This is one of my greatest fears when riding. Can you imagaine what the outcome would be if a road gator flew up into you and/or your windshield at 60+ mph? It wouldn't be pretty.

I just about **** myself a few weeks ago when I pulled out to pass a car and there right in my path was a piece of tire. I was lucky enough to have time to swerve, but if I had waited another second or two to make the pass I would have run over (hopefully) the road gator.

 

Had one blowout out in front of me about 1/8 mile, on I-30 east of Dallas a few years ago. The trucker just kept on trucking too. Bits of smoking, burning tire was flying everywhere for the next five miles or so, untill a State Trooper pulled that dude off the Interstate.

 

If a car or truck tire blows and rubber flys then that's just one of those things that happens sometimes and we all have to be careful and deal with the risk.

But I think most of these incidents are a result of cheap a$$ simi truck retreads that just delaminate and fly off the truck tires. Hard to believe that the state DOT can allow these products to be sold and used on the highways. These retreads should have some kind of a serial or ID number etched into them to force these companies to take some responsibility. If a truck continues on after a huge hunk of tread flys into traffic he should be considered as leaving the scene of a crime.

WA State patrol and DOT should quit worrying about what kind of helmets people wear and take care of real safety issues like this.

 

I guess it's cheaper for them to keep driving until the next exit, hoping to find a truck stop than it would be to safely pull over and then have to call the mobile tire service.

 

I was in my pickup driving 70 in heavy traffic (left lane) down a divided highway, the ones with 4 lanes in each direction divided by a 3 ft concrete wall. I noticed something in the oncomlng side of the road flying through the air about 15 feet high, headed to my side of the highway. Turns out it was a full size tractor trailer wheel and tire. It actually bounced OVER my truck and the closing speed was so fast that I didn't see if it hit anyone behind me. Truck or bike, your a dead man in that situation.

 

We call them road gators down south. you have to watch out for them because they will jump up and bite you

 

When riding, I spot a big truck...I line them up and get around them as quickly as possible. I do not linger on the side of a semi. All I need to have is to have one of those tires explode. I stay away from big trucks as much as possible. Don't mind hanging back until a passing opportunity arises but I am not going to motor next to one. I have found that most truckers have been very courteous and aware of riders but I cannot comment on their tires. I don't want to find out. As for a hide in the road...usually easy to spot and avoid.

 

I agree, truck tire can kill pretty quick so I give them plenty of room.

Mark

 

I have been hit twice by flying rubber in 45 years. The first time I was wearing a helmet and got it right above the visor. Rang my bell. The second time I was hit a little bit below my knee. I was wearing tall boots and the blow was at the top of the boot. I got off at my exit and made the few blocks to my destination, where I had someone hold the bike while I got off, afraid my leg was broken. It wasn't, but I was cut. The next day it was ugly and very swollen.

Retreads are the culprit, and when it is hot there are more gators on the road than gators in the Everglades.

 

When passing a truck, I always gas it once I get close to the trailer and I stay as far away as possible. Well..that doesn't always work.

One afternoon I went to pass a truck and right as I was about to hit the gas, the left front trailer tire blew. The next thing I see is the rubber coming off, completely stretched out flat and coming right at me. I wait until the last possible second to swerve and it coiled up and I swerve right. It hits the left side of the crash bar, the floor board, kick stand and my foot.

I kept the bike upright and continued on...with the kick stand dragging. It had knocked the spring off! Damn those things are a pain in the *** to put back on. We both pull off at the same truck stop and I surveyed the damage and tried to decide if I needed to change my shorts right then or not. My foot was OK and there was no other damage.

I went looking for the trucker, but never found him. I finally got my nerves about me and limped the bike home the 3 miles, trying to hold the kick stand up with my foot.