How would you get out of a sticky height related situation ?

[hubert72]

Just had my first experience of a low height restriction at Leeds Bradford airport pick up car park, pulled up to the barrier and noticed that the height bar said 1.9m. First thing was to look behind and see a long queue of cars and taxis behind me so reversing out wasn't an option, approached the barrier slowly and realised that there was plenty of headroom so the 1.9 is obviously not the correct height of the bar, but It left me wondering what could I have done if the height restriction was correct and I couldn't fit under. Has anyone else had any experience of this ?

 

[Loodle]

Yes, in Rouen in a Landrover Defender.... Rush hour, and when we realised that the car wouldn't fit under the bridge (no obvious height limitation signs) I had to jump out and stop the not insignificant amount of traffic whilst OH reversed out of the situation, round a blind bend!! Neither of us have ever forgotten it, and wequake every
time we go near Rouen!!

 

[snowy55]

Two options
1 reverse out.
2 get the barrier lifted.
Was there no prior warning?

 

[motacyclist]

Two options
1 reverse out.
2 get the barrier lifted.
Was there no prior warning?

3. Let some air out of the tyres

 

[Skylark2.0]

I drove into a car park in my high top Granvia only to find a height restriction on the exit when I had done my shopping. Sharp intake of breath and nipped back out of the one way exit bit short of other options...

 

[Hotel California]

Most of the height bars itself have actually more height then written on it but i would not take the risk , not enter anything that's says it's lower than 2m!

 

[hubert72]

Two options
1 reverse out.
2 get the barrier lifted.
Was there no prior warning?

No, no prior until you are actually at the automatic barrier, the entrance splits into two entry barriers, while parked up waiting I noticed that any high roof cars Using the left hand barrier (such as the transit sized taxis) were hitting the height barrier, as if they were used to it. Signs leading up to it just say short stay and pick up point, there is also no prior warning either about the £3.00 they charge for the pleasure of driving through the pick up point. I don't know how the airport gets away with the charges. Leeds is the only airport I know that charges for picking up or dropping off passengers.

 

[andyinluton]

Luton airport does as well, just picked up my daughter £2.50 for 15 mins in the pick up point. cctv cameras on all approach road & £100 fine if anyone seen getting in or out the car rather than using the pick up point. Short stay car park is a mere £7.00 for the first 40 mins! going up to I think it was £100 for the day.

 

[Mags21]

Edinburgh and Glasgow both do too though it was only £1 to exit pick up point at Glasgow last time I was there!

 

[Bramco]

East Midlands does too. £1 for 10 minutes which is OK for drop off but over £3 for the short stay and then only 20 minutes I think before things start ticking up.

Daylight robbery or just the normal British attitude of screwing the customer.

Apparently the airport make more from parking per passenger at EMA than they do on other charges which I guess includes landing fees and rates for the shops etc.

 

[Bluestone]

I had a similar experience in a rented Land Rover Discovery once, it was a multi-story car park above shops so had a long ramp up with no height warning! (at the time) As I got to the top of the ramp the ceiling started getting lower, then I heard a scrapping as the roof bars hit the ceiling! I had to do a 3 point turn and go back down the exit ramp (thank goodness the exit was at the same point as the entry!!). This was on a busy Saturday morning - I wasn't Mr Popular that day!!

Now I double check first and if in doubt, park up before and check things out (even if it's parking 'illegally' for a bit) if I get challenged I just explain what I'm doing

On a recent trip to Monaco in 'my' rented Cali it was nice to see most of the barriers set at 2.0M - just enough for the Cali without roof bars to fit under

I say 'my' rented Cali as I've decided to rent until the T6 comes out - it seems I'm the only person to rent this Cali so far, so it feels like mine Oddly the cost to rent for me (with the trips I do each year) comes to about the same as the depreciation Nice to have one of my own, but I'll wait until next year and get the new T6. Forget the fact it doesn't look much different - its the engines I'm after - can't ignore better economy and more importantly the lower emissions