# High Sided Vehicles?



## 114755 (Jul 24, 2008)

I live close to the forth road bridge. In last few days we have had high winds and at time the bridge has been closed to "High Sided Vehicles" what is the definition of a high sided vehicle and does at motorhome count :?:


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## Technophobe (Jul 31, 2007)

Hi Phil - I suspect it is a factor of the ratio of height and width. I would class my motorhome as "high sided" as it is fairly modest width (7.5 ft or thereabouts) but 3.3 metres (10 foot) high. As such it can be fairly 'skittish' in anything more than a moderate breeze.

Jon


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## EdinburghCamper (Sep 13, 2008)

I would say its a high sided vehicle, my 7 seater scenic has struggled on the forth bridge in high winds! I would have kittens taking the motorhome over!

Gary.


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## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

madphil said:


> does at motorhome count :?:


I think so.

I've followed HGVs and watched them and our MH seems to be getting battered more than they do.

They have 30 tonnes sticking them to the road, we 3 tonnes.

Look at the side area, we are not one tenth of the area, more like a third, they have a wider wheelbase so I reckon we go over before they do.

Ironically, travelling "light" with no water makes us blow over sooner because water and fuel is carried low down.


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

If the wind was blowing so strongly for them to shut the bridge to high sided vehicles, I don't think I would last the journey there never mind try to cross 8O 

Sue


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## Cuparmanwithvan (Jul 12, 2010)

*High sided Vehicles on Forth road Bridge*

When trying to find out if my campervan was classsed as a High Sided vehicle for strong wind warnings, I contacted the forth bridge via its website. I gave them my vehicle details and a photo. They emailed me back to confirm that my Fifer Touring van on a citroen relay chassis, is not classed as a High sided vehicle


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## Jented (Jan 12, 2010)

Hi.
You will know well before you get to the bridge if your m/home is high sided, your buttocks will be making teeth marks in the seat,however,if you have a numb bum,hang a plumb bob from your rear view mirror and when it gets to 45dgs,seriously think of exiting the higher side.
Gearjammer


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## shingi (Apr 18, 2008)

I answered this a while ago on another forum. I have pasted it here for you. Read on.....


A couple of years ago we took the motorhome to Brittany. It was March. The wind was unbelievable at Dover so they closed the port for hours and eventually put us on Eurotunnel. We were six hours late by this time. We got to the bridge at Le Havre at about midnight. There are in fact two bridges which we hadn't known about at the time. The wind was as fierce as it had been at Dover, it was also lashing rain and we had been buffeted all the way down on the autoroute from Calais. So, we got to the first bridge which looked fairly high and crept over it and that was quite scary and I felt a tremendous sense of relief that it was over and done with. THEN... we got to a peage and saw this second bridge looming ahead of us and it was much higher, or seemed to be than the first.....so much so that, to my recollection the apex of the bridge was lost in mist. Such was my utter terror that I actually said to the cashier...."shouldn't this bridge be closed?" She gave a gallic shrug and took my money. We started on our way. There was not one vehicle ahead of us and nothing coming down the other way and it is one heck of a bridge and it did not have anything that looked high enough to keep us from being blown off the side. A white van man tucked himself in right behind us which did nothing for my confidence.
I shut my eyes and can honestly say I have NEVER been so afraid in my life. It felt as though a giant finger was giving us a good jab in the side every two seconds. It was the longest journey of my life.

So, if we could survive that in winds that were God only knows what speed I'm sure that 18mph will be a cinch and we were also an overcab of 7m.
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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

The Severn bridge (Bristol - Chepstow) old M4 (now M48) has height detection cameras placed on the slip road leading to the bridge. If you are over-height it activates the camera and flashes a warning on the screen......proceed at your peril!!!!!

Ps - they look like speed cameras - but are not.

Do other exposed bridges in the UK have this system?
Carl


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