GPS POI Files

CrashHD · Member

GPS POI Files

Mike Harding · Guru

I Googled:

garmin poi files australia

and found, amongst many others, this:

However, in regard to bridge height and weight, I would not take the data in a POI file as anything more than an indication.

Mike Harding · Guru

Just to add info about bridges:

Having driven my car and large-ish caravan all over Victoria and southern NSW these past 3.5 years I have only come across one bridge which was too low and that was a special tunnel cut under the Hume Freeway so local traffic could avoid a long detour.

In regard to weight; let's say the largest car/caravan combination is about 7T, I cannot recall seeing a bridge with a weight limit less than 15T and if I came across one with a limit of, say, 10T I'd find another way around - I'll take a guess that if the highway people consider a bridge could only safely support a 7T vehicle they'd probably close it.

In short: common sense applies but don't worry overmuch about bridges.

Whenarewethere · Guru

NSW

Are We Lost · Guru

If you travel via the Hume Highway from Sydney to the South Coast, the route Google creates (and probably most navigation systems) takes you under a 2.7M clearance railway bridge at Goulburn ... Garoorigang St if you want to mark that on your maps. To avoid it don't use the logical freeway exit on the SW side of Goulburn. Instead, go into Goulburn and travel south along Braidwood Rd.

If you miss the warning signs it's about 150M to reverse around a couple of blind bends to an intersection where you can turn around, and then go back into Goulburn. And the warning signs are after that intersection, so you still need to reverse a bit.

-- Edited by Are We Lost on Sunday 3rd of July 2022 12:59:34 PM

Ivan 01 · Guru

I am not sure whether you may be able to update any Garmin GPS but you can get from Garmin a dedicated truck route GPS which is customisable for the size and weight of your vehicle.

I have had a look at them and they look quite useful.

Here is the home link and you can search from there or just do a search on google and it will bring up something naming *Desi* or *Dezi*or similar as their truck units

https://www.garmin.com/en-AU/c/automotive/semi-truck-gps-navigation/

Mike Harding · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
NSW

I bet you've waited years to find a use for that photograph.

JeffRae · Guru

Hello CrashHD

On the Vicroads website you can access the structure height clearance data.

Link here

On the right hand side of the map the is a table symbol

Once you have the table open click on download button

You can save as CSV, KML, Shapefile or GeoJSON.

One of these may suit your GPS

Cheers, JeffRae

Mike Harding · Guru

JeffRae wrote:
On the Vicroads website you can access the structure height clearance data.
Link here

Nice one!

Thanks for that :)

Mike Harding · Guru

Unfortunately that Vic Roads database is incomplete.

There is a tunnel on Racecourse Road, just west of Chiltern, going under the freeway which has a clearance of only around 2.5m far too low for my caravan, it is not shown on the map.

JeffRae · Guru

As a concerned resident of Victoria, maybe you could send Vic Roads a request that they update their data (last update May 2021)

Mike Harding · Guru

The tunnel was there then, I imagine it's been there since the freeway was built which would be, what, 40 years?

The problem now becomes; how many other things have they missed?

dogbox · Guru

Ivan 01 wrote:

I am not sure whether you may be able to update any Garmin GPS but you can get from Garmin a dedicated truck route GPS which is customisable for the size and weight of your vehicle.

I have had a look at them and they look quite useful.

Here is the home link and you can search from there or just do a search on google and it will bring up something naming *Desi* or *Dezi*or similar as their truck units

https://www.garmin.com/en-AU/c/automotive/semi-truck-gps-navigation/

i have one of these units the maps were in need of an update from the day i bought it if my memory is correct i got one update then a fee was requested for any further up dates . the updated maps still had a few glitches new motorways showed me out in the paddock , syd brisbane showed as a heavy vehicle i was not allowed to use pacific highway rerouted via New England highway we had to use the New England highway
due to some bridges being compromised due to floods back in the late 70 early 80's(?) seems it is still registered as such, an going from norseman wa to perth as the highway being 10 ton limit ( road was damaged due to earthquake ) detour via Esperance. so caution is still needed .that unit at the time cost me over $400 so it was not a cheap unit

-- Edited by dogbox on Monday 4th of July 2022 11:57:09 AM

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

Probably the most updated maps would be the Open Street Maps. They are updated by users and many users would make sure that their local streets would be current.

Dunmowin · Guru

We had a sticker on our windscreen:

length of total rig, width of widest part of rig
height of van, clearance of tow vehicle without van
weight of total rig, weight of tow vehicle

all at a glance.

If we saw sign with low clearance, min length or weight restriction, (normally positioned with enough time to change your route) we were quickly able to change or rethink our route with out having to reverse up. GPSs can be very useful, but I dont trust them that much.

JeffRae · Guru

That's the right idea Dunmowin, it's up to the driver to stay alert and watch the surroundings.

Ivan 01 · Guru

The old Melways directories were good for all those low bridges and one way roads in Melbourne years ago.

They probably arent available today.

KFT · Guru

G'day

I notice Garmin have a Navigator especially for RV'ers

Have a look at this:https://www.garmin.com/en-AU/p/636848/pn/010-02142-20#accessories

Frank

CrashHD · Member

Thanks all. Very much appreciated.

Jaahn · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
Whenarewethere wrote:
NSW

I bet you've waited years to find a use for that photograph.

Hi smile

I know where that bridge is in the Hunter Valley. So a good example to show that it is clearly marked and there is a large turning area for the local school bus just before that sign. NO CHANCE OF GETTING STUCK THERE OR NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUT. That bridge is just a short cut to the town center for a couple of further properties across the river. A mischevious straw man post to a sensible discussion! disbelief

I have a small MH and have a note stuck on the dash which says the height of it, for instant checking any sign I see to protect my solar panels. But really used mostly for car park entrances. We travel around the backblocks and I have never seen any bridges that would not be able to support us except if they were flood damaged and under repair possibly. Then the local shire has notices of the limits and/or an alternate route sign well in advance so other commercial users like trucks and farmers can go about their business without too much disruption. The same includes any low bridges or tunnels ahead, so just keep a normal eye out for signs. Like you do when in a strange place anyway. hmm

Jaahn

-- Edited by Jaahn on Sunday 28th of August 2022 09:39:43 AM

Magnarc · Guru

However did we get from A to B before GPS? Simples, we used up to date maps! Having seen first hand some of the tricks played by these modern day miracles, this old pedant will continue to get from A to B the way that has served me well over the many years.

Know the height and length of your rig and use your eyes. Most bridge heights are usually clearly signed well in advance. 'Tis my opinion that a lot of these modern gizmo's take away one's ability to think. A prime example of not thinking is the continuing belief by some truck drivers, that they can get under the Montague St bridge here in Melbourne, only to find that they can"t!

-- Edited by Magnarc on Sunday 28th of August 2022 09:22:27 AM

dogbox · Guru

Magnarc wrote:

However did we get from A to B before GPS? Simples, we used up to date maps! Having seen first hand some of the tricks played by these modern day miracles, this old pedant will continue to get from A to B the way that has served me well over the many years.
Know the height and length of your rig and use your eyes. Most bridge heights are usually clearly signed well in advance. 'Tis my opinion that a lot of these modern gizmo's take away one's ability to think. A prime example of not thinking is the continuing belief by some truck drivers, that they can get under the Montague St bridge here in Melbourne, only to find that they can"t!

-- Edited by Magnarc on Sunday 28th of August 2022 09:22:27 AM

this is so very true i have driven heavy vehicles in a few different countries through the biggest cities all before GPS always got to where i was going usually by remembering directions, since gps came on the scene i find i rely on the directions it gives an i don't rely on landmarks so if i have to go some where that i have been to before it sometimes makes it hard to get there without the gps on .
could just be getting lazy or maybe could be an age thing

FMC · Veteran Member

I also have a Garmin Car/Truck DZL GPS 7 inch", in large towns I usually put in into truck mode with our 4wd and caravan configuration, this eliminates streets and places where we would not fit. (Toyota 100 series and Golf 23ft van)

One exception is that it did take me down a dead end road that a council has only just closed, very tricky maneuver getting out, all good fun.

Cheers

Mike Harding · Guru

I read an article, somewhere, a year or so past which talked about some research done into the thinking skills and abilities of younger people and it concluded that the almost total use of GPS for road navigation has resulted in many younger people failing to develop certain thinking abilities because they no longer do the mental 3D gymnastics which we always did with paper maps. Given how "plastic" and malleable the brain is I can quite believe this is correct.

DMaxer · Guru

It gets down to what they called quick and long thinking Mike. If you were walking along at a brisk pace and someone asked you the sum of two plus two, the average person would reply that the answer is four without missing a step. In the same scenario if the average punter was walking along at a brisk pace and someone asked them what was 237 divided by 17 then they would have to stop and think. They would not be able to perform the two basics tasks of walking briskly and doing mental division simultaneously.

Try it and see. Of course, if you had an IQ of 160 you would be able to.

-- Edited by DMaxer on Monday 29th of August 2022 11:16:08 AM

dogbox · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:

I read an article, somewhere, a year or so past which talked about some research done into the thinking skills and abilities of younger people and it concluded that the almost total use of GPS for road navigation has resulted in many younger people failing to develop certain thinking abilities because they no longer do the mental 3D gymnastics which we always did with paper maps. Given how "plastic" and malleable the brain is I can quite believe this is correct.

this is very true i have found my way around before gps by being able to remember directions and land marks, follow directions from gps an none of it seems to stick i can get lost without the gps the next time . age may have bearing on the getting lost bit, but the gps really upsets my directional ability, i think it make the brain lazy

CrashHD · Member

G'day dog box.

Mate thanks for the humour and the response. Most roads I travel are new to me so use the GPS as a prompt for the map review. But I guess, also it is a bit of a safety blanket for the ageing grey matter in the upper storage.

Cheers all.

Gaylehere · Guru

I know of one road that goes under a railway line/bridge that is not as low as it used to be since the last lot of roadworks. So even with the height written on the line/bridge it would be wise to allow a bit of extra space just in case. Cheers.