[Bitterroot Bugler]

You reminded me of being a green BSA 650 rider who through a weird set of circumstances ended up at the front of the pack on a shiny-new freeway entrance ramp.... emphasis on the "shiny" part. With almost no experience past a zillion miles of radical bicycle riding, I hit the greasy pavement assuming normal traction and was quite surprised by the lack thereof. For no reason I can explain, I drifted the corner with feet on the pegs and did not bite the pavement. The rest of the Brit Bikers saw my dance and entered at a much slower pace.

 

[hogcowboy]

I wonder what's slicker, antifreeze or diesel on the road? I've got sideways in antifreeze dumped on the road and it is some slick stuff.

 

[-Nate]

I don't know but having skated across both I hope it never occurs again ! .

I see so many Motos riding in the middle of their lanes, right where all the dripped oil and screws, etc. collect .

 

[mike721]

I wonder what's slicker, antifreeze or diesel on the road? I've got sideways in antifreeze dumped on the road and it is some slick stuff.

Both of them

 

[-Nate]

You mean mixed ? the horror .

 

[FlipFlop]

When I was in the AirForce I was heading home to Southern Indiana for a surprise visit in my 68 Mustang (it was a clunker in 1990 although a rust free one as I lived and was from the rust belt) I just bought a few weeks before in the Dallas Fort Worth area and was getting close to Little Rock Arkansas and my transmission line decided to cut loose. I spread transmission fluid across both lanes of I-30 all the way to the right shoulder where I stopped. I remember seeing a few vehicles and trucks as they went sideways on the road for a few seconds. There was a bike, HD I am pretty sure, he/she seen the cars and trucks going sideways slowed down and actually drove on the left shoulder to go around it in my opinion just in time. I feel like that was a close call for me as it would have been my fault no matter what in anyone's opinion on it was. I spread that fluid I bet for a good solid 1/4 mile at least. That stuff is slick when it is finely misted all over the interstate.

 

[WC]

I have to complain and been riding for a while. Why is it there is there always someone who wants to sit me down and lecture me on the dangers of bike riding. It just ticks my day off since I stay calm and try to explain to them it is my choice and explain the concept of being proactive in all my driving. What I wanted to say is your severely obese and you will likely have a heart attack before I get hit in an accident but did not since that is none of my business. My family is good, its friends.

 

[RogerC60]

I have to complain and been riding for a while. Why is it there is there always someone who wants to sit me down and lecture me on the dangers of bike riding.

When somebody does that to me, I just start listing the risk factors until their eyes glaze over. When confronted with facts that contradict their deeply held and irrational fears, they lose interest in the conversation.

 

[Offcenter]

I grab my head in my hands in mock horror and say, "Oh NO! They're dangerous??? Why didn't you tell me that 54 years and 350,000 miles ago??? Think of the danger I've been in!!!!!!!"
End of conversation.

 

[pdcomm]

I have to complain and been riding for a while. Why is it there is there always someone who wants to sit me down and lecture me on the dangers of bike riding.

You should try different people . LOL

I can't recall ever , in 60 some years of riding , having that happen to me .
Maybe no one cares whether I live on the edge . Even though it's not nearly as close as it use to be .
Some how , my bank of days seems to be dwindling , dang it .

Oh , you wanted close calls ...
Hmm , just today I missed seeing a stop ahead sign and nearly blew through the intersection .
Fortunately , I have good brakes and stopped in plenty of time . There wasn't another vehicle anywhere around , but , had I not stopped there would have been a train sitting in my way .

 

[bweighmaster]

I wonder what's slicker, antifreeze or diesel on the road? I've got sideways in antifreeze dumped on the road and it is some slick stuff.

Onions , Fortunatly I was in a pickup .., did 2 360s before I stopped ... Sure glad I was'nt on a bike ....

 

[bweighmaster]

Friday , just cruisin ,, about 50 ..., off to the right , out scampers a Javalina . Or Peccari . Or wild hog .., haulin A across road . Panic stop , Missed him by about 3 ft. Kept going , he never slowed down ..., I got a good laugh ....,

 

[mike721]

Onions , Fortunatly I was in a pickup .., did 2 360s before I stopped ... Sure glad I was'nt on a bike ....

Onions?

 

[Doktor]

I'm pretty late to this party, so maybe everyone has left.

I've had some pretty close calls over the 50 years of riding - that I don't even talk about because people will call BS on them because they seem improbable - yet they happened.

Many years ago, around 1975, my mate and I were riding from Sydney to Cairns return for a vacation (Australia). It's about 2,500 kilometres each way, (1500 miles).

We got to this little fleapit of a town called Sarina, which had a notorious single lane road up a mountain range called, you guessed it: Sarina Range.

The single lane, potholed, corrugated road was actually part of the national highway and was very busy. Going to Cairns was uneventful. On the way back, and going up Sarina Range, I came around a corner to find a semitrailer taking up the whole road.

I tried to straighten up the bike and hit the brakes, but lost it on the rough surface. The bike just clips the front of the semi and does a spin, which throws me under the semi's trailer.

The truckie had slammed on the brakes upon impact and the trailer wheels stopped about a foot from squashing me like a bug on the road. I still remember seeing the underside of the trailer and the dual wheels within inches of my face.

Funny thing. I always carried a pen type tyre gauge in my leather jacket. That sucker gouged into my hip and I still have the scar as a reminder. That was my only injury.

True story as God, or any other known or unknown deity, is my witness.

 

[DannoXYZ]

I'm not sure I'd consider these "close calls" since there's actual wrecks and carnage involved...

I have similar truck story...

One time in my 1st year after getting my licence @ 16-yr old, I was coming back from Santa Cruz over hwy-17. Lots of curves, perfect @ highway speeds. I was borrowing my dad's Supra and was really pushing it over speed-limit. It had started drizzling rain ever so slightly. Coming into corner, I flew up next to tractor-trailer and tossed it into corner.

Then it started rotating too much... OH NO!!!! I started seeing front bumper of truck enter my vision, then front wheel... SLAM ON BRAKES!!!! Luckily, my rotating trajectory with locked up tyres perfectly matched curve of road and I made it through 1/4th of turn before stopping sideways in lane! I was starring at door of truck which had also stopped!!!

My back bumper was inches from guard-rail and front-end was inches from truck! I motioned for him to move along as I couldn't move in either direction. After his trailer cleared , I was able to turn into his lane and creep along home like geezer. Safely back in garage, I checked over car carefully, not a scratch! Whew!!! :

Now THAT, I consider a very close call!!!

 

[-Nate]

Ouch .

No worries about adding to an older thread .

 

[pdcomm]

Ouch .

No worries about adding to an older thread .

You're funny , Nate .
Memories never get old , only forgotten .

 

[-Nate]

Thank you Sir ;

I'll take that as a compliment .

I too have a few stories, some I'd not believe had I not been there, I don't have good story telling skills sad to say .

 

[-Nate]

Sadly, I'm not able to forget how fast I never was.......

I also can't seem to forget how much faster and better a ride my son is than I ever was =8-^ .

 

[bweighmaster]

I'm pretty pleased with the progress of my grandson ..., I still give him competition , but you got to remember Who builds the bikes ...., I still have the edge on performance ,,, But his younger mind and body is catching me fast ...., Now on the stock car scene , He's got the upper hand because he was racing when I was busy running the track ....,