Driving in heavy wind tips

There are certain winds that flow between mountains during a winter storm up north west of Rapid City. those winds are usually like a river. Very fast.

As the same with Santa Anna. That Grapevine has two spots where it gets into a sort of a hollow, and that is where the Santa Anna will try to flip your truck being focuses in a narrow mile wide path east to west.

 

Park it. No point in tiring yourself out fighting the wind. And it's way better than ending up wrong-side-up in the ditch.

 

Just posted on Twisted Truckers page:



"Highway 395/580 south in Reno is closed to high profile vehicles due to wind....from TT Josh"

 

slowly

 

Slide into the median on your side, poo yourself, then climb out the sleeper hatch...

Only advice I can offer is shut down once you see the tail of your trailer dancing around, try to find a windbreak and wait it out. I remember shutting down for a night in Texarkana about a decade ago, was far north outside the hurricane path but the winds were still tossing my empty around. Nothing unnerves you more than having to float lanes to keep the trailer straight, if you wreck the 1st thing they will ask is "why didn't you shut down?".

 

The three things I tried to never drive in. I never drove in ICE I mean ICE not snow or freezing rain. I mean ICE. I also tried to limit my driving in fog or whiteout conditions. Some of the worse arguments I ever got into with my company with was them trying to force me to drive in VERY high winds empty and did not really like doing it loaded heavy. Every driver has to set their comfort level when it comes to mother nature. Me, I set mine really high.

 

I live in Denverdo the I 80 all the time. Brother this time of year it can get really bad fast. Park it or bobtail. Also I carry a weeks worth of food, and other survival stuff....it's beautiful country but a ton of common scene needs to be used. Oh and you can never have enough water.


Be Safe Out There


Captain Dave

 

As fast as you can before the water runs over i-10.

 

1. Reduce your speed.
2. Keep both hands on the wheel.
3. Turn off all the distractions so you can stay focused.
4. When the wind hits you, don't fight it, ride it. If you try and fight it, you loose. Ride it for the second or two that it hits you and then gingerly correct yourself.
More than 50+ empty you shouldn't be on the road.

 

Since it's been very windy and alot of the new breed are driving automatic trucks. With (fleet manager, driver mgr, or what ever the new term for computer jockey is theses days)

If your caught in a high wind gust area.

1. Don't stop moving forward.
2. Be dressed to go outside( not flip flops and PJs.)
3. Own a CB turn it on. 17 cause California is special. And 19 everywhere else.
4.be prepared to drive with your feet off the dash and both hands on the steering wheel.
5. Find an off ramp to get off the highway and find some wind blockage (buildings, trees, huge boulders)
6. Don't be afraid to tell your college aged driver manager to kiss your ### your not moving in high winds. My life is not worth your pissant load.