Damn Gale Force Winds!

[Angus MacSpey]

How many of you are out kilted when we have days like today and yesterday here on the Front Range, with winds enough to put out the small dog and trash can alert? Trying to get my work done while making a half-assed (!) attempt at preserving my modesty was enough to make me start checking the weather forecast in the morning.

I'm already racking my brain for a way to design a windproof kilt.

[Magnus Sporrano]

There have been a few times when my modesty has been greatly compromised due to wind and that all but one of my kilts are PV. My lined/camo Pittsburgh Kilt is the only one that stays down in the wind (the tradeoff is it doesn't really swing like a wool or PV kilt).

One time I was outside carrying a $30,000 piece of computer hardware in the parking lot at work to the data center... the wind picked up, and my hands were full. I had to just keep walking with my cheeks in the wind and there was nothing I could do about it.

[Andrew Breecher]

Ironically, the strongest winds seem to be in populated areas. I walked the breadth of the USA, and only in "civilisation" were the gusts the sort that lifted the kilt. Out in the woods and mountains, the breezes seem to flow steadily, whereas in cities and towns the buildings channel the wind in quick gusts so they blow kilts up.

The worst times are: going into subway tunnels, exiting trolleys and busses, exiting buildings, and when large automobiles pass by on the road.

Mostly, though, I just don't care. I've walked over subway gratings in the street and pulled a total "Marilyn Monroe" and just laughed and said "Whoops!" and carried on.

Andrew.

[James]

I agree with Andrew-it is not the known wind in the countyry however strong that is the problem.

Rather it is the sneaky eddies and breezes aroud buildings-bouncing off parked cars-even a passing large lorry that adds to the 'fun'.

Whilst on occasion not even the heaviest traditional kilt is immune.

Long experience suggests that major incidents are rare, and often no one will be looking anyway: the best solution is to regard it as life having a sense of humour and get on with wearing your kilt.

The alternatives are to either go around as some sort of neurotic clutching your kilt like a maiden at her first dance-or stop wearing the kilt.

If some one does notice-be the first to laugh.

James

[Livingston]

Angus, I know what you mean. The wind channels along the Front Range are amazing. Too bad we can't blame it all on the buildings. I've been out in some high wind kilted but been concerned also. Since I'm not full time with the kilt yet, I pick the nicer days to wear it.

[davedove]

It's not the steady winds that are a problem. You tend to make adjustments for those.

As James said, it's the sneaky gusts that will get you and there isn't much you can do about them.

[GlassMan]

Ironically, the strongest winds seem to be in populated areas. I walked the breadth of the USA, and only in "civilisation" were the gusts the sort that lifted the kilt. Out in the woods and mountains, the breezes seem to flow steadily, whereas in cities and towns the buildings channel the wind in quick gusts so they blow kilts up.

The worst times are: going into subway tunnels, exiting trolleys and busses, exiting buildings, and when large automobiles pass by on the road.

Mostly, though, I just don't care. I've walked over subway gratings in the street and pulled a total "Marilyn Manson" and just laughed and said "Whoops!" and carried on.

Andrew.

It's the wind tunnel effect created by the concrete canyons of downtown areas that create the worst wind gust opportunities. Combine that with the topography of some cities (San Francisco is a good example) and you get all sorts of unfortunate opportunities for wind up your kilt.

[millar]

The gusts coming off of buildings is actually where the phrase "23 skidoo" came from. "New York City's Flatiron Building, on 23rd Street, is shaped as a triangle. This shape caused frequent winds, which would stir ladies' skirts, revealing ankles which, in the early years of the Twentieth Century, were seldom seen in public. Rogues would loiter around the Flatiron Building hoping for glimpses. Local constables, shooing such rogues away, were said to be giving them the 23 Skidoo." From Wikipedia