A Close Call This Morning - Ducati.ms

redpato · Sep 6th, 2006, 3:13 pm

I normally working swing shift, 3:00pm to 12:30am, but this week I'm on days, 6:00am to 3:30pm, to cover for the supervisor that is on vacation. On swings I car pool with a couple of guys so I don't get a chance to ride the Duc to work very often. Working days this week gave me that opportunity since I'm driving alone and today was the first day I rode to work in quite some time. I leave my house around 4:10am, when it's still quite dark. I'm west bound on Highway 18, a two lane road, a few miles before I turn off to be on back roads away from traffic. At that time of the morning there is quite a bit of traffic going the opposite direction. Ahead I see headlights on my side of the road, the tell tale sign that someone is passing what looks like a big rig. Only thing is I can see they are closing in on me way too fast so I start flashing my high beam at him, looking for my escape route and starting to hit the brakes pretty hard. I could tell the big rig was hitting his brakes hard too, probably thinking to give this asshole room to get back onto their side of the road. I got down to second gear, that's how close he was, when he finally swerved onto the shoulder on my side of the road, which is where I was thinking I would be heading. It actually looked like he was accelerating, probably thinking he would be able to get ahead of the big rig when, instead, he ran out of space. There was no panic on my part, I could clearly see what I needed to do, then just as quick it was over and I was pulling gears to pick up my speed again. It was a couple of miles down the road when the thought occurred to me that this could have been the one. In all my years of riding this was by far the closest I've come to that. Just wanted to share that with you.

RedScare · Sep 6th, 2006, 3:15 pm

what a freaking idiot driver....he didn't even slam on his brakes and tuck back into his lane....but instead swerved onto YOUR side's shoulder?!!!

Glad you're ok. Good reactions.

StavesacredarK · Sep 6th, 2006, 3:30 pm

Just another sphenkter exercise.

dartfrog · Sep 6th, 2006, 3:31 pm

Was it Billy Lane? http://www.wftv.com/news/9792681/detail.html

Glad your ok! Call the wife (or GF) and tell her you love her.

Ride safe.

Wombat · Sep 6th, 2006, 3:46 pm

Mate I am so glad to hear you are ok.

Times like this help us to remember that life is precious/tenuous and every moment should be lived to the full.

BHakaLaw · Sep 6th, 2006, 3:47 pm

Gald to hear everything is ok. Having smacked up this last weekend, I can just tell you to go home, kiss your wife/gf and tell her you love her. Hate to sound paternal, but its times like those that remind you to ride in full gear!!! Once again, glad to hear you are ok.

redpato · Sep 6th, 2006, 4:06 pm

BHakaLaw, having read your post just yesterday is one of the first things that came to my mind after my incident. I wanted to write you yesterday to say how glad I was to read you survived quite an ordeal. And to say I respect your decision not to ride again. It has been quite hot in our area but that did not stop me from wearing all the right gear. Had this turned out worse that gear would have helped. Another thing that came to mind after this incident was had it turned out the worse and I would have died, how it would have affected my new girlfriend. She happens to be a widow, her husband had been a county motorcop and Friday was the second anniversary of his death which occured while he was on duty. When I got a chance to call her I told her what happened. All she could say was she was glad I was OK.

**John** · Sep 6th, 2006, 4:23 pm

You controlled the situation, you had a plan. You expected something like this would happen and role played out your response. I just read about an HID install, maybe that would help too.

**milznmilz** · Sep 6th, 2006, 8:44 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by redpato

I leave my house around 4:10am, when it's still quite dark.

That's drive time for crackheads, and it pays to ride with a 'plan B' in mind, which you obviously had.

Well done.

rjahr01 · Sep 6th, 2006, 8:58 pm

yeah i almost t boned someone on my honda a year ago when they pulled in front of me perpendicular to my lane and just sat there waiting to come into oncoming traffic...i locked everything up and stopped just shy of 3 feet of his rear fender, I can still see his white honda rear hatch in my mind