Tractor trailer tire blows next to us...

[bikerskier]

About 3 weeks ago, i was merging on to I-5 from 217 in PDX with my wife's car and was on the right side of a tractor trailer unit when one of his right rear outside tires blew up. We were about 4' away and exactly even with the rear left door when it blew. ****, this was very loud and chunks of tire slammed against the car with great violence. We pulled over to the breakdown lane and the truck pulled over as well in front of us. The driver apologised mildly and basically said that shit happens all the time and it wasn't his fault. the company that owns the trailer unit (Interstate Dist)is responsible for tire maintenance and for me to call them. I took pics of the trailer, my broken left rear tailight lens and some marks, along with a repair estimate and sent if off to them. They sent me a check (after signing their waiver) within a week. Marianne is now spooked when passing a tractor trailer in the car and is worried what her reaction will be when she next rides pillion. She now understands why I always passed these units very quickly during on all the rides we have made for the past 30+ years. That event would have caused us severe injuries or more if we had been on the bike.

Don't dawdle next to a tractor trailer unit!!!!

 

[fljab]

Glad you and yours are OK! Also that you got the damage compensated with no issues.

Them big trucks aka tractor trailers are about my biggest fear on the road besides them dang forest rats, but the TT's are a heckofalot more common. I try to scoot by them giving as much room as possible, but I hate it when you get in with them, then one pulls out to pass forcing you beside and behind with little progress being made.

You see the retreads all over the road everywhere you go; one of the reasons I try and "not" ride much, if at all, at night. With the shortening days coming sometimes that's not an option without limiting your day/mile total.

 

[loe_tek]

I try and pass them with some speed for that sort of reason, but....the other side is, trucker comes over with little or no warning, who has not had a big rig scare the heck out of you? Me, at least a couple times a season. Cruising along in the passing lane, overtaking a big truck, (sometimes, really overtaking) and for no apparent reason, here he comes into my lane and my space. You could bounce off, and the driver would never know he just had a collision.

watch those big rigs, seems like they never are looking for us little guys.

We (riders) are a little like the gazelles of the modern world, we only get one chance to be on the losing side of a confrontation.

 

[PhilJet09]

I had one disintegrate in front of me while on the bike earlier this summer. I was a few cars back and smelled a burning rubber smell. As I got closer I saw a few little chunks bouncing around. Then as I got up to the truck I could see it was one of his tires on the left side of the trailer going. I got past him quickly, staying as far to the left as I could, got up to the cab and tried to signal to him that he had a problem. He didn't pull over before I got off on my exit.

 

[azitlies]

Glad to hear yer okay too, and boy do I agree, I can't stand riding next to these things in car or on bike...

And it's so damn frustrating when the idiots in front of you drive right next to them, blocking anyone from passing. And there's no one in front of them, they could easily pass... just don't get it...

 

[madmike2]

Glad to hear yer okay too, and boy do I agree, I can't stand riding next to these things in car or on bike...

And it's so damn frustrating when the idiots in front of you drive right next to them, blocking anyone from passing. And there's no one in front of them, they could easily pass... just don't get it...

HUH??? Y'mean there be uther fokes on them roads, tew. Why shucks, me and Ethel Mae thot thet we's the only wuns usin' this hyar hi-way.We dun payed alla ar taxes, soes we doesn't hasta watch fer thems uthers, theys 'posed tuh watch fer me, dang-it!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Scary stuff Ralph, glad that you and Marianne came away w/o any injuries.

Great reminder to expedite ( ) those passes on semis!

--G

 

[dcarver]

I recall TwoWheelNut telling me to look closely at the tires of trucks before passing - just a best practice. I've done so since and your experience proves him right. Very happy the two of you are ok. Tell Marianne you look, ride as far away as possible, and go like hell!

 

[madmike2]

I always use ALL my senses when catching-nearing-passing a semi. I also realize they don't intentionally endanger motorcyclists but they can lose sight of us. Passing "with vigor" and intent is always the best policy and, when I can't do that, I will hang back and give them room should they need to swerve. That's my responsibility for my own safety.

That being said, I'm very glad that my current employer does NOT use retreads, period. All of our equipment (tractors, trailers and converter dollies) use OEM tires. I have driven for companies that used retreads on tractor drive tires and have had an "epic fail"....in fact, at freeway speed, had a cap blow and fly OVER the cab and land in front of me. At 90+ pounds of inflation, a blowout has lethal force.

 

[SilverStag]

I am a Truck Driver for UPS , have driven Tractor Trailers for the last 23 years. Glad you and your wife are Ok. It seems when the weather gets Hot those retreads start blowing. We call them Alligators because those pieces of rubber

can do a lot of damage, anytime, but especially dangerous at night due to hard to see them. Also if someone is following to close to someone they may not have time to swerve to miss it.

 

[BlackStar]

One of my Dad's friends was taken out on a bike by a semi tire blow. Survived, but long recovery. I don't loiter around beside these guys (not saying you did). I usually pass them rather expeditiously as far away as possible, especially on hot days. I also listen for any thumping (if I can hear over wind noise), or any visual indications of impending failure. I assume most of these failures are with re-treads. I don't know what the failure rate of the tires are or if they are tracked to determine performance or lack thereof. I understand the costs, but wonder what the threshold is for property damage and injurys. I don't think re-treads are allowed on steer tires, is that a fact? If it is the failure rate must be high enough to not take the risk.

 

[DELETE-PLEASE]

I recall TwoWheelNut telling me to look closely at the tires of trucks before passing - just a best practice. I've done so since and your experience proves him right. Very happy the two of you are ok. Tell Marianne you look, ride as far away as possible, and go like hell!

Can you tell me what I'm supposed to look for? Never heard this before, and I'm interested in knowing anything that could help.

Glad you're ok. All we can do is minimize risks as much as we can. Keep blowing by them at a high rate of speed whenever you need to pass, don't ride next to them or behind them in a possible blind spot, and just hope that those damned retreads are inspected as often as they SHOULD be by the companies so they don't leave them on too long and let that glue wear out.

Alexi

 

[bikerskier]

We sure were not moseying along, I was peddling her Subaru as hard as I could, but just caught some bad luck. The good part, of course, no injuries or serious damage. I saw a truck tire blow up on a tire repair guy in a shop up in Prudhoe Bay years ago and the ring almost decapitated him along with tearing off an arm. Folks rarely used the safety cages then. He was dead before we got him to the infirmary. The violence is amazing.

 

[dsmack]

Old truck driver, maintenance and retired truck law enforcement officer here...

A couple of things you should look over before passing a large truck: Most trucks still use dual tires on each end of the axle. When both tires are correctly inflated, the load is shared equally, hence the "bulge" at the contact point with the highway should appear equal between the tires. If it isn't equal, one tire is carrying more of the load and is a potential danger to you.

Second, an underinflated/flat tire runs hot prior to shedding it's tread area, and the tire tread often/usually turns a very dull, dark black due to the difference in temperature compared to the other tires... Look for dull, dark tires, and stay the hell away from them!!!

An earlier poster mentioned smelling a burnt/hot rubber smell... Danger, Will Robinson!!! That is a classic symptom of an overheated, stressed tire that is about to create serious problems. The driver of the truck cannot smell the danger unless at slow speed in city traffic, as he is sitting in front of the warning sign, so he will be blissfully unaware of the pending failure at that point. Your nose is one of your most sensitive senses... trust it!

Finally, to answer the question about retreaded front tires on large trucks: NO, retreaded, regrooved tires are NOT allowed on steer axles because of the added safety issues.

Certainly glad you and your wife were not injured!

Ride Safe!

Don

 

[JimNtexas]

Thanks to the OP, that's a serious cautionary tale.

I normally ride like a little old lady, but when passing an 18 wheeler I unleash the full power of the mighty FJR to pass absolutely as quickly as possible.

 

[madmike2]

Old truck driver, maintenance and retired truck law enforcement officer here...

A couple of things you should look over before passing a large truck: Most trucks still use dual tires on each end of the axle. When both tires are correctly inflated, the load is shared equally, hence the "bulge" at the contact point with the highway should appear equal between the tires. If it isn't equal, one tire is carrying more of the load and is a potential danger to you.

Second, an underinflated/flat tire runs hot prior to shedding it's tread area, and the tire tread often/usually turns a very dull, dark black due to the difference in temperature compared to the other tires... Look for dull, dark tires, and stay the hell away from them!!!

An earlier poster mentioned smelling a burnt/hot rubber smell... Danger, Will Robinson!!! That is a classic symptom of an overheated, stressed tire that is about to create serious problems. The driver of the truck cannot smell the danger unless at slow speed in city traffic, as he is sitting in front of the warning sign, so he will be blissfully unaware of the pending failure at that point. Your nose is one of your most sensitive senses... trust it!

Finally, to answer the question about retreaded front tires on large trucks: NO, retreaded, regrooved tires are NOT allowed on steer axles because of the added safety issues.

Certainly glad you and your wife were not injured!

Ride Safe!

Don

...+1...

This is great information.

 

One other thing to watch if/when you smell "hot rubber" is that even standard tires will begin to shred before failure. If you're catching a truck and smell hot rubber or see tire shards on the pavement, SLOW DOWN and give space as failure is imminent and unsafe for you.

If a truck or semi is bouncing down the road (not loading the springs) he is running very light or empty and the chance for tire failure is greatly reduced.

Ambient temperature + weight + speed = heightened danger.

 

[BentAero]

My sister's husband was in a ride group recently headed for Colorado when one of the guys in their group was attacked by a semi-truck tire. Same as the OP, he was passing the truck when one of the outer tires exploded.

The concussion was so strong, it blew him right out of his lane (left) and toward the median. Unfortunately, he was only a short distance from a bridge abuttement, hitting it with a glancing blow. Miraculously he wasn't killed, but was very seriously injured.

Just another reason to stay off the freeway.

 

[timk]

2things, my wife actually got hit in her hand when a tire exploded on a 2 1/2cube van. She was pointing for riders behind us. Stung her good! Also, I have a motorhome that lost an entire carcuss, and it wasn't a retread.(GoodYear) All that was showing was the steel belt. The tire was still inflated!!!

 

[racer]

Had a tire blow on me on a hot day as the semi was passing me on an interstate. Luckily, the FJR fairing and windshield kept it off me. No damage, but it sure got my attention.