20 years ago I drove a Suzuki Jeep with two roof-mounted Raliegh Record Ace's - mine and my brothers. We decided to try cycling across France and took the car ferry in order to drive to our french starting-point. After waiting in line to drive onto the ferry we were waved on and I raced up the loading ramp. Too bad the ferry's structural beams were low enough to hook under the the two seats of the roof mounted bikes. The bikes were ripped off the roof along with the guttering for my jeep. A true low-point of my life was jumping out of the car and starting to collect all the pieces of our bikes that were now strewn across the boarding ramp - the 300 or so cars and passengers got quite a show. I was young and dumb - I should have sued the ferry, at least for the price om our bikes - I just sheepishly disappeared.
I sympathize!
