DUANESBURG — Ron Pechtel can tell you stories about the old Delaware & Hudson railroad bridge in front of his home, but they’re not the tales one would expect, given the structure’s low height posting.

Instead of recounting how tractor-trailers have slammed into the bridge with its supposed clearance of 12 feet, 8 inches, the Western Turnpike resident will tell you about how the consciously false height posting has caused truck drivers to mire their rigs in spring mud on the road shoulder. He’ll discuss the problem faced by some recreational vehicle drivers after turning around before the bridge, heading nearly seven miles to Route 30 near the Esperance town line only to find yet another 12-foot-8-inch railroad bridge.

“They turn around all the time because they see that stupid sign,” lamented Pechtel, a retired trucker himself with more than 20 years in the business.

Pechtel’s pet peeve stems from the state Department of Transportation’s overcompensation when it comes to posting bridge clearances. Instead of risking accidents, DOT purposely marks bridges about a foot lower than their actual clearance.

“The legal clearance shall be one foot less than the measured clearance,” reads the passage in New York’s Vehicle and Traffic law. “The measured clearance shall be the minimum height to the bridge or structure measured vertically from the traveled portion of the roadway. On bridges or structures having fourteen feet or more of measured clearance, no such signs shall be required.”

Federal law sets the maximum height for a truck without a special permit at 13 feet 6 inches. This means many legal rigs or RVs passing by Pechtel’s home could make it beneath the railroad bridge.

It’s a fact that has prompted him to acquire a two-way radio to help passing traffic when they attempt to turn around on the state road near the Duanesburg Town Hall. He said the radio was donated to him at a garage sale after he explained his purpose in acquiring it.

Pechtel is not alone in his concerns. Members of the New York State Motor Truck Association are considering Pechtel’s complaint as they plan their agenda for the upcoming legislative season.

Acting President Kendra Adams said complaints about the state’s practice of posting lower bridge clearances haven’t been flooding in, but they’ve been persistent. She said she understands the concern about the deceptive signs and can see how they could cause issues for large vehicles.

“There are definitely areas where there are low-posted bridges that actually cause safety hazards,” she said.

But Adams said she also understands the other side of the issue. She said posting the actual height of low bridges could become a problem if snow buildup or road paving over time decreased the clearance.

“There are pros and cons as to why the bridges are posted the way they are,” she said.

DOT spokesman Peter Van Keuren said the reasons for the law extend beyond the buildup on the road. He said bridges are often damaged by trucks narrowly meeting the clearance, but carrying machinery that rises above the vehicle. By keeping the low posting, Van Keuren said, the DOT can avoid costly damage.

“One of the reasons that this is part of vehicle law is to provide a height buffer between actual and posted clearance for the trucking community,” he stated in an e-mail.

Pechtel sees it differently. He said it’s the truckers’ responsibility to secure their load and ensure they have the proper clearance, meaning any damage caused by their vehicles would fall directly on their shoulders.

“If a trucker hits that bridge, it’s the trucker’s responsibility,” he said. “That’s the bottom line.”