Morning all, not one to post much on here much but do log in on a regular basis for info and education!
At in Okehampton at the moment waiting for a load on curtainsider.
I’m not afraid of hard work, rain, snotty forkies or overly enthusiastic managers! I’ve also had my days of giggling with depression trying to close curtains on a windy day, but, at what point is it too windy to even try given all the H&S around nowadays?
Must admit, at the moment this is the worst Wind I’ve experienced! (No pun intended!)
If you feel it unsafe to work, then you make the call… It happend to me… I work on walking floors and was doung a job up south west of Scotland. It was was wild… Couldnt get the roof off without having rachet it down… Still unsafe… Called transport office saying it was unsafe… So did the subcontracter who was chipping for us … In the end we where told to stay there till it was safe to work… 4 hours later loaded and away.
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Face unit into wind if tipping/loading and you need to open the curtains from the back, face back of trailer/rigid into the wind if you need to open the curtains from the front. Make sure in both cases you don’t undo the last curtain strap and when you’ve opened the curtains use the last strap so it doesn’t flap about.
If you absolutely have to side tip/load then do one side at a time so the closed side keeps the wind off the open side and turn round to do the other side.
If you were doing dock work and stopped every time that there was strong winds you’d never get anything done.
Conor:
Face unit into wind if tipping/loading and you need to open the curtains from the back, face back of trailer/rigid into the wind if you need to open the curtains from the front. Make sure in both cases you don’t undo the last curtain strap and when you’ve opened the curtains use the last strap so it doesn’t flap about.
If you absolutely have to side tip/load then do one side at a time so the closed side keeps the wind off the open side and turn round to do the other side.
If you were doing dock work and stopped every time that there was strong winds you’d never get anything done.
Best you go to Felixstowe and Southampton, and ask why they stop loading when a fly ■■■■■…
it was a little interesting going along the A17 this afternoon with an empty 16ft 2" decker 
Me when driving in high winds ■■?
Don’t tare arse, both hands on the wheel and concentrate.
Watch your surrounding environment and be prepared,
going under bridges you’ll move back, coming out, it’ll push you back the other way.
Open spaces, you will be thrown all over the place, hence, total control of the vehicle needed.
A strong continuous side wind is easy to fight against, it’s the gusty wind that is a PITA and can catch you out.
As I’ve said, stay alert and keep control of the wagon
I always drop the middle axle on the unit and tend to keep an eye on Rev counter for any sudden blips…
I do have strange habits though 
Last night was really bad in a few places especially trying to do curtainsiders. Had one DD curtain part on the roof with the pole jammed in the wind deflector, and another rigid with curtain totally on the roof.
One tip I’ve found is shut the curtain which is blowing inwards first. That way you remove the wind from the other and it won’t try to turn you into Mary Poppins.
As for too windy - I would say last night was from a loading point of view, but try explaining that to management who are sitting comfortably at home.
When driving, well in theory we stop and wait, but having grown up nearish Shap (M6 J39-40) and seeing all the trucks on their sides year after year each time there was a gale, I’m not sure many ever actually did that (most if any weren’t DDs).
Oh and watch the curtain clips. The poles hurt, but so do the clips and theres a lot more of those just waiting to do painful head damage (as I found out last night).
I learned a long time ago to keep your lips firmly closed when pulling curtains In wind…better a thick lip than a broken set of teeth 
Driving?..Despite the official advice, I’ve always just kept it going on the limiter when empty in strong winds.
It was advice given to me as a young lad when pulling single axle super cube foam carriers (horrible nasty ■■■■ things 
) by the only driver in that fleet that had not blown over.
It maybe scientifically wrong, but I’ve done it ever since with all types of high trailers, flimsy Euroliners (that flex and bend like bananas, ) tilts, box vans and taut liners…never gone over (yet 
) so must either been doing things right all these years, or just been ■■■■ lucky. .
Either way I’ll carry on doing the same, …or just pull over when blowing a PROPER hooley. 