Blown off road - totaled GSA

[Dranrab Luap]

Thanks for sharing your story. I am glad you emerged unscathed.

[troidus]

Originally Posted by Mobiker

The new cable barriers make me a little nervous. In some places they aren't even in the median, they're at the edge of the left hand shoulder. Not much margin for error.

Every time I look at them, all I see is a tomato slicer. I hope I never learn if they're as dangerous as they look.

[jsmithy]

Good topic to bring up. Glad you made it through OK. Where in KC did this happen?


You know its bad when they just drag it up on the flatbed on its side.

[Casey.]

I had my first experience with vicious crosswinds on my bike this past weekend. My bike and I only make a combined 480lbs. I respect wind much more after that - it was miserable. After hearing this from an experienced rider, I'll turn around sooner next time.
Good to hear you walked away.

[DirtReeper]

OP glad youre ok. and EFFFFF the wind, i ride in it quite often here in S. UT. always seems to make the ride less fun.

[Bill Harris]

For sure, high, gusty winds is the most nerve-tweaking is the most nerve-tweaking riding I can think of. Wind can be so unpredictable-- you can't tell when, where and how hard it going to hit. Fortunately, here in the Southeast we don't have the sustained high winds like you have out on the Plains so we have only limited chances to practice. I'm trying to get into the mindset of "unusual happenings" for when I start doing transcon rides in a couple of years so these Faceplant mishaps are useful.

SiouxsieCat, sorry that you broke the bike, but glad that you walked away...

--Bill

[KilLeR Kawasaki]

Originally Posted by jachard

OP, First off, glad you are ok!

Regarding insurance, someone made a good point about the "Act of God" clause, this is the ins companies new get out of jail free card.

If I were you, I'd delete this thread until you get a settlement. At least here in the Northeast, they are using every tool they can to deny claims. Not trying to scare you, just don't want to see you get burned, especially since this is your only mode of transport.

Cheers, James

I've hear people say God is either everything, or he/she/it is nothing. The "Act of God" clause should either put the big hand in every accident, or none.

[SimpleSimon]

Learning to counter-steer is a good thing....leaning doesn't always help. Meaning, leaning isn't always enough. And sometimes, there is absolutely nothing that you can do to fight it other than pull over. My F650 was the worst and I was actually blown off the road despite leaning and counter-steering with MUCH force.

Thankful you are still around to talk about it!

[Bill Harris]

After many years of using a large barndoor type of fairing (a Windjammer) I swapped it for a more aerodynamic fairing (a Hannigan) and the first thing I noticed was that with the Hannigan I need to make subtle countersteering corrections in strong winds whereas with the Windjammer I needed to make more substantial "body english" (Lean) corrections. So it seems that the fairing (or windshield) has a lot to do with wind stability. I've not driven a bike with a fork-mounted windshield for any amount of time and not in the wind, so I have no idea how that type of windshield will fare in the wind.

--Bill

[fourthree]

Glad you didn't get wound up in those cable barriers that our state has seen fit to install to dismember anyone or anything that happens to end up in the median. I really wanted to ride Sunday, but that wind was just too much. Ma Nature ain't no bitch to mess with.

[SiouxsieCat]

Originally Posted by jsmithy

Where in KC did this happen?

Northbound I-435, between Cabelas and Parkville. Whole lot of nothing up there. Missouri side right after crossing the river.
http://goo.gl/maps/3TmlE (Google maps) You can see the emergency vehicle crossover right after the bridge. That's what I hit. Wind was from ESE.

Thank you everyone for the kind thoughts. Sore ankle and right thumb on Monday; right as rain today.

[troidus]

For those of you with not much Great Plains experience, subtle changes in terrain can make a big difference in felt crosswind. If the wind is particularly brutal, pay attention to the undulations ahead of you on the windward side. If you're in an area of relative calm because of a parallel rise upwind of you, beware if you see a perpendicular road cut coming up, especially for an underpass. When you get to it, you'll get a concentrated wind blast that can mess up your whole day. The same holds true for breaks in hedgerows, Jersey barriers, and other things you normally might not think about in less windy areas. The Flint Hills can be especially unpredictable, because there are curves and elevation changes that cause felt wind to vary substantially from one mile to the next.

[hajime]

Great thread. Gusts are the most difficult to deal with, so I appreciate the comments. It is especially nice to read that slowing down is a good idea. Another problem I have is with head winds. They can be very tiring. I have found that my neck just can't take that for a full day.

[Danjal]

Originally Posted by baloneyskin daddy

He was gettin blown and ran into the median.

She's definitely a keeper if that's the case.

Glad you're ok.

[Steve G.]

As far as crazy gusty winds, I've never experienced a worse section of road than along the Columbia Gorge on the Washington State side of the Columbia River, between Umatilla and The Dalles. The afternoons are worst, when heat driven updrafts play along the cliff walls.
It's no wonder this is the windsurfing capital of North America.