Dust storm on Highway 40
At 19:10 you are riding a 250 cc motorcycle southbound on Highway 40 toward Kuwait City. A shamal dust storm has cut visibility to about 150 m and it is still falling. Gusts shove the bike sideways by roughly 30 cm and grit stings inside your visor. You are in the right lane, 60 m behind a sand lorry whose rear lights are caked in dust. Your fuel range shows 60 km; the next exit is 8 km ahead. The posted limit is 120 km/h. Your front tyre feels light and the steering feels vague. Traffic is light but fast, and two cars have just overtaken you. Your phone battery is at 15%. You are wearing a full-face helmet, gloves and a high-visibility jacket, but your visor is starting to fog at the edges.
1. What speed and following distance should you adopt now, and why?
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At 120 km/h your reaction distance alone is about 33 m, and dry braking adds roughly 100 m; in dust, with a light front tyre, your total stop will be well beyond the 150 m you can see. So 120 km/h is already too fast. Reduce to a speed from which you can stop within the visible distance - roughly 60–70 km/h or less - and open the gap to at least 4 seconds, more behind the lorry. Use throttle and engine braking smoothly, sit upright, and avoid abrupt steering. The aim is to create time and space, not to push through the dust.
2. Why is overtaking the lorry a poor decision in these conditions?
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Overtaking would put you into the lorry's dust cloud, where you cannot see debris, slow traffic or the road edge. The lorry also shelters you from the crosswind; as you pass, the gust hits suddenly and can push you into the next lane. Its wake and swirling sand reduce visor clarity and tyre grip. With a vague front end, you need a margin for a slide, not a blind overtake. Stay back, use a lane position that gives you the best view without sitting in the lorry's blind spot, and wait for visibility to improve.
3. Visibility suddenly drops to about 40 m. What do you do?
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At 40 m visibility, continuing at highway speed is not defensible. Take the next exit even if it is not your planned route. If you cannot leave the carriageway safely, slow right down with hazard lights on and keep moving; stopping in a live lane is a last resort. If you must stop, get fully off the carriageway, switch off, dismount away from traffic and call 112. Do not stand behind the bike. Give your direction and nearest landmark. Wait until the dust clears or emergency services advise.