I wonder if there is a certain amount of weight that I could carry in a rolling bag to help prevent me from being knocked over by the wind. I have balance problems and some lack of muscle strength in my legs and sometimes it feels like strong wind gusts here in Boston, MA may knock me over, especially when I walk in a wind tunnel between buildings. I have a rolling bag that I pull along that weighs 6 lbs. when it has a pair of shoes in it. I also fill it with kids' books and toys for work but they don't usually weigh very much. The handle extends 20" above the bag and I can keep a good grip on it. Would the bag have to weigh more than I do in order to be of any help? Thanks for any ideas. Donna
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
1
-
$\begingroup$ It does get windy between the buildings in Boston (or anywhere). I would go with @Carl's suggestion of a cane, especially one that is adjustable and collapsible, and that has a strap or hook so you can free up both hands without dropping it. The trouble with a rolling bag is just that - it rolls, so it may not give as much stability as you'd like. Good luck. (Just thought of another possibility - a 4-wheel bag that you can lean on while it rolls - maybe?) $\endgroup$– Mike DunlaveyFeb 15, 2014 at 4:07
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
2
Pretty much no. The problem is that you are not (pardon me :-) ) a rigid body, so you're going to feel a certain amount of force from the wind regardless of what sort of weights you're carrying. What can help is walking with your feet farther apart, which gives you a more stable base to work from, and to learn to turn your body sideways to the wind as much as possible, to reduce the surface area facing the wind.
If you're not worried about appearances, then you could try using a cane to provide essentially a three-point support system (cane plus two legs) which will help stabilize yourself further.
answered Feb 14, 2014 at 23:45
-
$\begingroup$ I just got a Hurrycane which has 3 points on its tiny base but have not used it on a windy day yet. If that is on my right slightly in front of me and my rolling bag is on my left, then if the wind is already coming from the side, is that the best I can do to reduce surface area? If the wind is coming from the front or back of me, I can now picture trying to turn sideways and side-step to get to a building entrance. When in danger, appearances become less important. :) $\endgroup$ Feb 15, 2014 at 3:56
-
$\begingroup$ In other words, for purposes of reacting to the wind's force, if the 3 objects (bag, cane, person) are in close proximity to each other, are they equivalent to one object in terms of looking at surface area? Also, from side view, does my bag get counted along with me as surface area? If so, it'd be important for me to line up the bag exactly next to me. And if I'm side-stepping, I'd need to have the bag turned so it will roll sideways. In that position, the bag is 18" wide, which is more than I am from side view, so that increases surface area somewhat. Thanks, guys, for your thoughts! Donna $\endgroup$ Feb 15, 2014 at 14:51