Just wondered if anyone else was on the A1 south of Newcastle yesterday and also got a little blown about ?
In all of my many many er, weeks of driving curtainsiders (about 26 now) 'twas the worst I’ve been blown about. Didn’t feel dangerous, just mildly concerning.
I fully realise it was probably nothing to be concerned about, just all my fault for being a 'wet behind the ears newbie in a little unladen tonka toy 12 tonner, but erm maybe some of you proper lorry drivers noticed a gentle sideways breeze ?
It was proper blowy at the top of the M6 earlier in the week too - enough that I saw a couple of deckers pulled up on the hard shoulder. Luckily for me, I was running grossed out with a fairly low trailer.
UKtramp:
Certainly need to get your curtain sides as tight as possible in windy weather or it can have you over. Certainly makes me nervous when running empty.
Why would tight curtains reduce the effect of the wind? It’s a tight sail, when sailing, that is most effective - so what’s the difference?
UKtramp:
Certainly need to get your curtain sides as tight as possible in windy weather or it can have you over. Certainly makes me nervous when running empty.
Why would tight curtains reduce the effect of the wind? It’s a tight sail, when sailing, that is most effective - so what’s the difference?
Getting the curtain as tight as you can actually reduces the area effectively making a smaller sail. Slightly less likely then to be blown over. So I believe. Reducing speed will reduce the risk too.
Ran from Team Valley Fri afternoon to Warrington in a loaded DD, a little twitchy in places but nothing to bad. Just got to reduce the speed & get there when you get there.
UKtramp:
Certainly need to get your curtain sides as tight as possible in windy weather or it can have you over. Certainly makes me nervous when running empty.
Why would tight curtains reduce the effect of the wind? It’s a tight sail, when sailing, that is most effective - so what’s the difference?
With your curtains loose and not tight, the curtains act like a parachute and can have your trailer over in an instant with a good gust of wind, at the very least it will drag like hell and make your trailer unstable. By tightening as tight as you can get it the wind deflects off of it and gives the effect of punching it rather than catching it. In strong winds get them as tight as you possibly can or if your trailer roof is strong enough you can open them up and fasten them back with your internal straps. However some trailer roofs are not strong enough and the wind can rip your roof off like opening a tin can. Curtains need to be tied or strapped exceptionally well too.
Some of you will no doubt disagree, but I have noticed little difference between riding on tight curtains and slack ones (no jokes please )
I reckon if it’s going to go it’s going to go, and I wouldcsay that if a relatively tight surface was a preventative measure, no box trailers would ever go over.
Another bit of advice I got when I started was rather than slow it down keep it going, this is contrary to what you usually hear, but I’ve always gone with it and up to press been ok.
robroy:
Some of you will no doubt disagree, but I have noticed little difference between riding on tight curtains and slack ones (no jokes please )
I reckon if it’s going to go it’s going to go, and I wouldcsay that if a relatively tight surface was a preventative measure, no box trailers would ever go over.
Another bit of advice I got when I started was rather than slow it down keep it going, this is contrary to what you usually hear, but I’ve always gone with it and up to press been ok.
A fair few have gone over on tight curtains no doubt but the laws of physics would say a loose curtain is not a good thing in the wind rob. You may be right but more curtain siders go over than boxes. I always tighten my curtains as it is something I was taught years ago. I will stick to my theory and not put physics to the test. Look at sails on boats for an answer to that one, you always see a bow in a sail in high wind for speed, I may be wrong I am not a sailor but I can definitely tell the difference in the wind when my curtains are not tight.
First time you get hit by a windy day, it makes things a bit interesting I must admit, although I’ve only been doing this driving lark for about 18 months.
Trouble is, anything can go over so a 12 tonner or a 44T 16 footer I’d imagine both have very much the same effect when hit by the wrong gust. I remember seeing what must have been a 12T’er on top of Shap fell (A6) in the middle of a field - obviously just been blown clean off the road, although kudos to the driver who kept it upright. Lots of 44T’ers went over that day.
Actually one to watch is around Carlisle on the M6 rather than just Shap M6. Was driving a 16’ back the other week and it was having the heck battered out of it (and I hail from ■■■■■■■ originally but never realised it got that bad). Honestly didn’t think it’d make it back to Penrith, never mind across the A66.
trevHCS:
First time you get hit by a windy day, it makes things a bit interesting I must admit, although I’ve only been doing this driving lark for about 18 months.
Trouble is, anything can go over so a 12 tonner or a 44T 16 footer I’d imagine both have very much the same effect when hit by the wrong gust. I remember seeing what must have been a 12T’er on top of Shap fell (A6) in the middle of a field - obviously just been blown clean off the road, although kudos to the driver who kept it upright. Lots of 44T’ers went over that day.
Actually one to watch is around Carlisle on the M6 rather than just Shap M6. Was driving a 16’ back the other week and it was having the heck battered out of it (and I hail from ■■■■■■■ originally but never realised it got that bad). Honestly didn’t think it’d make it back to Penrith, never mind across the A66.
Snow, ice, rain & fog doesn’t worry me as much as wind does, there is little you can do to combat it, if it strikes and lifts you then the chances are your going over. I have had my worst & most frightening experiences in the wind. The wind gets inside your curtains and lifts your trailer wheels off the ground by pushing up on the roof. frightening stuff for sure.
I may be of some assistance in the windy conditions department, these tips are not definitive but have worked for me in some of the harshest environments on the planet (well Shap mainly when we had to eat our own tyres to survive and use our own ■■■■ for milk in our coffee. Weird as we had loads of milk).
Come off cruise control, using speed reduction and acceleration can help with the gusts.
Yep it’s the gusts that get you.
I forgot 2
Hold the steering wheel with 2 hands, but don’t ‘white knuckle’ it, you want to be able to make minor gentle corrections as soon as possible but not over sharply.
Be prepared to go with the wind a little, don’t try and fight every little ■■■■■■■■. Look well ahead, the hard shoulder could be your best friend if needed, watch out for debris though.
Look at your surroundings and anticipate open sections where gusts could be stronger.
Look how other vehicles are coping ahead and how are they behaving.
Other clever stuff…
As far as trailer curtains go, like beef ones tight is best.
Remember your max limiter speed now is the speed some of us used to reduce to when things got choppy.
Others would just crack on full pelt but me I like to accelerate and reduce speed by feel as and when needed.
Doubling trucks up side by side can work in very bad conditions but a bit old school.
KTMrider:
In all of my many many er, weeks of driving curtainsiders (about 26 now) 'twas the worst I’ve been blown about. Didn’t feel dangerous, just mildly concerning.
Your first winter driving. Boy are you in for an eye opener for the next 4/5 months. Horizontal rain and wind so bad you can’t open the curtains is going to be quite an experience.
El Deano:
A tip I read on here, was put your phone in you trouser pocket.
If you do go over, while everything is up ended in the cab, you can still call for help.
Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
Here’s a better tip for you mate.
If it as bad as that, where you feel the need to put your phone in your pocket, say ‘‘■■■■ this’’ and…park up !
You’re welcome.
)
