Makes me Mad as Hell
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 1
From: St. Albans, West Virginia
A couple of years ago there was a motorcycle cop killed here in AZ when he hit a mattress that had come out of the back of a truck.
I have dodged ladders, buckets, pieces of wood, etc. Give everyone plenty of room. Even when they are not pulling a trailer. You never know when they might dodge something or straddle something that you might not see until too late. Also, I try to never try to ride in the middle of the lane. Cars and trucks will straddle things that are in the middle. It gives a bike a hard time.
I have dodged ladders, buckets, pieces of wood, etc. Give everyone plenty of room. Even when they are not pulling a trailer. You never know when they might dodge something or straddle something that you might not see until too late. Also, I try to never try to ride in the middle of the lane. Cars and trucks will straddle things that are in the middle. It gives a bike a hard time.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 349
Likes: 1
From: Orange Co. So Cal
Never ride in the center of the lane, that's where all the grease and oil are, plus all the crap. Here in CA, we get huge chunks of truck tire on freeways because the state allows truckers to run with retreads.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,476
Likes: 5
From: Republic of Texas
Experience. Too many riders don't what if enough. We as riders get away with taking chances but sooner or later someone always gets caught. Most accidents can be avoided. It is usually a chain of events they set people up for accidents.Sometimes your the bait and sometimes your the bear.
Tourer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 319
Likes: 1
From: Great State of Texas
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,336
Likes: 67
From: SW Minnesota
I was driving a Ford Aerostar van on a two lane highway, meeting traffic, when all of a sudden the window behind the driver's door shattered, for apparently no reason.
Taking the van in to get the window replaced, when the installer was vacumning up the glass, he found a 3/4", 8" long bolt under the rear seat, which apparently had bounced out of a truck that I was meeting on the road.
I also have an old helmet with a gouge in one side, from a rock that bounced off the frame of a cement truck that I was coming up from behind, getting ready to pass.
Taking the van in to get the window replaced, when the installer was vacumning up the glass, he found a 3/4", 8" long bolt under the rear seat, which apparently had bounced out of a truck that I was meeting on the road.
I also have an old helmet with a gouge in one side, from a rock that bounced off the frame of a cement truck that I was coming up from behind, getting ready to pass.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 485
Likes: 1
From: Born and raised in the NC Mtn's
If you have ever seen a mattress come off the back of a truck...when it hits open air its like a sail on a sailboat and will fly 75-100 feet before hitting the ground.Then it slides like a slick bottom boot on ice. I know this from experience.