On May 19, 6:51*am, wrote:
On May 18, 11:09*am, "Al Lorona" wrote:



"Dave Platt" wrote in message

...

In article ,

Take a look at

*http://wwwcf.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/d...pg/0625sup.htm

Thanks, Dave, for the exact reference sites. They were helpful. And thanks
to all the others for their replies.

I think it's clear that finding one number-- one right answer-- is
difficult. I just called the California Highway Patrol office in Altadena
and found that there really is no right answer. The guy at the front desk
said that the "consensus" in the office was 14 feet. And of course he was
speaking only for California. He said that there's no separate regulation
for antennas, only the number for total vehicle height. There seems to be no
urgency on the part of the CHP to refer to a vehicle code to enforce the
height.

As you saw, the replies to my post ranged from 12.5 to 14 feet. It surprises
me that the standard deviation implied by this spread is that large.

All in all, this has been very surprising.

Thinking about it some more, perhaps the limiting factor becomes not bridges
and overpasses, but fast food drive-thrus and gas station roofs.

very much true, Al. *Bent more than one antenna bracket forgetting
about the 9 foot stalk poking up.

One other thing to think about, what with all the quotes from the
federal standards..
The states don't have to follow the standards for ALL roads. A state
can say "on federal highways the limit is X, but on all other roads
it's Y (where YX)". For that matter, in some states, local
municipalities can set different limits. This makes for nice revenue
enhancement opportunities. "Well son, here in X, the limit for semi
trucks is 15 feet, but for funny looking antennas on cars with funny
license plates, it's 8 feet. Please step out of the car and keep your
hands in plain sight."

A friend ran into this distinction (except for it being width) in, I
think, Nebraska (somewhere in the great plains)... Federal standards
are 108 inches, local rule is 96.. and there are difference in whether
you count rear view mirrors. If only he had stayed on the interstate.