Paying Attention on the Slab

[frayne]

I can hardly think of anytime riding anywhere/anyplace when there wasn't something in the road somewhere that could cause harm, be it stones/gravel, dead rubber, oil, cardboard, visqueen, to name only a few. Can't ever be too observant.

 

[TWILKIN650]

My interesting road hazard this morning in the cage was a full size pallet in a center lane that must have fallen off a truck. The cars were zipping around it left and right and I was nearly hit by a cage trying to swerve around the broken wooden stakes, so something had obviously already run over it. All this at about 80 mph. Glad I'd had my first cup of coffee already and was semi awake. No one (me included) was brave enough to attempt to pull it out of the center lane of the tollway during rush hour.

 

[jcasey]

I had one of those a few years ago on a two lane rural 55mph road in PA. I came up behind a fuel oil delivery truck going significantly slower than I was. I started to slow and noticed something on the back of the truck that I couldn't identify at first. As I got closer I realized it was a hugh piece of flagstone, resting between the rear bumper and the tank. I no sooner thought to myself that if this guy hits a bump that thing...........there it was in the road in front of me shattering into a thousand pieces. Fortunately for me I was able to weave my way through it without losing it. When the truck stopped I pulled up to the driver's side and said. "Hey buddy you almost killed me back there." He said what the F@#$ are you talking about. I told him that big stone fell off his truck and smashed in the highway. His response was "F#$% you" and he drove off.

U.S. Coast Guard Motto, "Semper Paratis".........always prepared.

Ride safe, and be ready for anything.

John

 

[Silver Penguin]

I recently read an article about picking a lane when avoiding an obstacle vs. target fixation and have been practicing it when I ride. This is a great strategy and I'm glad to hear that someone has used it successfully. Thanks for the heads up post.

That very technique saved my butt on the track. At Femmoto, the participants are given brand new sport bikes to play with on the Classic track at Las Vegas Speedway. Right in front of me, two riders collided and both went down. Very scary. I wanted to see what was going on, but instead I fixated on a clear piece of track. I knew that the bike would follow my eyes, and it did. Both the downed riders were OK, and no-one else hit them but it was close.

Jill

 

[FlyingLow]

Glad you made it though o.k.Reminder #2:

Stay away/far back from 18 wheelers. Those crap re-treads they use will/can/do come apart at any time and you don't want to be behind one when it does.

Steve

Too damn bad about that, too. In my younger days I used to quarter-flank 18 wheelers and let them draft me up the highway.

You find the sweet spot and you can feel your bike being pulled. Alas, bad idea.

 

[Valueman]

Obstacles are dangerous, but I the biggest obstacle to watch for is the distracted driver riding near you.

I left the office Friday about 3:30 pm. The plan was to go do a little work about 30 miles east of Nashville, ride on to Crossville, camp, and head to the Hoot on Saturday moring. Traffic was already getting heavy as I headed out of town, so the "Spidey Senses" were on high.

As I progressed across town on the 440 Parkway I was almost taken out twice within one mile. In both cases I was driving alongside drivers on cell phones who pulled completely over into the space I was occupying without noticing I was there. I normally do everything I can to spend as little time alongside a cage as possible. But, in rush hour one has little choice, I escaped incident by pulling onto the nice wide shoulder. The first driver never saw me until I beeped the horn waved to her from the shoulder. Two incidents like this in a mile will get your heart pumping.

I started riding when I was very young, and defensive driving was drilled into my head from day one. I was intentionally riding so I had a "bailout area" and constantly scanning for motion that would indicate a driver pulling over on me. Thanks for the training, Dad.

When I got out of town I pulled over for minute. One thing I have learned from poker is that its never good to play when you are steamed. I think the same holds for riding.

In the immortal words of the Sgt from Hill Street Blues, "Hey, let's be careful out there."

VM