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| Re: somewhat off topic, high winds on bridge [message #276982 is a reply to message #276978] |
Wed, 29 April 2015 10:12   |
jknezek
Messages: 1057
Registered: December 2007
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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We crossed the Sunshine Skyway in Tampa last year during a high wind advisory in our GMC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Skyway_Bridge
It was not a lot of fun. Cross winds gusting at 35-40 mph at the top. I've driven in similar winds before and it's not a huge deal on the ground. You fight the wind to stay in the lane, but psychologically, on top of that bridge, it was a different world. I was very unhappy. Had I been smart I would have taken the long way around, but my desire to finish a very long trip outweighed my common sense.
To keep the coach in the lane was a couple minutes of intense concentration. My wife started laughing at me in the first part of the bridge but we were all holding on quite tightly by the time we crested. I pulled over at the first exit after we got off and just wandered around a parking lot for a minute to cool off.
Thanks,
Jeremy Knezek
1976 Glenbrook
Birmingham, AL
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| Re: somewhat off topic, high winds on bridge [message #276983 is a reply to message #276978] |
Wed, 29 April 2015 10:21 |
77Royale
Messages: 461
Registered: June 2014
Location: Mid Michigan
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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Ive been across the Mackinac Bridge (5 miles long) going to the UP in Michigan in a GMC towing a 28foot enclosed aluminum trailer.... Midnight in November. Lets just say we were all pretty puckered. Several years ago a Yugo was blown off the bridge. (200 feet to the water) The bridge does shut down for high winds and such but its still an experience. There are signs indicating if the bridge is open or closed a few miles beforehand and they take safety very seriously.
In a car you can at least unbuckle (its a low speed limit and usually not too much traffic), and roll along with the doors unlocked and one hand on the door handle in case you need to make a quick exit. Its probably wishful thinking that you would have enough time to do so but it helps I suppose.
No such luck with one door on the GMC and we're all a little too big for the toll windows:)
77 Royale, Rear Dry Bath. 403, 3.55 Final Drive, Lenzi goodies, Patterson carb and dizzy.
Mid Michigan
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| Re: [GMCnet] somewhat off topic, high winds on bridge [message #276991 is a reply to message #276983] |
Wed, 29 April 2015 10:55 |
Ronald Pottol
Messages: 505
Registered: September 2012
Location: Redwood City, California
Karma: -2
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I do suspect that those were double stacked empty cargo containers, so
really tall, and light.
An ugly thing though.
On Wed, Apr 29, 2015 at 8:21 AM, Wayne Rogewski wrote:
> Ive been across the Mackinac Bridge (5 miles long) going to the UP in
> Michigan in a GMC towing a 28foot enclosed aluminum trailer.... Midnight
> in
> November. Lets just say we were all pretty puckered. Several years
> ago a Yugo was blown off the bridge. (200 feet to the water) The bridge
> does shut down for high winds and such but its still an experience. There
> are signs indicating if the bridge is open or closed a few miles beforehand
> and they take safety very seriously.
>
> In a car you can at least unbuckle (its a low speed limit and usually not
> too much traffic), and roll along with the doors unlocked and one hand on
> the door handle in case you need to make a quick exit. Its probably
> wishful thinking that you would have enough time to do so but it helps I
> suppose.
>
> No such luck with one door on the GMC and we're all a little too big for
> the toll windows:)
>
> --
> 77 Royale
> Mid Michigan
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Plato seems wrong to me today.
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1973 26' GM outfitted
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| Re: [GMCnet] somewhat off topic, high winds on bridge [message #276992 is a reply to message #276983] |
Wed, 29 April 2015 11:05 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Bridges create an insecurity in drivers, probably in a greater amount than
the situation dictates. It bothers me as well. Panic state is no way to be
when driving. The most intense driving in my memory is negotiating the
Columbia River Gorge. Pick your poison. Oregon Interstate 84, high speed,
multi-lane or the Washington state road, a goat trail 2 lane with sharp
curves high overlooks, low guard rails. Both sides have wind sheltered
stretches combined with exposed headlands suddenly revealing gale force
swirling crosswinds. Pucker time for sure. Not just a few minutes but, a
couple hours worth of it. Ah, yes, life is good in a GMC.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On Apr 29, 2015 8:21 AM, "Wayne Rogewski" wrote:
> Ive been across the Mackinac Bridge (5 miles long) going to the UP in
> Michigan in a GMC towing a 28foot enclosed aluminum trailer.... Midnight
> in
> November. Lets just say we were all pretty puckered. Several years
> ago a Yugo was blown off the bridge. (200 feet to the water) The bridge
> does shut down for high winds and such but its still an experience. There
> are signs indicating if the bridge is open or closed a few miles beforehand
> and they take safety very seriously.
>
> In a car you can at least unbuckle (its a low speed limit and usually not
> too much traffic), and roll along with the doors unlocked and one hand on
> the door handle in case you need to make a quick exit. Its probably
> wishful thinking that you would have enough time to do so but it helps I
> suppose.
>
> No such luck with one door on the GMC and we're all a little too big for
> the toll windows:)
>
> --
> 77 Royale
> Mid Michigan
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] somewhat off topic, high winds on bridge [message #276993 is a reply to message #276991] |
Wed, 29 April 2015 11:15 |
midlf
Messages: 2212
Registered: July 2007
Location: SE Wisc. (Palmyra)
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Ronald Pottol wrote on Wed, 29 April 2015 10:55I do suspect that those were double stacked empty cargo containers, so
really tall, and light.
An ugly thing though.
Looking at the pic and video you are correct, they are double stacks. First off the bridge are the double stacks followed by the cars themselves. It will be interesting to read the NTSB & FRA reports on this incident.
Oh and the transformer did not explode. The idiot media news readers refer to any flash as an exploding transformer. It was just an arc flash. An exploding transformer is much more dramatic.
Steve Southworth
1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
Palmyra WI
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| Re: [GMCnet] somewhat off topic, high winds on bridge [message #277017 is a reply to message #276978] |
Wed, 29 April 2015 19:28 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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Steve,
Helen and I were driving due north on our way to the International Peace Gardens in Dunseith, ND through cross winds that were over
30 mph average with gusts even higher. While the winds were impinging on the GMC consistently all I had to do is steer into them a
bit. The problem occurred when we would run parallel to a stand of trees. The wind would abate a great deal and I'd have to
compensate quickly and do the same when I had passed the trees. Helen wasn't impressed as we would "bounce" back and forth a bit.
At one point I heard this "whump" and when I looked in my rear view mirror I found that the driver side awning had deployed. I
pulled over, rolled it back in, and tie wrapped it to the drain lip.
While I was pulled over a State Trooper pulled up and asked if everything was OK, I noted that I had a bit of a problem with the
awning. He said something along the lines of; "we find them littered around the highway all the time when it's windy like this."
Regards,
Rob M.
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Southworth
I wonder what would have happened if a GMC had been on a bridge approach?
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/04/27/6197524_new-orleans-train-cars-fall-4.html?rh=1
I would prefer not to think about it but need to remember this in a high wind situation.
Watch the video. Talk about a news crew being in the right place at the right time.
--
Steve
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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