Great day; Dangerous roads

[glwilson]

Locally we had unseasonal temperatures of 68 degrees today with clear skies... a perfect day to ride -- and I was agonizing over the fact I wasn't.

So, while driving home from work and seeing bikes all over all I could think about was riding.

I took the short-cut on the interstate thinking of riding... when all of a sudden ahead of me a semi-truck trailer's re-cap tire started shredding and blowing apart. Large and small pieces of rubber-tire were flying everywhere; and cars were swerving all directions.

All I could think was that I was glad I wasn't on my bike behind that. It might not have turned out to be such a good-day after-all.

Keep thinking about those things that can happen fast in front of you when you are out there riding! ;)

Just a friendly reminder...

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Excellent point. Those 18 wheelers always worry me. If they put new tires on instead of those damned recaps there wouldn't be nearly as much of that happening.

[cnc]

No matter whether I'm on the bike or in the car, I stay far back from an 18 wheeler and when I pass, I pass fast.
So often you will see people passing trucks on the interstate while obviously on cruise control and doing less than a mile an hour faster with a whole string of traffic behind forced to do the same thing. What are these people thinking, I mean what chance do these people have if a recap separates, a wheel comes off, or a tie down comes loose?

[unwind2]

Good reminder. Seems this last year there was much more retreads laying around....the economy I'm sure....retread much cheaper than a new tire.

[Cajunrider]

Originally Posted by cnc

No matter whether I'm on the bike or in the car, I stay far back from an 18 wheeler and when I pass, I pass fast.
So often you will see people passing trucks on the interstate while obviously on cruise control and doing less than a mile an hour faster with a whole string of traffic behind forced to do the same thing. What are these people thinking, I mean what chance do these people have if a recap separates, a wheel comes off, or a tie down comes loose?

They also don't realize how long they are in the driver's blindspot. Not good. I try to overtake them as quickly as possible because of fearing the tires and blindspot.

[tombstone]

Several years ago my youngest son and I were on a two lane road. Semi coming the other direction, speed limit was 55 or 60..

As the semi passed us a tire blew. We were 'shotgunned' with several small pieces. We were very lucky as we had our face shields down...close call, and scarey!

[glwilson]

Glad to hear you made it through something like that.

Trucks are not anything to mess with... they have all kinds of ways to hurt or kill you...

I am sometimes amazed at how close some people ride behind them... in cars or bikes.

[ringadingh]

Im very cautious of big trucks on the highways. Twice within a week this summer trucks have blown tires one vehicle in front of me. It was in the same area of road both times and was during our hot spell when temps were around 100f outside. I certainly wouldn't want to be near a tire when the cap starts peeling off, that could easily take you off the bike.

[audiogooroo]

Originally Posted by glwilson

Glad to hear you made it through something like that.

Trucks are not anything to mess with... they have all kinds of ways to hurt or kill you...

I am sometimes amazed at how close some people ride behind them... in cars or bikes.

That always amazes me too. Back in my younger days, I would sometimes drive the truck or tour bus and it always irritated me when people would tailgate me. I mean so close that I couldn't see them in my mirrors and sometimes had no idea there were even there until they pulled some stupid move.
I tend to give the big rigs a wide berth, on the bike or in the cage.

[Idaho]

When I'm passing trucks I flash my headlight to try to get their attention and know that I am there. Then I squirt past them as quickly as traffic will allow. I pay attention to onramps and never pass a truck when approaching an on-ramp. I never know if another car or truck is trying to merge into traffic on the other side of the truck from where I am. That could get messy. If I'm not riding with a group on another CB channel I run on ch19 so that I can talk to them. They are always amused to talk to a biker and actually start to look out for me. It helps to have friends.