Sheer Dumb Luck

Maddog · Aug 30, 2006

This morning when I got on the freeway I was a little more agressive (read: faster) than usual so I could get ahead of two semi's in the right two lanes. That one little decision to be agressive saved me, at the least some pain, and maybe my life.

Not a mile down the road traffic slowed suddenly. Very suddenly. I do not tailgate so I was able to stop without a problem, and, thank God, the driver behind me was able to stop well behind. For just a moment it was quiet with all the vehicles stopped. Then all hell broke loose as traffic farther back could not stop in time.

Fortunately, for me, all of the crashes were taking place three or four cars back from me. Except one where a large flat-bed truck pushed a Ford Explorer sideways off the freeway and up an embankment. Luckily the Explorer never tipped over. The flat-bed and Explorer were at my three o'clock position when they stopped, maybe 35 feet away.

If I hadn't passed those semi's when I got on the freeway I would have been right in the middle of that mess. Sheer dumb luck.

Scab · Aug 30, 2006

I'd rather be lucky than good any day of the week.

yamahamama · Aug 30, 2006

Glad your instinct/luck/skill worked in your favor today. #1 reason I don't ride behind large vehicles--I can't see what's ahead of them. And I've been rear-ended twice on motorcycle, so I can tell you it's not a picnic. Fortunately, both were very slow speed bumps.

Randy · Aug 30, 2006

Not lucky....good. Your riding experience told you where you shouldn't be and you did what you had to do to mitigate the risk.

RonBB · Aug 30, 2006

Not lucky....good. Your riding experience told you where you shouldn't be and you did what you had to do to mitigate the risk.

I agree riding experience pays off & also situational awareness. Must admit a bit of luck is also required sometimes though. Personally I think in part we tend to make our own luck. Still, bad things happen to even the most experienced though. Personally I think that only defensive driving/riding is a really bad idea for a motorcyclist. Ride safe & defensively But there is a difference in the two. Ron