Richard J. wrote:
An unusual London traffic incident today. A tall ship, the Lord
Nelson, struck Tower Bridge in an unsuccessful attempt to do a U-turn
when the skipper realised the bridge wasn't going to open.

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3717685.stm:
"The operators of the Lord Nelson thought they had requested the
bridge open for its journey from Southampton to West India Dock."

Hmm. They seem to have gone a couple of miles past the entrance to
West India Dock.

"Andy Spark, from the Jubilee Sailing Trust, said: 'We believed the
bridge was booked, but it didn't open - we don't know why yet.' ...
But the Corporation of London, which owns Tower Bridge, said: 'No
lifting of the bridge had been booked in.' ... The Lord Nelson, a
training vessel for both able-bodied and disabled people, has now
moored at West India Dock."

Did they perhaps confuse Tower Bridge with the lifting bridge over
Prestons Road that provides entry to West India Dock?

Anyway, I'm surprised that any sailing vessel would carry on towards
the bridge just hoping that it might lift, though to be fair the
incoming tide would have carried her towards the bridge.
(Crossposted to uk.rec.sailing for more informed comments on this
aspect.)

Perhaps they didn't recognise the bridge.

Remove "nospam" from return address.