Forced off of I-55

[Cajunrider]

Yesterday afternoon on our return trip, somewhere between Jackson and Brookhaven MS, my wife and I were forced off of the Interstate by an inattentive young lady in a Chevy Blazer SUV. I had been following her and the pickup truck in front of her for several miles at 65 mph. She had been following the pickup for so long I assumed they were traveling together. I decided to go around both vehicles and moved into the inside lane to pass them. I don't like staying in a possible blind spot very long so I rolled on the throttle to overtake both of them quickly. Just as we were directly even with her back door, she decided to pass the pickup truck in front of her. I saw her front tire cross the center line and continue to move over to my side, so I grabbed the horn and actually yelled at her while moving onto the blacktop shoulder. There wasn't much shoulder there because we were under an overpass and there were guard rails there to protect the concrete pilings supporting the overhead road. The shoulder was only 4 - 5 feet wide where she forced me off. She pulled back over to her side with a very startled look on her face. I continued passing both vehicles and pulled back over to the outside lane after doing so. She accelerated and came alongside me. I looked directly at her and she was appologizing for her mistake. I accepted the apology and continued on. I really expected her to be ranting and raving that somehow I was wrong and she was right. Not this time. She realized her error and told me she was sorry. Somehow, I felt better after she did so. If she would have continued moving over in my lane, I think my trailer, which is wider than the saddlebags, would have hit the railing and caused me to crash at 75 mph. I don't think that Darlene and I would have survived such a crash. I don't like posting things like this but I did so to remind everyone that we have to ride like we are invisible and presume that the others will do what we hope they won't do. Be careful everyone and count your blessings each time you arrive home in as good a shape as when you left.

PS - A Bad Boy or Stebel Horn is on the top of my accessory list and should be on everyones.

[ringadingh]

Sounds like your skill and good fortune saved the day, some people don't realize what their decisions impact on others in a split second.

[ells]

Glad that it go any more sour. I'm never comfortable in the blind spot. Accelerating through it with one finger on the Stebel is the only way to go. A little less concerned when being overtaken since there is at least a better chance they've seen you.

[ballast]

Really glad it turned out well. That happened to a friend of mine from the lane to his right. He did get hit and I don't think he has ridden since.

[waterman]

Glad to hear that it came out ok and she was at least sorry. Those things do happen even in a cage. It is amazing that there aren't more accidents. I bet she was alot more attentive after that for quite some time.

[cactusjack]

I'm glad it didn't turn out any worse than it did. When you're on a bike, you have to think for everybody, not just for yourself.

[jamiep24]

What? A careless driver here in Mississippi? I don't know about other states but I'm most surprised when I see a car or truck driver who doesn't have a cell phone glued to their ear or holding a cell phone on top of the steering wheel while texting. Many deaths can be blamed on those things. Jamie

That situation could have been real nasty. I will bet there was a cell phone involved. At least she admitted she was in the wrong. I too am not comfortable in blind spots, anywhere, anytime. Especially 18 wheelers. They scare the pants off of me. I also am uncomfortable being stuck in a middle lane of a multilane highway. I've seen too many near misses between cars when some inattentive idiot decides to change lanes on a whim. Glad your both ok.

[zoom45]

I know that area well and it's usually less traffic and not much of a problem but it only takes one driver to screw up. It's a good thing you were observant and acted in time. Now if you were north of there in Jackson....you just have to be lucky to make it through there because those people will pull over on you on purpose. I think it's some kind of contest to see how many drivers they can piss off in a day. Glad to hear you made it through ok. I haven't had a close call with the trailer yet.
Zoom45

[Cajunrider]

Zoom, I had went through Jackson about 1/2 hour earlier while it was raining. Plenty of traffic and several lanes scare the crap out of me. The inside of my throttle hand was bright red from squeezing the grip so tight. I couldn't see it but I'd bet the pucker was just as red.

[zoom45]

If you can drive anywhere in or near Jackson then make it home safely you must be a good rider. Jackson scares me more than any other city I have riden in.
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