Dealing with “road ‘gators”
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,555
Likes: 119
From: Brockport, NY
Never encountered a road gator myself, but have seen fine shredded pieces everywhere on the road.
Went over a folding table that flew in the air and hit the pavement in Indiana on my way to Sturgis '06. Scared the crap outta me.
Was riding behind a SUV with so much crap on it's roof on a 4 lane highway. My guts had told me to stay behind about 2-3 cars length then 2 lawn chairs flew in the air as I had to change lanes immediately. Good thing I was paying attention.
Thorey
Went over a folding table that flew in the air and hit the pavement in Indiana on my way to Sturgis '06. Scared the crap outta me.
Was riding behind a SUV with so much crap on it's roof on a 4 lane highway. My guts had told me to stay behind about 2-3 cars length then 2 lawn chairs flew in the air as I had to change lanes immediately. Good thing I was paying attention.
Thorey
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 231
Likes: 0
From: Liberty Co., GA
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 903
Likes: 54
From: Liberty Hill, Tx.
Riding down I-35 years ago in rush hour traffic when the car in front of me swerved over to the next lane. Now I am looking at a couch and box spring matress. I still do not how to this day, but I was able to swerve through them somehow. Watched in my mirror as the car behind me hit them head on. Ugly site. I hate riding in traffic. Your
ability to see objects ahead of time and reaction options are limited.
ability to see objects ahead of time and reaction options are limited.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
As a commercial vehicle officer and since I got back into riding, I write every driver I can a ticket for driving on blown tires. They will blow a tire and then they want to drive 100 miles to their favorite truck stop before changing it. But they are in disbelief why I would write them a ticket for a flat tire?
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 903
Likes: 54
From: Liberty Hill, Tx.
As a commercial vehicle officer and since I got back into riding, I write every driver I can a ticket for driving on blown tires. They will blow a tire and then they want to drive 100 miles to their favorite truck stop before changing it. But they are in disbelief why I would write them a ticket for a flat tire?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,271
Likes: 29
From: Green Country,Oklahoma
As a commercial vehicle officer and since I got back into riding, I write every driver I can a ticket for driving on blown tires. They will blow a tire and then they want to drive 100 miles to their favorite truck stop before changing it. But they are in disbelief why I would write them a ticket for a flat tire?
An extra mention about trucks and construction vehicles is rocks. Even if the tires are fine, for every retread thrown off, there are a thousand pebbles thrown first, especially by garbage trucks, dumps, equipment haulers and anything that gets into dirt or unpaved roadways.
I've seen a windshield broken on a bike from that, thankfully not mine.
And the truckers appreciate you when you give them room too.
I've seen a windshield broken on a bike from that, thankfully not mine.
And the truckers appreciate you when you give them room too.
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And most trucking companies aren't buying tires made in the USA.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,646
Likes: 40
From: Midtown Tulsa
Avoid trucks at all times...with the depressed economy, most trucking companies are trying to cut costs everywhere to maintain cost per mile...tires included. Most blowouts are caused by improper inflation (driver's responsibility)...see one coming apart call the law.
Get around them or lay back from them.
Had a tread come off and land on the hood of my Gran Prix several years back while crossing the Texas panhandle...unavoidable in traffic, but my dumb butt shouldn't have been so close.
Get around them or lay back from them.
Had a tread come off and land on the hood of my Gran Prix several years back while crossing the Texas panhandle...unavoidable in traffic, but my dumb butt shouldn't have been so close.