I was cruising down the freeway and all of the sudden I felt this scrapping noise to my left. I looked up and saw this big rig merging into my lane. His right front tire eats up my left saddlebag and left saddlebag guard.

Thank god I am still in one piece.

And so I went home and think very hard if I should quit riding. Luck comes only once!!!

Also, I called the drivers insurance to have them replaced the damage parts but they gave me a run around. WTF???

 

I don't know that I'd stop riding....but increase my situational awareness, yes. You need to ride like your invisible because to a lot of folks out there, you are!

I would have thought you would have heard him there and been aware?

 

2 words......holy crap!

 

DUDE... Did the guy stop?

 

Glad you're OK, but maybe you should quit riding if you can let a big rig sneak up on you and hit your saddlebag. I can't imagine how that is even possible.

 

Definitely glad to hear you didn't end-up "under" the big rig's tires, but how didn't you see/hear this immense vehicle approaching? Was it in your peripheral blind spot and were your wearing ear plugs?

 

I don't know if I'd quit riding but I'd take this as a big wake up call. How did a semi sneak up on you. You said you looked up. What were you looking at? Were you daydreaming or 1/2 asleep? As stated above "You need to ride like your invisible because to a lot of folks out there, you are!" You're head needs to be on a swivel looking for approaching dangers. They are everywhere.
Take a riders training course if you haven't if you have take a refresher.
You're lucky you were not squished like a bug

 

I admit to using riding time to think about other things and it is not impossible for a quiet muffled truck or large bus to come up on you quickly. But to be close enough to hit your bike is close to death. What is the rest of the story? Did you go down? Did you both stop? Did you get the truck/company info? Did you call the cops? Did you make pictures? If the answer to the last 4 is no, then you might think about quitting riding.

 

I guess almost anything is possible but if a big rig get's close enough to me to touch my bike without me knowing in advance it's there I definitely would not be riding while in that condition, be that unfocused, too tired, sleepy, whatever. It only takes a second of inattention at the wrong time to die, or worse.

 

Something strange about this story so I will not comment on the OP comment. But personally I can never understand how any large vehicle can sneak up on a bike on a interstate. The physics just don't add up. First the Doppler effect of just the noise of 18 tires approaching then alongside of you at 55 mph+ is enough to get anyone's attention regardless of helmet or music or earplugs which don't block out noise just reduce the decibels entering the ear canal. Second, a rider with any experience knows to never ride in a situation where you don't have room for maneuvering to make a quick speed up or move over. I know situations happen that place us in positions where we are boxed in, but that usually isn't something that occurs without the rider being completely aware of their surroundings. Third, dreaming while riding can be deadly. We all need to pay attention. I always feel safer on the interstate but fear main local roads due to too many left turn idiots and fearing being T-Boned by any other idiot coming in from the cross streets and driveways. I wouldn't quit riding, just learn form this and move on.