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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Are 30mph Winds too String for Driving?

46 replies

QS90 · 20/02/2022 16:29

My partner is worried about me driving home, to Bristol, from Newmarket, via Birmingham. I don't feel worried about it, and am sure I will have driven in these conditions multiple times before. He himself doesn't drive. Normally I wouldn't think twice and would just drive home, but I have our 14 month old baby with me. I don't want to disregard his feelings, but do have work tomorrow and Tuesday. Work are quite flexible and would probably let me work other days this week instead (I have an office job, so it doesn't matter much what days I'm in), that said I don't want to take the p with flexible working. Or ARE 30mph winds too strong for safe driving? Thoughts please!

OP posts:
Doratheexploret · 20/02/2022 16:30

No it’s not too strong to drive in.

Original poster
QS90 · 20/02/2022 16:31

So I guess the question is "Am I being unreasonable wanting to drive home today"?

OP posts:
Notimeforaname · 20/02/2022 16:31

No. He's being ridiculous.

PushingAnElephantUpTheStairs · 20/02/2022 16:31

No, I live in the Highlands and would never get anywhere if I didn't drive in wind of that speed. 🙂

Notimeforaname · 20/02/2022 16:32

Yanbu

VariationsonaTheme · 20/02/2022 16:33

No it’s fine for that journey. I’ve put off driving across the m62 today because the gusts get to considerably more than 30mph on the exposed bits and that’s not fun, but your journey I’ve done before and would do again.

PurpleDaisies · 20/02/2022 16:34

I’d be driving.

GCAcademic · 20/02/2022 16:35

The winds are much higher than 30mph on parts of that route, more like 60. It’s feeling like Friday’s storm again where I am.

Original poster
QS90 · 20/02/2022 16:35

Okay thanks all :) Good to know my risk perception is still working as it should.

OP posts:
Original poster
QS90 · 20/02/2022 16:36

@GCAcademic could I please ask whereabouts you are?

OP posts:
Suzi888 · 20/02/2022 16:38

No, but drive slowly and stay back from lorries. Take care

GCAcademic · 20/02/2022 16:38

Near Cheltenham

BottlingBurpsForGrandma · 20/02/2022 16:38

We've had the afternoon off from swimming lessons due to 60 mph winds and incredibly heavy rain here in East Mids. I would have still gone if the cost / benefit analysis was different (I HATE taking 4 kids to swimming lessons at the best of times) but 30 mph I wouldn't have considered a big deal at all.

liveforsummer · 20/02/2022 16:40

This is a weekly occurrence mostly in Scottish winter. We'd never get anywhere. If it was double that I'd consider if my journey was necessary

ImInStealthMode · 20/02/2022 16:43

30mph on the Beaufort scale is force 6 or 'strong breeze'.

I live in a place where force 6 is pretty regular, we'd never get anywhere if we didn't drive in that. In fact it's force 7 increasing to 8 here right now and we're going out shortly. We don't have a weather warning in place today.

MillyMollyMandyMaybe · 20/02/2022 16:43

@GCAcademic

The winds are much higher than 30mph on parts of that route, more like 60. It’s feeling like Friday’s storm again where I am.
Yep, we’re further south in Gloucestershire and it’s up to about 60 here in frequent gusts. I wouldn’t fancy the exposed bit of the M5 from Tewkesbury southwards in this. The gusts aren’t quite as bad as they were during Eunice, but they are more frequent here than they were on Friday.
Livelifeinthebuslane · 20/02/2022 16:46

My DD needs to come back down the M6 / M1 to the south midlands in a small car, 57mph winds at the moment, she's been driving just over a year, I'm tempted to tell her to stay where she is.

liveforsummer · 20/02/2022 16:48

I've just looked at my local weather and current windspeed now and through the evening are between 40-47 mph. I'd registered it as just a bit breezy. Id continue to horse ride or cycle in this let alone worry about driving a car.

AllOfUsAreDead · 20/02/2022 17:01

Nope you can drive, he is wrong. Depending on the car, it might wobble a bit with a gust, but its not going to throw you into another lane unless you're a particularly bad driver. Grin

ThePlumVan · 20/02/2022 17:05

Surely if you’re driving at 30mph then the wind is 30mph anyway ??
Unless it’s a wind from the back in which case it cancels out and there’s no wind at all.

Sorry I’m no help am I.

TalbotAMan · 20/02/2022 17:08

If you drive a car in still air at 30mph, then as far as the car is concerned it's in a 30 mph head-on wind. If you do 70 on the motorway, the car is in a 70mph wind. Cars are quite good at dealing with wind. The dangers come when the wind gets so strong that trees or lorries are falling.

liveforsummer · 20/02/2022 17:18

It's the cross winds that are a problem. I had an interesting drive across the forth bridge the other day - felt like I was trying to control a landing plane than a car. Was quite fun though. My car is light but quite high so you do have to hang on a bit tighter when it's windy.

sunshinesupermum · 20/02/2022 17:19

Personally I would change my days in the office!

gogohm · 20/02/2022 17:21

No, I drove in the so called really bad storm on Friday, was fine, falling trees are the main issue so not a problem on motorways. I used to live in the USA where they have really bad weather!

MintJulia · 20/02/2022 17:23

Yanbu unless you are driving a very high sided something on a very exposed route.

30mpg is a bit breezy, that's all. Shouldn't be a problem for cars.

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