When To Shut Down

Greetings! We've had some pretty strong winds in the Las Vegas valley over the last 24 hours...up to 80 MPH gusts in some instances. I was a bit surprised at the number of big rigs I saw on the highway during that time. According to the attached link, there were at least four rollovers attributable to the weather. So my question is, when is weather enough of a concern to shut down?

http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/35036921/at-least-4-semis-roll-over-in-high-winds

If you feel unsafe you shutdown. It really is that simple. When we are new we are scared it will make us look bad, but it wont. They rather you be late with freight, than pitched in a ditch.

I don't shutdown like I used to when it is windy, but if the gusts make me move to much then I call it a day. At the end of the day you are the captain of your own ship and it's your call.

There are variables to consider, particularly how much weight you have in the box. If empty or rather light, I will be more likely to shut down, even without an absolute restriction. If I have 40-45,000 with me, I just drop it down a few mph and roll unless higher powers say not to. Anywhere in between, follow your gut and keep up on weather in direction headed.

I always decrease my speeds in bad weather and message dispatch I am doing so. I often just get "a feeling" that nasty stuff is ahead...sometimes even before the alerts come. Yesterday I had four hours left on my clock. I stop for a restroom and when the clouds got dark and the sky got nuts. It felt like tornado weather. That was it...I wasn't going anywhere. Then the alerts came.

Most times it is common sense. 80mph no matter how.much I had in the box I'd be parked. Figure it this way, just because YOU can handle your rig doesn't mean the idiots around you can as well. I've driven at night in ice storms more comfortably than the day with all the traffic.