rattled I kept on about it most of the evening.
Me: You were looking forward - there wasn't much room
Himself: Rubbish, at 2.35 there was plenty of room.
Me: We are 2.35 wide the height is 2.90
Himself: Ops (or words to that effect)

Mags


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## inkey-2008

We were camp next to a couple from York their van was a right off after hitting the underpass in Rouen. 

The van was only a couple of weeks old.

Andy


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## hbspc

Same here 3.3m dont chance it at 3.5, rosslare got me a few years ago 3 ton limit and 3 mtr ht, at time ht barrier was well smashed and there was no ht sign, but you know that feeling it aint gonna go, stopped short, said to wife inch it forward to see whilst i was on roof placing pressure on sat dish hoping to clear bar, her foot floor i had to run and jump, needless to say dish was bucked, but got money back from sten for new sat dish gearbox, which i repaired, ihad to dump all water and wife and child got out van before being weighed, just scrapped through that.


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## me0wp00

Theres one in paris too now, new toll tunnel has been built and you don't see the signs until you hit the plastic barrier things hanging down, you get flashed off to the right but then your on a different road in the middle of Paris with no signs apart from how to get back onto the tunnel road...DOH dh and I were in a sprinter van


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## wooly

Hi, I'm glad you have brought up the one in Paris, it is on the west side of the Perifarique and totally unbelievable, as has been said you get directed off, but no signs where to go except around in a circle and back to the same point again. Tomtom did the same, you just get sent back to a 2m barrier - Blo..dy nightmare.
Michael


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## grizzlyj

Hi 

The Michelin maps of France have bridge heights on????? 

:twisted: :roll: :wink:


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## Christine600

me0wp00 said:


> Theres one in paris too now, new toll tunnel has been built and you don't see the signs until you hit the plastic barrier things hanging down, you get flashed off to the right but then your on a different road in the middle of Paris with no signs apart from how to get back onto the tunnel road...DOH dh and I were in a sprinter van


So what did you do? Put out your awning and chairs and waited for the gendarmerie to come to tell you you cannot camp here? :lol:


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## raynipper

There are several low 'fly-unders' into Le-Mans from the track. Get it wrong and take the wrong lane and you can end up in the tram lanes with a damn great kerb to cross to get off......  

Ray.


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## erneboy

If it hadn't been for a bloke in a car tooting and waving furiously at us we would have gone down that lane too. It took me a moment to understand what he was telling me. So thanks to an unknown French chap! 

Even if I had seen it in time and not hit it getting back out would have been a carry on, Alan.


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## Mike0753

Just returned from our hibernation trip in Spain and Portugal. I had heard about the "Rouen" problem was doing my best to avoid the town on our return. As my other half is a definate anti Tolls person it wasn't easy! We decided however that first we would head for Arromanches on the Normandy coast to see the D Day landing site and visit the exhibition. My garmin gave me a route through Bayeaux. Now there is a perfectly good bypass around Bayeaux but no..SatNav sent me towards the town centre where, yes, you guessed it, we encountered a low underpass - 2.75m. Fortunately I spotted the warning chains and bar about 50m before the obstruction. I was able to reverse into an entrance into a small industrial estate much to the amusement (not) of some local drivers. I didn't see any advance warning signs until the dangling chains but possible that they exist and I didn't see them. Anyone driving to that part of France be warned.


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## thegamwellsmythes

Cripes! We'll be heading down towards Blois via Rouen in June.

Does anyone know if this road is the main road through/past Rouen or not?

Currently thinking of giving the place a very wide berth.

Paul and Jane


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## xgx

Done the Calais - Evreux/Blois via Rouen lots of times... 

Have they lowered bridges/tunnels around there 'cos I've never come across any that me 3mH van won't go under ?

Route IIRC ...in on the E402/A28(N28) and out on the D6015

Drive carefully and keep the speed down so that big wagons can overtake... chances are that if they can get through/under, so can you ....maybe


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## thegamwellsmythes

That was what I was thinking, stick to the main route and tootle to let the wagons go first.


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## steco1958

You should know your height, all the time, not just going through Rouen.

However, when I go through there, I never encounter the tunnels, perhaps thats because they warn you of the height restrictions prior to each entrance.

Is it me or do some people drive with their eyes closed !!


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## commuter

another low bridge

http://www.11foot8.com/


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## andyandsue

*Mem Says Its Typical Of Frenchmen*

the mem says its non unusual for french men to get sizes wrong ....she recallsl that during the war she was often let down by french chaps ability to correctly measure( ill have to ask what she did in the war again i think)


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## erneboy

steco1958 said:


> You should know your height, all the time, not just going through Rouen.
> 
> However, when I go through there, I never encounter the tunnels, perhaps thats because they warn you of the height restrictions prior to each entrance.
> 
> Is it me or do some people drive with their eyes closed !!


Aren't you clever! Mind your foot doesn't drop off.

The warnings were there but quite close to the tunnels, Alan.

Nursie: You're so clever today, you better be careful your foot doesn't fall off.
Queen: Does that happen when you have lots of brilliant ideas? Your foot falls off?
Nursie: It certainly does. My brother, he had this brilliant idea of cutting his toenails with a scythe, and his foot fell off.


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## dragonflyer

We had no problem driving through Rouen going south, it was on the return journey that the Sat Nav said go left. Oh .....!!

As I reported we had great understanding reversing as if we had hit the bridge and wedged, then no traffic would be getting through anyway.

Joyce


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## grizzlyj

erneboy said:


> The warnings were there but quite close to the tunnels, Alan.


So use a map to plot your route before hand is surely what everyone should be doing?

I don't know the answer in Spain having never found a map with heights marked, but in France the Michelin is quite good.

What do the people who have had problems in France do when in the UK? Maybe there should be a sticky in Continental touring where maps with height/weight/widths marked are recommended?


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## erneboy

I didn't have a town centre plan Jason and even if I did I don't check main arterial routes in advance especially those running through cities where you can expect that trucks come and go making deliveries.

I realise that I need never encounter any difficulty if I study any proposed route in detail before using it, however I am not on military manoeuveres, it's my leisure time and planning to the nth degree would spoil it. 

So if I need to change lanes from time to time to avoid a low bridge or underpass I will live with that, Alan.


Edit: Why should everyone plot routes in advance when they are on main roads?


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## grizzlyj

Snipped


erneboy said:


> Edit: Why should everyone plot routes in advance when they are on main roads?


See post one of this thread!!!!

I'm sure you're not suggesting the responsibility for planning a safe route in your chosen vehicle stops when on holiday?! 

This thread shows that a "main road" for a car is quite clearly not always that for a motorhome, so I could suggest everyone should check they will fit on every route they plan to go down. This was rumoured to be introduced for the Class C test, the examiner would only tell you the destination for your test, and you would plan a safe and appropriate route, as this is a major part of driving a bigger vehicle than you're used to. Delivery drivers should know full well all restrictions beforehand or they won't be doing their job very well! If I assumed I can drive down any main road I'd soon get stuck  At 4m tall maybe we have to take that on board more than most, but the only time we've had a problem was with a lovely high street in southern France and low trees which wouldn't have been on the map anyway.

The reality in France at least is a quick scan in the morning, which usually highlights a couple of low bridges you can easily avoid, giving for instance a "I can go everywhere but those two villages" result, so no big hassle, your nth degree not required  But we can't get into Andorra except from Spain, and the Gorges du Verdon are inaccessible to us except one bit along the top, so maybe checking your route months before may be important!! (Coming back through Dover has a 4m clearance as you drive through customs, which changes to 3.9m while you're under it with speed bumps 8O, so we always make sure we stock up on duty free to squash the suspension beforehand )

The Michelin road atlas of France widely available (not a special truckers map as you can get in the UK) has always given enough info, although a magnifying glass is sometimes required to see which road is above another at a low bridge for instance. I also don't aim for the tiniest roads through the centre of ancient towns though, if you did good luck!! 

Jason


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## erneboy

I guess I am just a bit more relaxed about travelling, maybe it comes from having driven big vehicles for my work and being used to them, Alan.


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## Foghorn-Leghorn

*Re: Know Your Height When Going Thro Rouen.*



DTPCHEMICALS said:


> http://www.paris-normandie.fr/actu/rouen-un-camping-car-bloque-sous-une-tremie
> 
> Ouch
> 
> Dave p


Where in Rouen is this low underpass ? I've come through on numerous occasions and have never encountered this low bridge


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## lifestyle

*Re: Know Your Height When Going Thro Rouen.*



Foghorn-Leghorn said:


> DTPCHEMICALS said:
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.paris-normandie.fr/actu/rouen-un-camping-car-bloque-sous-une-tremie
> 
> Ouch
> 
> Dave p
> 
> 
> 
> Where in Rouen is this low underpass ? I've come through on numerous occasions and have never encountered this low bridge
Click to expand...

Me too,we must be going the wrong way   

Les


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## adonisito

I too have seen comments about this. We've been through Rouen loads of times and even stayed there on the Quay to visit the Cathedral. I cannot recall low tunnels, is this a satnav problem? We use a map. And a magnifying glass.


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## lifestyle

adonisito said:


> I too have seen comments about this. We've been through Rouen loads of times and even stayed there on the Quay to visit the Cathedral. I cannot recall low tunnels, is this a satnav problem? We use a map. And a magnifying glass.


Our tomtom takes us under the first bridge/tunnel then takes us off to the right along the river.
I suppose it depends what direction your sat nav is set to.

Les


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## steco1958

erneboy said:


> If it hadn't been for a bloke in a car tooting and waving furiously at us we would have gone down that lane too. It took me a moment to understand what he was telling me. So thanks to an unknown French chap!
> 
> Even if I had seen it in time and not hit it getting back out would have been a carry on, Alan.


And you drove big trucks for a living ????


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## erneboy

Steve, are you really saying that your planning is so perfect that you have never found yourself in a slightly awkward situation while driving?

I imagine I would have seen the hazard had I got close to it and been able to avoid it easily. As it was the guy in the car alerted me before I saw it and possibly before we passed any warning signs.

I hope you manage to maintain your apparently spotless record. For myself I won't be planning to that degree as I would find it tedious in the extreme. If you enjoy doing it good for you. We are all different, Alan.


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## gaspode

It strikes me that it would be very helpful if anyone who has experienced these low bridges could post the GPS positions here so that we can all avoid them.


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## Zebedee

gaspode said:


> It strikes me that it would be very helpful if anyone who has experienced these low bridges could post the GPS positions here so that we can all avoid them.


Good thinking Ken. :wink:

It would be good to have the locations on the satnav as a warning.

Dave


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## Ebby

*France Touring*

We have been through Rouen going South and North many times 
with my old Tom Tom,never any problems with low tunnels.I have
just bought a new Tom Tom XXL and have not used it in France yet.
I was wondering if those who got in trouble were using a Sat Nav
and if they were what make and model was it.


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## lifestyle

*Re: France Touring*



Ebby said:


> We have been through Rouen going South and North many times
> with my old Tom Tom,never any problems with low tunnels.I have
> just bought a new Tom Tom XXL and have not used it in France yet.
> I was wondering if those who got in trouble were using a Sat Nav
> and if they were what make and model was it.


We have a tom tom one, came as part of the package when we bought our Bolero,never had any problems 2 1/2years old.before that a cheap garmin.

Les


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## cronkle

gaspode said:


> It strikes me that it would be very helpful if anyone who has experienced these low bridges could post the GPS positions here so that we can all avoid them.


Thought you went that way last year Ken :roll:

Good idea and quick description is that they are on the Quai de Paris (east bank of the river heading north) at the junctions with

Rue des Maillots - 49d 26' 3.65 n and 1d 05' 47.31 e

Rue de la Tour de Beurre - 49d 26' 17.46 n and 1d 05'36.83 e

Rue des Belges - 49d 26' 27.57n and 1d 04'57.47e

I think there may be more further north but they are the three that I saw.

Refs taken from street view. I accept no responsibility for errors in the information provided and subsequent dents.

edit
Nearly forgot the one the other side of the river. Boulevarde Europe at the junction with D938, 49d 26'02.55n and d 04' 39.38e. This one is slightly more forgiving as it gives a way out just before the chains.


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## gaspode

cronkle said:


> Thought you went that way last year Ken :roll:


I probably did Mike, goodness knows that ****** Garmin took us everywhere except where we wanted to go.

You'd think I would know where these low bridges were wouldn't you? Not many bits of Rouen I haven't visited whilst trying to find my way out. :roll: 
Strangely though I've never come across a low bridge - yet................


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## coppo

*Re: France Touring*



lifestyle said:


> Ebby said:
> 
> 
> 
> We have been through Rouen going South and North many times
> with my old Tom Tom,never any problems with low tunnels.I have
> just bought a new Tom Tom XXL and have not used it in France yet.
> I was wondering if those who got in trouble were using a Sat Nav
> and if they were what make and model was it.
> 
> 
> 
> We have a tom tom one, came as part of the package when we bought our Bolero,never had any problems 2 1/2years old.before that a cheap garmin.
> 
> Les
Click to expand...

We have a Tom Tom Truck(Bought summer 2010) and have had quite a few problems with it regarding low bridges, both in this country and Germany.

The two B's, Bath and Bingen spring to mind.

Frightening.

Paul.


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## erneboy

Mrs. Eb informs me that it wasn't Rouen where we nearly had the problem. She can't remember where it was though. I defer to her on that as my memory is truly awful. Still the photograph looked familiar, Alan.


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## peaky

silly question but what are the chains ?? and how are they suspended before the bridges, cant quite picture it, never been to france but hope to tour there next year, dont fancy reversing solo after not spotting a low bridge in time.


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## cronkle

Usually painted red and white they hang down from a higher framework arch so that you hit and rattle them before you hit the really solid bit. Gives you a chance to stop/change course/reverse out of trouble.


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## peaky

ah thankyou now i know !!!


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## grizzlyj

Just an idea, when our progress was barred by the Tour de France earlier this month we were forced to divert either onto the autoroute, to go round to the west side on smaller roads, or just wait 6 hours.

The map we had said "bac" at the river, but the map scale only suggested a bridge. In fact there was a super speedy and free car/truck ferry which was unexpected, quick and fun! I now know what a "bac" is!!

Jason


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