Severn Bridge (Old) nerves...

[SueZX4]

Hello all, I'm toying with the idea of finally laying ghosts to rest and going over the old severn bridge tomorrow afternoon. It'll be my first trip over there on the ZX4, and I will be alone as Simon's working and bike off the road anyway. I'm abit scared as have crossed there twice - on my old 125cc, the first time was fine, I was on my own, lovely sunny afternoon, but the second time was the scariest moment of my life - no WB ride out so Simon and I went for a picnic to Ross on Wye. It was abit windy here to start, but Westbury on Trym in a dip so gives a false impression. Radio had indicated no problems on the bridge, so we went for it. Got there, 40mph restriction, but nothing else. On the bridge, omg, I have never been so frightened! Must've been doing a max of 15mph, literally talking myself accross the bridge, yard by yard, I was half way accross when I remembered i hadn't checked my mirrors, so focused on staying on the bike - when I did, realised Simon was no longer behind me... a gust of wind had taken him within an inch of the central barrier, and at a standstill - hence why the GPZ's bellypan came off and now in the loft! Pulled into the first layby on Chepstow road when realised he was there in the distance, we sat on the pavement for about half and hour before getting back on the bikes. This is why I've got to conquer it, get back over there, otherwise I'll never do it! Have done M5 Avonmouth Bridge on the ZX4, not nice, but have demons to exorcise here!!!! We're going away on Sunday for a week and I really want to get this over with before we go....... Wish me luck!!! Please!! Need it!! :-? :-[

[HensonA]

Hi Sue, I went over the "old" Severn Bridge last Sunday on the WaBAM rideout to Wales.

Going over in the morning it was fairly windy, with the wind coming from the right. So most of the riders rode in the right hand side of the near side lane to have as much room as possible in case caught by a gust.

Just take it steady .. not too fast but equally not too slow. Too slow (like your 15 mph you mentioned) means that there was little gyroscopic effect of the wheels going around to balance the bike and so a gust would be more liable to blow a bike off line.
The ZX4 will be a bit heavier than your 125 and that will help too.

Good luck tomorrow, I'm sure you'll be OK. :)

[Nelly]

Good luck Sue :) You'll be fine

[Jon_W]

Enjoy it!!! Look at the view (and the road ahead) and have a great ride!!!!

[BB]

I'm sure you will sail across! ;)

Good luck

BB

[jpssantos]

go for it... just relax!!

riding in cross winds can be scary, but you get used to it.

I remember, and still have this imagine in my head, a few years ago riding back from the Farmyard Party up near Leeds and down the M1 the wind was so strong that I was the last of 6 bikes, we were doing a straight bit of motorway and everyone in front of me were leaning like if they were going into a bend...

the scary bit is when you are leaning against the wind, lets say right, the wind stops, and then comes from the left, pushing you down.. now that is fkin mental! :D :D

[wiggy]

Good luck with that ,think you will be fine on your zx . :)

[SueZX4]

Thanks guys! I did it!! Really pleased! Hardly any wind at all so it was nice! Went up through Tintern up to Monmouth, accross the top to Cinderford then back down the A48 to Chepstow and back accross - 70mile round trip, nice relaxed pace, loved every second!! (except perhaps the big trucks on the coast road from Avonmouth to Aust - ironically think that was windier than the bridge!!)
:) :) :)

[SupeRDel]

I'm sure you will sail across! ;)

Good luck

BB


Wicked... ;D

[wi77y]

Glad you were ok never been acroos any bridge on a bike and ill going acrros this bridge

http://www.isleofskyecottage.co.uk/images/broadford-self-catering-53.jpg

sometime next thursday in Skye ekkkkkkkkkkkk :) !

[Mark_Able]

Hey Willy, Skye Bridge is well cool. You can't really see where it's going. It's like you're driving at the sky. Not normally very windy though. But then again, it is Scotland, so wait five minutes and it'll all change... ;D

[Mark_Able]

Oh yeah, there's a glass bottom boat trip there, that takes you under the bridge. As you're going under, the guy mentions that the bridge was built in Germany, and has (had) a sister bridge. Yes, it fell down... :o

[wiggy]

Good news glad all went ok for you . :)

[t1pper]

Glad it went well.

When I was a kid we had a school trip to the severn bridge (not the old one it was the only one back in the day).

I remember being told that the bridge moves and flexes in the wind, all I can recall was that it was a long way down and giving the teachers the run around buy trying to look over the edge. ;D :D

Bet the heath and saftety would not alow a trip like that now.

[Caz]

Good for you its good to have a challenge every now and then. Great roads in Wales [smiley=thumbsup.gif] :)

[Davehsw]

Good job at fighting your demons :)

[njl]

I found the pont du normandie daunting on the approach, but i'm a right chicken with heights

http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/_db/_images/Pont-de-Normandie2.jpg

[SueZX4]

lol...!! Yep, that looks like a scary bridge!! Think I'll tackle one hurdle at a time - no mishaps or bits falling off the bike will do for now!!! Still, a week's bike trip in September will test both me and the bike (that's if I survive next week, a week camping in one place with the kids...... hardest struggle of the lot!!!)