Amazing info on wind could actually blow someone overboard

[germanbini]

I just saw an article on Cruise Bruise's blog, it's called, 'The Science Behind Mystery Overboard Passengers And Crew.' Apparently there is a "wind tunnel" effect that happens in certain cabins, where if someone is on their balcony and the cabin door is opened, such a strong breeze blows through that an unsuspecting person could be actually blown overboard. If the person has on a loose shirt, dress, or bathrobe, it could act as a kind of sail or kite, and fly them over before they had a chance to react; this could also happen on the decks as well. I would have never thought of this safety issue but the article is extremely well-written and documented. I highly recommend this article!

[Traveler353]

Anything is possible I supose. This is how urban myths start. Keep them coming.:cool:

[jjgoo]

that would be one heck of a wind gust.

[halos]

Anything is possible I supose. This is how urban myths start. Keep them coming.:cool:

 

LOL...I believe it could happen. I have felt strong enough winds on the ship to blow someone over who is standing or sitting on the rail....the point is that you shouldn't be ON the rail, right?????????? ;)

[germanbini]

Why don't you take a few minutes to read the article? I guess you've never been to "The Windy City" Chicago where the wind tunnel effect happens through the streets, or have never seen a movie where an airplane loses cabin pressure and things fly out.

 

I don't care if you believe it, but if it saves someone's life then maybe it was worth posting.

[Kurbanfan]

LOL been in that wind tunnel many times in my cabin when the doors are open.......blown over board......don't think so.....

Just stay off the rails and you will be fine........

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

As one who has been to the windy city and being a former New Yorker, I can verify the wind tunnel effect.

 

Often while walking on deck at night things can get VERY WINDY. I often wondered to myself if perhaps some of those missing people were blown over board. It can happen on an aircraft carrier, so why not a cruise ship?

 

There are some light weight people out there and it is just possible that wind was the cause of one or more of those people going over board.

 

Most of us here were NOT present when a person has vanished from a ship and didn't actually see what happened.

 

It pains me every time someone goes over board people automatically assume the person was a drunken mess and jumped.

 

Please take into consideration other factors involved. Yes some of the people could have been drunk. Others could have been a victim of a crime or blown over board by a gust of wind.

 

I weigh 200 pounds and even I have to hand on during windy nights while walking about the deck.

 

So unless you actually see what happened please reserve harsh judgment and blame the victim. Someday that victim could be YOU.

 

OP thanks for confirming what I had long suspected.

[jakieemma]

I guess you've never been to "The Windy City" Chicago where the wind tunnel effect happens through the streets.

 

It's off topic and the OP may already know it, but, the "windy city" has nothing to do with the wind in Chicago and more about the politics.

 

There are many more cities windier than Chicago. In fact, Chicago doesn't even make the top 10 !!!

 

Their Governer is a good example of "WINDY" politics !!!:D

[trock]

I'd imagine wind can be strong enough to blow someone over.. Isnt wind what sailboats use?

 

 

:p

[SouthernCaribbean]

Anything is possible

 

[Kurbanfan]

I'd imagine wind can be strong enough to blow someone over.. Isnt wind what sailboats use?

 

 

:p

 

Sure, but does a sail boat lift up and off the sea? Sure someone can be blown over but to be blown up and over would surely be a rare freak thing........that is the reason for the railings...

[trock]

Sure, but does a sail boat lift up and off the sea? Sure someone can be blown over but to be blown up and over would surely be a rare freak thing........that is the reason for the railings...

 

 

True... true..

[Traveler353]

Why don't you take a few minutes to read the article? I guess you've never been to "The Windy City" Chicago where the wind tunnel effect happens through the streets, or have never seen a movie where an airplane loses cabin pressure and things fly out.

 

I don't care if you believe it, but if it saves someone's life then maybe it was worth posting.

 

Lighten up. It was a joke.:D

[Wolfie48]

I just saw an article on Cruise Bruise's blog, it's called, 'The Science Behind Mystery Overboard Passengers And Crew.' Apparently there is a "wind tunnel" effect that happens in certain cabins, where if someone is on their balcony and the cabin door is opened, such a strong breeze blows through that an unsuspecting person could be actually blown overboard. If the person has on a loose shirt, dress, or bathrobe, it could act as a kind of sail or kite, and fly them over before they had a chance to react; this could also happen on the decks as well. I would have never thought of this safety issue but the article is extremely well-written and documented. I highly recommend this article!

 

I think if it was the so called wind tunnel effect you would see more children among the missing. I have been in balcony cabins and the wind is strong.....but blow someone over a 4 foot tall rail???

[germanbini]

Well, Chicago and other cities ARE windy through the narrow alleys and corridors. From an article in the New York Times (April 6, 2004), In fact, New York City experiences equally forceful winds only 15 days a year, on average, said Jeff Warner, a meteorologist at Pennsylvania State University. The strongest gust reported yesterday, as of the late afternoon, was 37 miles an hour in Central Park. Sunday's high was the same.

The force of such winds can double as they pass through city streets lined with high-rise buildings -- what is known as the wind-tunnel effect. When the wind gets funneled into a corridor between tall buildings, it is forced to accelerate, Mr. Warner said.

 

According to Wikipedia, the Mythbusters program was regarding a bullet being shot into an airplane causing rapid decompression; you're correct that they determined the fuselage design would not allow that to occur. However, as far as rapid cabin decompression not being able to happen at all, please do let the family of that airline stewardess on Aloha flight 243 know that you don't believe in it. When the decompression occurred, all the passengers were seated and the seat belt sign was illuminated. The No. 1 flight attendant reportedly was standing at seat row 5. According to passenger observations, the flight attendant was immediately swept out of the cabin through a hole in the left side of the fuselage

 

The gist of the article is that the sudden forceful gust of wind pressure can catch a person off guard and cause an accident to happen. I wasn't able to post the link here but you can search Google for Cruise Bruise Blog and go to the Jan 2, 2009 posting to read the article for yourself.

[LounVal]

I was taking a walk early one morning on NCL Majesty. I wandered up on top deck and the wind was so strong I thought I was going to be blown right off the ship.

It was early so not many people were around. I carefully made my way over to a rail and got the heck off that deck. It really did scare the hell out of me.

Now, I don't know about the wind tunnel coming through your cabin and blowing you off your balcony, but I have no doubt that the wind I experienced was capable of blowing someone off a ship. :eek:

[DaDivaMom]

I do see that this could happen in perfect circumstances.

 

Good thing I'm a fat bottom girl and don't climb the rails!

[swscruiser]

Anyone see the Las Vegas episode several years ago when one of the characters was blown off the roof and flew several blocks and into a jewelry store? I saw it on TV, so it must be true.

 

Keith

[jakieemma]

 

Good thing I'm a fat bottom girl

 

Hey..."You make the rockin' world go round.....get on your bikes and ride";)

[trock]

Hey..."You make the rockin' world go round.....get on your bikes and ride";)

 

 

Sing it Freddie!

[krystalkruzer]

I do not have any real faith in anything on Cruise Bruise or its twin ICV.Most of us know what those two sites are really about.Yes I read the entire article and found most ,if not all of it to be just that,speculation.It would take hurricane force winds to actually lift a person up and over the railing.

[big_duck]

Why don't you take a few minutes to read the article?

 

Because Cruise Bruise is the National Enquirer of Cruise sites?

[germanbini]

I do not have any real faith in anything on Cruise Bruise or its twin ICV.Most of us know what those two sites are really about.

 

What do you mean what they're really about? Seriously, I don't know. Are they "bad" websites? They aren't going to make me stop cruising if you're implying they're about scaring the public, but on the other hand I feel it's good to try to be informed.

[5waldos]

Anyone see the Las Vegas episode several years ago when one of the characters was blown off the roof and flew several blocks and into a jewelry store? I saw it on TV, so it must be true.

 

Keith

 

And I read it in a book so that makes it doubly true!

 

As far a blowing someone off a balcony- isn't that why they have high railings?

[trock]

What do you mean what they're really about? Seriously, I don't know. Are they "bad" websites? They aren't going to make me stop cruising if you're implying they're about scaring the public, but on the other hand I feel it's good to try to be informed.

 

They are bad in the sense that they glorify and make tabloid crime or occurances that happen on a cruise.. What they fail to state are statistics. Let's say there are 100,000s of passengers on cruise ships each year... How often do you hear of an actual crime or accident compared to the real world? Dont get me wrong .. ship happens... but i dont believe in the magnitude they editorialize -

 

They disproportionally blow up the story and blame the cruiselines, whether they are at fault or not...

 

At least that is how I view them...