Has anyone else been blown off their bike?
#1
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Has anyone else been blown off their bike?
Typical mid summer day here in Melbourne Australia. Hot and windy, 110F in the AM, cool change in the PM with gusty cool South wind. Went for a short ride struggling to make 8KMH (5 MPH) riding into the wind. Turned a corner with the wind side on and a strong gust blew me right over, Luckily I fell onto the grass verge rather than the road.
I am looking forward to winter now.
I am looking forward to winter now.

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Sort of ... it was a 160 km/h microburst (kind of like a low level tornado) which took out a fair across the river.

#5
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I have a good friend that this happened to on a ride. She had slowed down and a burst of wind literally slammed her to ground and she was pretty shaken up and couldnt continue the ride.

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I have come close to being blown over several times. I think my mass is the only thing that saved me. The worst is when I am touring with full load and have to deal with a strong crosswind.

#8
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Came close once when in a strong wind and turned so I was sideways to it just as I hit an open area .... I'm convinced my frame bag acted as a sail as it's the most I've been affected and I kept getting pushed off course for that short open stretch.

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Never actually blown off of the bike, but have been blown off the side of the road a few times. Winds have a large effect on the handling of a bicycle, especially crosswinds and high swirling wind.

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On my bike, almost.
But back in the 90s my car (a mustang) was blown off the highway and into the weeds when I hit an icy patch. I managed to miss a tree, keep going and make it back up onto the shoulder. As I sat there, heart pounding, engine off, hand-brake on, I became aware that my stationary car was being blown across the icy pavement towards the weeds again by the incessant wind. The dirt and weeds at the edge of the shoulder were just holding the car against the wind.
After 20 minutes the wind died down and I very gingerly drove to the next exit to turn around and head home. A quarter mile from the exit I crested a hill and laid out before me were at least a dozen vehicles in the grassy median and off to the sides. All trucks and SUVs were on their sides.
But back in the 90s my car (a mustang) was blown off the highway and into the weeds when I hit an icy patch. I managed to miss a tree, keep going and make it back up onto the shoulder. As I sat there, heart pounding, engine off, hand-brake on, I became aware that my stationary car was being blown across the icy pavement towards the weeds again by the incessant wind. The dirt and weeds at the edge of the shoulder were just holding the car against the wind.
After 20 minutes the wind died down and I very gingerly drove to the next exit to turn around and head home. A quarter mile from the exit I crested a hill and laid out before me were at least a dozen vehicles in the grassy median and off to the sides. All trucks and SUVs were on their sides.

#12
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Can't say that I have. If it's that windy out I'd rather stay home and play tiddly winks.
There's no need to tempt fate. Accidents will happen, even if I'm not trying to push the envelope.
There's no need to tempt fate. Accidents will happen, even if I'm not trying to push the envelope.

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Almost...I went out for a ride on a gusty day. I pulled next to a car at a light and went to unclip my right foot from the pedals. Just as I did a strong gust of wind blew from the right. Since I was slightly unbalanced from unclipping, it started to tip me over to the left. The wind slacked off enough that I could lean back to the right and avoiding tipping over unto the car next to me. It seemed like an eternity, but it was probably only a few seconds.
Last edited by bikecrate; 01-07-19 at 09:03 AM.

#14
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Saw a guy knocked off his bike by a kiddie pool that was blown into him by a fierce cross wind one spring. He never saw it coming. I don't recall that he was injured in any notable way.

#15
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Dutch don't have hills, they have headwinds from the Sea.
Had a storm front, and Gale force winds make me get off and push, It was 2007, I lived on the windward, south facing side of the hill ..
I was OK on the north side , but rounding the corner I came into a wind wall.
Now have a house on the north side... not had any 100mph windstorms recently..
...
I was OK on the north side , but rounding the corner I came into a wind wall.
Now have a house on the north side... not had any 100mph windstorms recently..
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 01-04-19 at 04:48 PM.

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Another good reason to ride a trike. Especially if the wind is blowing you into the traffic lane.

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Oof bummer for Thomas! I had a close call this early summer, crosswind from my right. I was in a bike lane along a 55mph road when a box van hugged the line as he flew past me on my left. I heard it approach just in time to throw my weight into the wind. It still sucked me left across the bike lane to the white line.
I used to ride a small motorcycle and you got used to leaning hard into the wind and judging gusts.
I used to ride a small motorcycle and you got used to leaning hard into the wind and judging gusts.

#20
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Oof bummer for Thomas! I had a close call this early summer, crosswind from my right. I was in a bike lane along a 55mph road when a box van hugged the line as he flew past me on my left. I heard it approach just in time to throw my weight into the wind. It still sucked me left across the bike lane to the white line.
I used to ride a small motorcycle and you got used to leaning hard into the wind and judging gusts.
I used to ride a small motorcycle and you got used to leaning hard into the wind and judging gusts.

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Yes, but not knocked over or off the bike.
My bike commute into Brooklyn takes me over the Marine Parkway Bridge on the bike lane in the west side of the bridge from Rockaway Beach north into Brooklyn. It’s about 200 ft. above the water and the wind can be fierce. When you leave your car at work the night before, it’s no-choice, no-problem, I’ll ride in. A 40 mph headwind had me at 8mph avg., than I got blown sideways into the bridge railing a few times. I’m stubborn and should have walked it.
My bike commute into Brooklyn takes me over the Marine Parkway Bridge on the bike lane in the west side of the bridge from Rockaway Beach north into Brooklyn. It’s about 200 ft. above the water and the wind can be fierce. When you leave your car at work the night before, it’s no-choice, no-problem, I’ll ride in. A 40 mph headwind had me at 8mph avg., than I got blown sideways into the bridge railing a few times. I’m stubborn and should have walked it.

#22
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Riding home on the SF Bay Trail, the wind blowing off the bay in the spring can be pretty strong and gusty. On several occasions the gusts have blown me off the path and one time I clipped the handrail of a footbridge with my hip which left a nice bruise. Never blown completely off the bike.
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#23
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Never blown off, but I have ridden through a dust devil. That was pretty exciting for a bit.

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Got a gust headon once and wheelied and fell over. Gusts in the area were near 70mph. I landed in the grass.
Rode through trash blowing across the road and some thin packing foam clogged my cassette. Block from
home, so I beat the rain.
Rode through trash blowing across the road and some thin packing foam clogged my cassette. Block from
home, so I beat the rain.

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Typical mid summer day here in Melbourne Australia. Hot and windy, 110F in the AM, cool change in the PM with gusty cool South wind. Went for a short ride struggling to make 8KMH (5 MPH) riding into the wind. Turned a corner with the wind side on and a strong gust blew me right over, Luckily I fell onto the grass verge rather than the road.
I am looking forward to winter now.
I am looking forward to winter now.
