Light, high profile vehicles in Wyoming - what's threshold?

WHAT DOES "NO LIGHT TRAILERS" AND "CLOSED TO LIGHT AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES" MEAN
"WYDOT will post a "No Light Trailer" advisory when wind gusts exceed 50 mph. This advisory is for vehicles of any size which have a profile that is subject to the wind gusts. Drivers of these types of vehicles are advised not to travel as these strong wind gusts may result in a loss of control of their vehicle or the possibility that the vehicle may be blown over.

There is no specific vehicle weight or type of vehicle associated with this advisory."

If you are light, whatever that means and you are involved in a wreck you will receive additonal violation for ignoring the warning.

I've heard drivers comment 20-25K. I think they are referring to the frieght in the trailer being 20-25k or less.

 

Basically enter at own risk. I know we all ‘gotta go’ - but it’s ‘all on you’.

 

It's totally a judgement call for the driver. The Wyoming 511 app is great. You can look at the weather stations and see wind speeds.
I came through late Tuesday. It was closed to light vehicles. I was grossing 65,000. I opted to shut down because wind gusts were 68 mph near Arlington. Cross winds. If it would have been hitting me from the front or rear I would have kept going. But as there was drifting snow and icy spots, with 2 hours left on my clock I didn't go. If I had more hours I could have slowed down and picked my way through. But I didn't want to be out of time sitting at a pullout on top of the mountain.
The road was closed the next day and I lost some miles because of it. But I was in a safe spot with access to services.
I have a lot of experience with Wyoming. I will always err on the side of caution.

 

I don't mind her dancing in that wyoming ice loaded. As long it minds my control and will. I'll let her a little freedom.

But if I am empty and light enough to be pushed off the road or something really stupid, then I am just too light. I don't need a Lawman writing me a ticket charging me for what I already knew after a wreck.

If I didnt know something like a small law and get a ticket? Fine I pay. But if I knew I am maybe doing something ILLEGAl? be #### if I get a ticket after the fact. And pay up.

IF you are NOT sure, park her and wait for wonderful weather. That will come along soon enough. Dispatch will just have to wait a bit.

Ive been on ice many times when empty out of necessity. Its something that is a little bit of a stressful time. Just not in Wyoming. When the storms get rolling up there or any place that bad, Im at the table enjoying a meal and coffee for a while. Load can wait a bit, it will get there sometime. But not today.

As a side note the State knows when to make a law and leave it vague. Suppose they said... LIMIT 9000 pounds cargo in a 18 wheeler. And you had something like 9200 pounds in the box at court? You get to overturn the ticket and all other actions.

You cannot beat mother nature. She will kick you over off the interstate any time she wants with a simple gust, loaded or empty. You don't need to go into a warned area where she is raging for a little bit. Just set a while and get rested up because that time to roll will be soon enough.

In my avatar I was in Old Town facing sustained 45 with much higher gusts laying me over left to right at full 40 ton. It was a day of battle until Rapid City. Early stages of a blizzard. What I ran into that night was hell in winter and it was life changing. I should have stayed in Rapid City.

God must have had to build Wyoming to reach far enough towards his home in Heaven with what was left over from the world that first week. What a state.

 

Seems like I read somewhere 60k pounds. But I don't think I'd risk unless the freight was low instead of stacked to the top.

I used to haul Albertsons loads. Come back empty. I was in a full sized FL. I don't envy you guys at all when it comes to high winds. I hated that truck alone, pulling flatbed. Pulling vans or curtain trailers really suck.

 

Another advantage of open deck. A lot of the loads we haul are low to the deck and heavy. Right now, I'm hooked to a trailer that is barely legal for weight, but only about 2 feet above the deck. That's not to say ignore those signs, I still pay close attention to wind warnings.

 

Wondering if there's ever been a flatbed or tanker blown over.

Going to have to search youtube.

 

The worst wind incident I can recall right off is the famous Lubbock Sideways Bubble. Hence my Ravens Tarp turned me from something like a 11 foot truck into a 20 foot high bubble above me.

Hum, no one taught me about that. And I am hauling wet hides to Eagle Pass for export. Not a load anyone wants, at least of all the flies could not hang on with that blast of wind hitting Lubbock texas style.

Broke out the bucket of straps. Use all of them, then twine wound em all through the rings and side rail. Then some rope. Then broke out the straps and started throwing them over the entire trailer. By the time I had her back snug I looked like some Circus train reject. But no more of that trouble in that wind.

What a day.

A wonderful day I tell you, 100,000 Big Horse flies gone with the wind. whoosh.

 

Tankers also have maybe half the side profile as a van or reefer.