Mother Nature doesn't mess around

[Droopy]

You better respect Mother Nature or she'll fuck you up. I came into work last night knowing that there was a high wind alert issued by the National Weather Service. It's a thirty mile drive for me to work and I didn't have much trouble in my four-wheeler. I have to walk a little bit to get to my semi at work and I had a little trouble. I'd say the winds were blowing steady at 30-40 mph, but I didn't notice much in the way of stronger gusts.

I was a little concerned because we haul light loads in 48' dry vans, a typical trailer. Those trailers are like hauling a big sail behind you in the wind, but I thought it was going to be okay. So I got my load and hit the interstate.

No sooner than I got on and got up to highway speed I saw brake lights up ahead of me and traffic was coming to a stop. A tractor-trailer just like mine had flipped over and was blocking half of the northbound side. I knew I was in for a shitty night at that point.

The winds had started gusting and the weather service had said that they could gust to over 60 mph. Between Troy, Ohio and Lima, Ohio (a 50 mile stretch) I saw 8 overturned big rigs. All of them hauling those box trailers and all of them looked to be empty. I say they were empty because when a loaded big truck overturns at highway speeds, the cargo inside the trailer will bust it up. These trailers were intact.

I saw another flipped over truck up near Findlay. I meet a guy in Toledo and swap trailers with him. It took me 3.5 hours to go 120 miles. It's usually a 2 hour trip. There were times when 30 mph felt too fast.

[HopeHoops]

1. Harrisburg area here - everyone set out trash last night - looks like a landfill right now

[lost-in-nj]

2. Wind is blowing here to in NNJ

I call this a 2 hands on the wheel day


stay safe..... :pals:


lost

[av8rdave]

3. I've always wondered how tough those rigs get to handle when the winds kick in

It makes sense that a heavier load helps in that situation, but I imagine it's still interesting!

Glad you got your run done safely!

[Richardo]

4. I thought this was another thread about Selma Hayek's breasts

Imagine my disappointment. :(

Seriously, Droopy, that's some scary stuff. I ship some pretty high-profile equipment at times and it's amazing that wind can push around a 400,000# load.

Stay safe!