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Old Jun 28, 2013 | 01:15 PM
  #1  
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Default Tangled with alligator

So...Yesterday I'm going down the interstate, 3-lane wide at 75 mph (the speed limit) in the middle lane, moderate traffic, slower vehicles in the righthand lane (can u believe it!!} and of course people in the lefthand lane going 80-90 mph, anyway I'm following a car where I feel comfortable I could take evasive action if need be {3-4 seconds behind} and all of a sudden the car I was following whiped it to the left and dead ahead was a full recap truck tire as long as the width of the lane, no way I was going to try and whip my ultra and wreck let alone hoping no one was beside me so I hit it straight on, a couple of bumps and safely came to a stop, bottom of front fender into the tire and curling up under, pulled it out and on my way, feel the fender saved me from doing a Evil Knievel over the bars...lesson learned...even tho your following at safe distance don't assume the car your following is paying attention, if he were, he would merge to avoid and so would I with plenty of time..just had to say cause glad I'm here to ride another day..
 
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Old Jun 28, 2013 | 01:22 PM
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SlowRain
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From: Duluth, GA
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Glad you got by so easily. Hate those damn things....
 
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Old Jun 28, 2013 | 01:27 PM
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2004Sierra
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Glad your OK.

Could have been worse, the car could have hit it and tossed it up at your face.

They should outlaw da** re-capped semi tires.
 
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Old Jun 28, 2013 | 01:33 PM
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those retread tires should be illegal
 
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Old Jun 28, 2013 | 01:42 PM
  #5  
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Not just retreads... They fail when they are overheated from being run under preasure. Drivers NEED to check tires!!!
 
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Old Jun 28, 2013 | 01:46 PM
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zdrifter
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From: Treasure Coast, FL
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Here in Fl we get lots of those type 'gators. As far as outlawing retreads ... most folks in the know will tell you for non-drive wheels a good recap is fine.

The real problem is more along the lines of (lazy?) truckers a)who don't check inflation; b) who overload; c)travel at very high speed or d) combinations of the above.
 
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Old Jun 28, 2013 | 01:52 PM
  #7  
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I hate road gators!
 
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Old Jun 28, 2013 | 02:05 PM
  #8  
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Originally Posted by omahogg
So...Yesterday I'm going down the interstate, 3-lane wide at 75 mph (the speed limit) in the middle lane, moderate traffic, slower vehicles in the righthand lane (can u believe it!!} and of course people in the lefthand lane going 80-90 mph, anyway I'm following a car where I feel comfortable I could take evasive action if need be {3-4 seconds behind} and all of a sudden the car I was following whiped it to the left and dead ahead was a full recap truck tire as long as the width of the lane, no way I was going to try and whip my ultra and wreck let alone hoping no one was beside me so I hit it straight on, a couple of bumps and safely came to a stop, bottom of front fender into the tire and curling up under, pulled it out and on my way, feel the fender saved me from doing a Evil Knievel over the bars...lesson learned...even tho your following at safe distance don't assume the car your following is paying attention, if he were, he would merge to avoid and so would I with plenty of time..just had to say cause glad I'm here to ride another day..

Years ago I had a car passing me on the left hit one of those and it came up out of nowhere and went about a foot through my windshield and scared the $h!t outta me. My first thought was I was glad I wasn't on my bike!
 
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Old Jun 28, 2013 | 02:13 PM
  #9  
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2004Sierra
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Originally Posted by zdrifter
Here in Fl we get lots of those type 'gators. As far as outlawing retreads ... most folks in the know will tell you for non-drive wheels a good recap is fine.

The real problem is more along the lines of (lazy?) truckers a)who don't check inflation; b) who overload; c)travel at very high speed or d) combinations of the above.
I am over shipping at a steel plant and when I started here all 55 trailers had re-treads. I was replacing tires all the time, almost daily, they were coming apart and even tearing the lights off and ripping floors out of the trailers.

Talked the owner into using virgin tires as replacements until we got them all replaced. Now I hardly ever replace a tire from a blowout and none have separated the tread. This changeover was a little expensive to start with, but has saved the company thousands of dollars over the long run.

Agree on keeping the air pressure checked, but a virgin tire is way, way, less likely to separate the tread from low air pressure.

Like I said, they need to outlaw the da** retreads.
 
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Old Jun 28, 2013 | 02:17 PM
  #10  
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My brother and I were headed for Cherokee NC ( about 30 years ago ) from Detroit for a "Turn and Burn" in the Smokies ... Friday evening about 6:00 outside of Knoxville a Semi ( just ahead of us one lane to the right ) had one explode and it was like a scene from a movie ... There was tire "raining" everywhere .... Still to this day we don't how we didn't get clobbered with "Baby Gators" ... Just lucky I guess !!
 
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