A load carrying basket for attachment to a vehicle roof is movable between a deployed position and a stowed position. The stowed position facilitates entry of the vehicle into garages, parking lots and the like, having limited overhead clearance. The load carrier includes a plurality of pivotally mounted support members which are pivotally attached to an upper frame and a lower frame. At least one of the support members is a clamping member to clamp the carrier in the deployed position. Advantageously, the clamping member also clamps the load carrier in the stowed position.