Glad I drove today.

[the Ferret]

I have had close calls of tractor trailer tire steel belt and rubber debris fly up in the air at freeway speed, but the worse thing to ever strike me was a bird.

In the late 70's I was close to a tractor trailer when he blew a tire. First off, the noise which sounded like a shotgun going off right next to your head, scared the bejeesus out of me ..... then the shrapnel of rubber chunks I had to dodge was equally frightening. To this day, I stay as far away from semis as I can, and pass them quickly if I come upon one.

[peterbaron]

I do not ride behind or beside tractor trailers, pick ups, vehicles pulling camper/trailer or carrying mounted bicycle....last year avoided fatalities when a car carrying 2 bicycles lost one on the hwy 407 at 120 km/h...lucky, I kept enough distance behind it, as if I knew something bad was going to happen...
Safe ride to everyone, arrive in one piece.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Great words of wisdom from Forum members.

The events shared by Gin60 and Stichill are, however, more difficult to anticipate.

Indeed, some luck plays a role.

[Gone in 60]

Driving to downtown LA is never fun, but this drive was particularly annoying. After I got hit by the metal, I got stuck behind a horse trailer. There was a gap between the back door and the floor, and every time he hit a bump, stuff came dumping out of the gap. I feared the worst for my recently detailed car but luckily it was just some small wood chips, nothing more “natural”.

I never ride behind anything that has an open bed full of stuff. Too much opportunity to get hit by something. On my daily commute, I travel from the more humble part of my area toward the direction of the beach communities that are more affluent. I’m frequently behind gardening trucks full of mowers, trimmers, rakes and shovels, and contracor trucks full of tools and materials. I will pass these quickly, even if it means lane splitting at a speed greater than I usually do it.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Agreed Gin60. The little garden bits tend to prickle the neck in summertime. The same from dump trucks, empty and otherwise.

[LongRanger_imp]

Years ago on the freeway I watched as a mattress lifted off the top of a minivan in front of me, break free of its straps, and sail off the top and plop into my lane. I was able to evade it, but can you imagine hitting it at night on a motorcycle at 70 mph? Not sure you could recover from that.

[JLEECB]

My sister just took a road trip to washington with her kids. Somewhere in the dakotas at night she saw a truck with a camping trailer and then a smaller trailer with two motorcycles tied down. She said she saw a lot of sparks from the second trailer, tried slowing down but was blocked in by cars behind. She decided to gun it forward. The trailer broke lose, apparently going into the ditch, popping back up and across the road again just narrowly behind her. Apparently the truck and trailer kept going, not realizing the bikes had busted loose.

[GoldOxide_imp]

My sister just took a road trip to washington with her kids. Somewhere in the dakotas at night she saw a truck with a camping trailer and then a smaller trailer with two motorcycles tied down. She said she saw a lot of sparks from the second trailer, tried slowing down but was blocked in by cars behind. She decided to gun it forward. The trailer broke lose, apparently going into the ditch, popping back up and across the road again just narrowly behind her. Apparently the truck and trailer kept going, not realizing the bikes had busted loose.

What a drag: Strapped down m/c's at the mercy of a cager.

Glad your story had a healthy ending.

[Rocky_imp]

I've never had a similar situation, but man, that thing was lethal!!
Better the floor board than your body, phew!!!!!!!!

[GoldOxide_imp]

I've never had a similar situation, but man, that thing was lethal!!
Better the floor board than your body, phew!!!!!!!!

... or the pumpkin.