On 09/01/15 - 10/01/15 I was driving from Castleford-Glasgow and back in the extreme winds. A66 closed to high sided vehicles, so took A69. Given the A66 restriction and various delays en route, I ended up having to night out after I ran out of time just 19 miles short of base. Would have made it except for the home straight A1(M) 49-46 shut due to an overturned lorry (already passed another overturned lorry round there on the way up).
Spoke to a colleague a couple of days later, who on the night in question was driving a similar route. He said he ignored the road closed to high sided vehicles signs and completed the run in time.
I don’t intend to stir up a hornet’s nest about the safety issues regarding ignoring such signs (although they do seem a bit arbitrary - the M74 and A1(M) could have easily had the same restrictions given the severity of the weather). I would like to focus on the legal implications please. Are such signs are advisory only and not an order? Also, what is a high sided vehicle (the colleague said that if stopped, he would have stated that he believed high sided vehicle referred to lorries with multi-deck trailers rather than the “normal” height he was driving). What (if any) actions could be taken against a driver choosing not to follow the advice (if indeed it is only advice)? If there are no formal sanctions available I am sure any decent police officer would stop the driver and take his/her time carrying out a detailed vehicle/document check, trying to ensure the delay eliminates the time saved by ignoring the signs and taking the quickest route regardless (although more than likely they would be ■■■■■■■ dealing with other incidents… such as overturned lorries).
Thoughts/comments? Be nice please… 
Paul-Litton:
Are such signs are advisory only and not an order?
I’m not familiar with the signs on that particular road but as far as I’m aware signs saying “closed to high sided vehicles” are advisory but if you ignore them and put people at risk you could be done for careless driving, if you have an accident and put people at risk you can be done for dangerous driving.
This bloke learned the hard way, Forth Bridge storm van driver banned
Paul-Litton:
what is a high sided vehicle (the colleague said that if stopped, he would have stated that he believed high sided vehicle referred to lorries with multi-deck trailers rather than the “normal” height he was driving)
My understanding is that there’s no official policy on this (I’ll wait to be corrected though), but as far as I’m aware anything higher than a car or small van could be considered a high sided vehicle.
Paul-Litton:
What (if any) actions could be taken against a driver choosing not to follow the advice (if indeed it is only advice)?
I suppose it would depend on the circumstances but as I said earlier if you have an accident or block the road you could get done for careless driving or worse.
Paul-Litton:
what is a high sided vehicle
6" 9 according to the old Severn Bridge last Friday as the sign at the bridge said “bridge closed to high sided vehicles over 6” 9".
tachograph:
bald bloke:
Paul-Litton:
what is a high sided vehicle
6" 9 according to the old Severn Bridge last Friday as the sign at the bridge said “bridge closed to high sided vehicles over 6” 9".
Hopefully 6’ not 6"
Yep 6 foot 9 ins and they had old Bill there checking so it definitely wasn’t advisory.
That’ll upset a few crane drivers.
Would like to see the old bill explain to the driver of a 200t crane that he can’t use the road because he might get blown over.
cieranc:
That’ll upset a few crane drivers.
Would like to see the old bill explain to the driver of a 200t crane that he can’t use the road because he might get blown over.
Or a unit pulling a flat bed.
bald bloke:
cieranc:
That’ll upset a few crane drivers.
Would like to see the old bill explain to the driver of a 200t crane that he can’t use the road because he might get blown over.
Or a unit pulling a flat bed.
was stopped coming over the old severn bridge with an MT flat … the answer was it would act like a wing 
I suppose there’s some truth in it