Is it rare for high wind to blow a truck over?

I have seen three trucks lain over at the same location, just south of Cheyenne. Two were there when I was heading north, the other laying right behind the first two when I was heading back.
Back when I was hauling liquid oxygen with a daycab, I saw an FFE truck nine wheel it into a rest area. I didn't even realize it was blowing that hard till I saw that. Just another reason I went back to pulling tanker.

You've been-----\/\/\/\-----Thunderstruck!!!

 

That area of WY is known for the high winds.
If I am going through there I always check the conditions.

General rule of thumb...
Winds over 50MPH gusts, trailer with less than 30K - pull it over.
Winds over 60MPH, pull it over no matter your weight.
If empty, or close, I would not want to be in winds of more than 45 or so.

I'd rather be late and alive, than late because of dead.

 

WY now tickets you also for getting blown over when the advise no light trailer message is up...

I have seen 80,000 get blown over in Laramie wy, parked... that day the wind gusts were 110mph.

I have watched trailers get blown over on I80 when the winds were just 30mph gusting to 40... depends on how the wind catches the trailer, and if it gets under the trailer and lifts the tires. Not a rare event, happens all winter and spring across WY.

 

I've seen quite a few blown over on 15 and 210 down in the Riverside/San Bernardino area. One night alone there were 4 blown over on 15 between 60 and 210. I took surface streets all the way to the base of Cajon that night.

 

It can happen anywhere. When I was in training, headed down 65 in Indiana last year there were some strong winds. I counted 6 truck and trailers over in less than 100 miles.

I was heavy and going slow, not rocking that much. Maybe they were all empties that went over.

Pretty soon the expressway came to a stop and we waited for about an hour while they cleared two trees that fell onto the roadway.

Not long after I noticed them clearing any trees in the right of way that were tall enough, if blown over, to block any of the roadway.

Mikeeee

 

I won't pull wiggle wagons at all on the freeway cause they blow over if the driver sneezes to hard.

 

I have been blown over back in 97 on I-15 north of Salt Lake City.Make a person pretty nervous when the wind blows after that happens.

 

I talked with a guy that hauls those blades for the wind turbines...

He said they, not surprisingly, can catch the wind and he had been turned over twice.

He said the passenger side was not bad, but when he went over on the driver side, and that mirror came through the window... that sucked!

Mikeeee

 

I only did it one time too and never again. During my first week solo I pulled on the side of an off ramp to check my map and while reading it in my sleeper I felt a little rocking but I thought it was the wind but it turned out it was my trucking rolling down the ramp onto the freeway! That would have been deadly or extremely bad so that really scared me into never making that mistake again.

I made some mistakes in the beginning but I am extra careful and confident now so hopefully I shouldn't have any more issues. I know that any time I am not 100% sure that I am clear I g o a l.