GP

There is an 8 mile stretch of Interstate 5 through Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base north of San Diego that gets a decent amount of cyclists. Usually it's because the base is closed to cyclists, the cyclists aren't registered or they don't have ID or a helmet.

The wind from the vehicles make cycling on the freeway faster than riding on base.

raceboy

I had the opposite thing happen while riding in my first century. I was riding in a big pack. We were all leaning into a 20 mph or so crosswind. A 9-pass van passed by and stopped the crosswind for a second. One guy's bike swerved towards the van. He reached out with his hand and touched the moving van and went down, setting off a chain reaction of falling cyclists. I was lucky and made it through but it was the two-wheeled version of "The Big One" at a Daytona or Talladega 500.

jefnvk

Interesting physics lesson! And yes, I certainly believe that the psychological/panic/overcorrect/operator error from that gust is very real, and probably the culprit of most of the accidents.

They're well behaved in Michigan, so well behaved we very often have the joy of following one at 60MPH passing another running about 59.5MPH on the interstate.

bikecrate

There's a section of road I go on ever once in a while that also has a fair amount of tanker trucks. Most are courteous but a few pass very close at 55 - 60 mph. I'd say the most sensation I've felt is some buffeting but nothing like I was going to be blown over.

wphamilton

With tractor-trailers passing me close on a motorcycle the suction was very disconcerting. There's something about seeing those huge wheels, at high speed, while you're pulled towards them ... You also have to be ready for the turbulence shortly after the rear end gets past.

On a bicycle I don't recall being next to one for that long, nor that closely. But a long stream of cars moving fast can feel similar.

fietsbob

Of note: Seen European heavy goods hauling trailers have a skirt between tractor rearmost wheel and the rear wheels of the trailer.

American trucks dont , though some are adding fairings, though for their fuel economy, not smaller road users safety..

likewise a safety shield on the Euro front wheel to keep spinning lug nuts covered , American truckers add spikes over the lug nuts

gecho

The only time passing vehicles cause problems for me is when there is a strong cross wind from the left (traffic side). A strong cross wind requires me to lean sideways against the wind. When a large vehicle passes (cars are less of a problem) the wind momentarily disappears. Its like you were leaning against a wall then it suddenly disappeared. If you don't immediately stop leaning you will veer to the left (a mirror helps spot when it is necessary to do this). But as soon as the vehicle passes you get hit by a wall of wind shoving you to the right. Its the second part that is most problematic for me as it can push me completely off the shoulder with the wind is over 60 km/h.

When its not windy passing semis give me a little speed boost. Tankers seem to be the best for that effect. Trailers with side shields are barely noticeable. On non-divided highways hitting the wall of air from an oncoming semi can be unpleasant, but just slows me down.

Milton Keynes

I'm surprised that bicycles are allowed on an interstate.

FenderTL5

I've had the wind from passing vehicles move my mirrors around.


Windy spring days in 'Skyscraper Canyon' (between the tall buildings) downtown can be an adventure.

16 Tons

I've only ever had the feeling of being sucked in to a larger vehicle. Never blown over.

prathmann

Bicycles are allowed on the shoulder of many western interstates. In some cases (such as the mentioned section of I-5 through Pendleton) it's the only reasonable public route. But we also had a ride on the 300-mile section of I-5 from just outside Tracy (SF area) down to Santa Clarita (LA area) a few years ago and that whole stretch was bike legal despite plenty of alternate options. New Jersey also allows bicyclists on many of its freeways and toll roads if you apply for a permit from the State Bike/Ped coordinator.

Darth Lefty 

Add a crosswind to that semi truck and a deep dish wheelset to your bike and it could really be awful

rydabent

As a bent rider, I have both a LWB bent and a trike. In high winds I always take the trike. More aero, and I dont get blown around much which makes it far safer, especially if the wind is blowing me toward traffic.

BTW here in Nebr March winds easily exceed 40 mph with gusts much higher.

SouthFLpix

Try riding on the highway with 18 wheel trucks or buses passing you. The wind can put you down. If you just ride in the city you may not be familiar with that type situation, but it's a real phenomena.

Milton Keynes

OK. It's just that on a lot of interstates & other freeways I've seen signs which state no bicycles or pedestrians allowed.

Nermal

Last time I was through Arizona, they were allowed. That's been a few years.

5kdad

I was cycling across Oklahoma a couple years ago, with the Oklahoma Freewheel group. One group of cyclists were meeting an on-coming string of traffic, when one driver in a pickup truck decided to pass as he was meeting the cyclists. Whether he didn't see the cyclists or didn't care, no one knows. Of course, they immediately pulled off the road and stopped to avoid a head-on collision (there was no shoulder to ride on). As the pickup flew by, the wind from his vehicle knocked a lady and her bike over, and she tumbled down a short embankment. She was a little shaken up, but was able to resume riding.

caloso

I-80 in the Sierras, Blue Canyon to Nyack, I believe. It's the only paved through pass.

SouthFLpix

If no interstate highways allowed bicycles, how would you tour across the country?

StanSeven

People are talking about federally funded roads part of the national interstate highway system. They are designation with an "I" prefix and a number like I-80. They are different from ruler roads like route 40 which goes across states.

rydabent

There are several stretches of the interstate highways that bikes are allowed on. Most are in the west and southwest where there are no other highways to get from on place to another. These stretches of interstate replaced the two lane highways, so the interstate is the only way to get somewhere.

TimothyH

I can't trust a news agency that doesn't know the difference between light and lite.

Maybe they are talking about low calorie bicycles.

KD5NRH

This; I commute daily on my 7100, including about a mile and a half on 75mph highway. I've had 18 wheelers right on the fog line getting ready to turn at a road that comes off at a ~20 degree angle, and never felt like the wind would knock me over. If anything, it was handy as the right part of their draft is a brief heavy tailwind.

prathmann

Yes, I remember a couple of us on a ride where we were on a freeway for about 40 miles and getting tired. We really appreciated the extra push from every truck that came by close enough, but noticed that most of the trucks would pull way over into the passing lane. So we adopted the strategy of moving to the rightmost edge of the shoulder when we'd see/hear an approaching truck to encourage the driver to stay in the right lane. Then as soon as the front bumper would reach us we'd move to the left and into his draft.

cyccommute 

The wheels on steel bikes usually aren't steel so they aren't going to add anything to the angular momentum. The frame is going to add some mass but that's not going to have much effect because, as you say, it is the angular momentum that is important.