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What items have you dodged or hit on your commute?
- Thread starter JoeDabbs
- Start date
tibork
Member
Although not exactly on my daily commute but happened on a regular drive to a near by historic small town we visit several times a year with my lady to relax and get away. On the way back we were getting close to a hill when here comes a Subaru over the hill towards us in the other lane frantically flashing his lights. I'm like 'what the ..' ??? I'm checking if my high beams were on or anything bothering him but could find nothing. We're going 50-55 MPH. I'm telling my lady not sure what that guy was flashing his lights for, she just said 'strange'. So we climb up the hill still going 50-55 mph and on the top suddenly a GIANT black bear right in front of us slowly crossing the road. I yanked the breaks and literally came to a stop about three yards from it. My girl is SCREAMING in my ears in the radio: 'OH MY GOD IT'S A BEAR .. OH MY GOD A BEAR!!'. The bear kind of stopped as we surprised him too, turned it's face towards us. I'm idling, looking into his eyes but didn't stop, just kept coasting and thinking what's going to happen now, put the bike in first gear if I have to gun it but the bear didn't move. Him and us were just facing each other. Then in a couple of seconds he started to move again across very slowly and I'm ready to bolt out of there if he jumped at us. He finally crossed the road but again stopped on the side, turned to the side and looked back at us from the side of the road. This time with the road open I just pulled the throttle suddenly and actually saw him scared by it and running into the woods. Phew ...
Now we both seen enough black bears here but nothing close to this GIANT, first I even thought it was a brown bear but was too dark with light colored nose plus we don't really have brown bears here so maybe a hybrid? Maybe we got away without being attacked because he didn't know what the heck this large red 'thing' was (red bike, both of us red jackets). We got away 'easy' with this one but now I am always watching for bears on that road and going slower of course especially uphill or hard to see turns. That was a scary moment for both of us!
Now we both seen enough black bears here but nothing close to this GIANT, first I even thought it was a brown bear but was too dark with light colored nose plus we don't really have brown bears here so maybe a hybrid? Maybe we got away without being attacked because he didn't know what the heck this large red 'thing' was (red bike, both of us red jackets). We got away 'easy' with this one but now I am always watching for bears on that road and going slower of course especially uphill or hard to see turns. That was a scary moment for both of us!
Objects in the road
Construction cone flew out of a truck on I 95 doing 75 or so watched it bouncing hoping it would bounce out of my way.
No luck finally came to a stop directly in front of my path . Hoping no one would hit me Full panic stop. Got away with it .
Truck who dropped it stopped a wat down the road started backing up as I, was on the shoulder now. As the truck was backing another cone came off. I, had some very Select words to say to him.
Traveling north thru PA. On 278 4 lanes I, was in the 2nd lane moving around 60 or so with heavy traffic out of the Sky to
My left a recap came flying over 2 lanes of traffic, I, recall thinking this is gonna hurt no way to avoid hit the recap straight
On bump bump ,I, glanced in the mirrors and saw that all traffic behind had laid way back anticipating the wreck.
Got off the next exit looked it over all was ok.
Have hit 2 more recaps since then with less fear.
Now nearing 80 years old perhaps I, should go to 3 wheels
Be Safe All
Construction cone flew out of a truck on I 95 doing 75 or so watched it bouncing hoping it would bounce out of my way.
No luck finally came to a stop directly in front of my path . Hoping no one would hit me Full panic stop. Got away with it .
Truck who dropped it stopped a wat down the road started backing up as I, was on the shoulder now. As the truck was backing another cone came off. I, had some very Select words to say to him.
Traveling north thru PA. On 278 4 lanes I, was in the 2nd lane moving around 60 or so with heavy traffic out of the Sky to
My left a recap came flying over 2 lanes of traffic, I, recall thinking this is gonna hurt no way to avoid hit the recap straight
On bump bump ,I, glanced in the mirrors and saw that all traffic behind had laid way back anticipating the wreck.
Got off the next exit looked it over all was ok.
Have hit 2 more recaps since then with less fear.
Now nearing 80 years old perhaps I, should go to 3 wheels
Be Safe All
jpruddyt2
New member
Hit by Bedliner from Towed Pickup Truck
Just had my bike serviced at Hermy's BMW on Friday. I usually take I-81 and 309 and then back roads to Hermy's, but since there was construction on 81 NB for the ride home, I decided to head over I-78 to Allentown and pick up the turnpike back up to Scranton. I was cruising along and noticed a Dodge Ram towing a trailer with a pickup truck on the back dumping a lot of small debris. I got out to pass him and before I could get past this guy, off comes the bedliner from the pickup that he was towing (pickup bed was facing forward with no tailgate). The wind got right up under it and launched it. After it hit me, I noticed the guy wasn't slowing down so I caught up to him and pointed him to pull off.
I have the Innovv K3 bike cams, front and rear and caught the whole thing on video. The guy did pull over but wasn't convinced that the bedliner came off the truck he was towing until l showed him my cameras and the damage. Damage to my bike was windshield, electric windshield adjustment mechanism, left mirror, left front speaker, left side case. My helmet took a shot and my neck took a good shot.
Stay safe out there and watch for these weekend warrior haulers.
Just had my bike serviced at Hermy's BMW on Friday. I usually take I-81 and 309 and then back roads to Hermy's, but since there was construction on 81 NB for the ride home, I decided to head over I-78 to Allentown and pick up the turnpike back up to Scranton. I was cruising along and noticed a Dodge Ram towing a trailer with a pickup truck on the back dumping a lot of small debris. I got out to pass him and before I could get past this guy, off comes the bedliner from the pickup that he was towing (pickup bed was facing forward with no tailgate). The wind got right up under it and launched it. After it hit me, I noticed the guy wasn't slowing down so I caught up to him and pointed him to pull off.
I have the Innovv K3 bike cams, front and rear and caught the whole thing on video. The guy did pull over but wasn't convinced that the bedliner came off the truck he was towing until l showed him my cameras and the damage. Damage to my bike was windshield, electric windshield adjustment mechanism, left mirror, left front speaker, left side case. My helmet took a shot and my neck took a good shot.
Stay safe out there and watch for these weekend warrior haulers.
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globalrider
Alps Adventurer
From what I can see, the driver had a pick-up truck on a trailer but backwards on it. WTF did he think the bedliner would do. No further comment, but I can hear Dueling Banjos playing.
lee
Debbie's Servant
When I see small stuff blowing out of a truck or trailer we just hang back. I'm surprised the bed liner didn't peel you off the bike.
I see a lot of those plastic bed liners laying in road ditches.
CaptCF
Pontificating Nobody
Many years ago I hit an extension ladder on my 1098 riding home from work on the highway in the rain. It was parallel to the direction of travel (mostly) so the car in front of me drove right over the top of it. I was left of center, but not left enough and visibility was poor due to pouring rain. Bent both rims so had to replace both front and rear.. still amazed I didn't go down, but it was close..
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
icing777
Ride on!!!
About 20+ years ago,
February. Ramsey, NJ.... (I lived in Franklin Lakes at the time, the next town)
The roads are all clear, snow still plentiful on the sides.
Sunday morning around 9am, the temp is about 35 degrees.
I am on my pearl white VFR 750 (what a beauty she was!)
Anyway, I am going thru a sweeper along Rt 17 at about 40-45mph and hit a patch of black ice...
Of course I low sided and sliding right behind my bike somehow still curving and keeping my lane... hahaha.
Bike and I stop sliding, I am still on the ground trying to assess my body (ATTGATT for me).
A car comes the other way.
It stops, the driver opens the window and ....... drum roll here.......... wait for it........ wait for it.......
ASKS ME FOR DIRECTIONS, that mutt !!!!!
I inhaled super deep to unleash a tirade of unpleasantries stacked up 5 levels high upon him when I notice his maybe 10 yo son next to him.
Had to swallow my tung and believe me, it was NOT easy.....
Laughing about it now, but let me tell ya, some people.....
P.S.
* A load of bricks coming off the truck ahead of me.....
* A deer jumping across the road from the elevated woody median and his hind legs fly 2 inches from my face....
* Hitting a deer on BRP at high elevation shearing the turn signals and hard bag off the left side of by BMW R1100R (very hard mounts!), I am thrown onto 3 feet wide strip of grass with a cliff beyond the grass and no guard-rail, standing on my pegs only hearing the ABS ticking....
* A whole metal side panel coming off the side of the trailer like a sail at 65-70 as I was passing him, would of wiped me right off my bike...
How much time do you have...????
When you ride long enough....
February. Ramsey, NJ.... (I lived in Franklin Lakes at the time, the next town)
The roads are all clear, snow still plentiful on the sides.
Sunday morning around 9am, the temp is about 35 degrees.
I am on my pearl white VFR 750 (what a beauty she was!)
Anyway, I am going thru a sweeper along Rt 17 at about 40-45mph and hit a patch of black ice...
Of course I low sided and sliding right behind my bike somehow still curving and keeping my lane... hahaha.
Bike and I stop sliding, I am still on the ground trying to assess my body (ATTGATT for me).
A car comes the other way.
It stops, the driver opens the window and ....... drum roll here.......... wait for it........ wait for it.......
ASKS ME FOR DIRECTIONS, that mutt !!!!!
I inhaled super deep to unleash a tirade of unpleasantries stacked up 5 levels high upon him when I notice his maybe 10 yo son next to him.
Had to swallow my tung and believe me, it was NOT easy.....
Laughing about it now, but let me tell ya, some people.....
P.S.
* A load of bricks coming off the truck ahead of me.....
* A deer jumping across the road from the elevated woody median and his hind legs fly 2 inches from my face....
* Hitting a deer on BRP at high elevation shearing the turn signals and hard bag off the left side of by BMW R1100R (very hard mounts!), I am thrown onto 3 feet wide strip of grass with a cliff beyond the grass and no guard-rail, standing on my pegs only hearing the ABS ticking....
* A whole metal side panel coming off the side of the trailer like a sail at 65-70 as I was passing him, would of wiped me right off my bike...
How much time do you have...????
When you ride long enough....
mikegalbicka
Back in the saddle again
Count your blessings icing777.
collingsbob
Active member
A seagull that committed suicide on my helmet (what a mess)…a small bird that also committed suicide on my right hand ( another mess), several deer and one bear.. narrowly avoided
The Massachusetts Turnpike, AKA Interstate 90, you know the one that runs from here to “way over there”, westbound is closed. This is a “toll road” that was promised to have the tolls removed yeas ago but the tolls were kept so the road could be kept in excellent repair.
MassDOT: All travel lanes on I-90 westbound at I-495 interchange reopened - Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News
WESTBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - Part of the Mass Pike in Westboro was shut down Friday morning due to damage to the road, causing serious backups.I-90<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://whdh.com/news/massdot-all-travel-lanes-on-i-90-westbound-at-i-495-interchange-reopened/">Read More</a>
whdh.com
Be careful out here in Taxachusetts……. And anywhere for that matter as traveling has become more dangerous.
OM
Edit
Apparently there was some excavation along the side of the Pike in conjunction with a half-billion dollar exit ramp change.
Mass Pike reopened following emergency repairs
All three lanes on the westbound side of the highway reopened Friday night after being closed since early Friday morning, state officials said.
www.wbur.org
Transportation officials hope to fully reopen Mass Pike in Westboro by 8 pm - Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News
WESTBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - Part of the Mass Pike in Westboro was shut down Friday morning due to damage to the road, causing serious backups.I-90<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://whdh.com/news/transportation-officials-hope-to-fully-reopen-mass-pike-in-westboro-by-8-pm/">Read More</a>
whdh.com
I like sheet piling to prevent this kind of deal.
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kbasa
Well-known member
That time I hit a brake drum on the Golden Gate bridge while commuting to work on my VFR. I still have a huge scrape on the left side lower panel.
The time I was commuting from Boxboro, MA to Lawrence MA and a giant box got run over by a truck ahead of me and got lifted right up off the pavement. I hit it square on with the Windjammer on the R75/7 and somehow nothing happened.
I've had close calls with deer, raccoons, squirrels and other varmints and even had a seagull attack the hem of my leg while riding my CB750F on Revere Beach.
Gotta say that the brake drum was the biggest pucker factor. It appeared out from under the car ahead of me and because I was on the bridge, there wasn't much opportunity nor time to get out of the way, so I hit it squarely enough that it bounced me up and out of the seat and gave me a pretty good wiggle through the bars.
I think that was 2000 when that happened. It was before 9/11.
The time I was commuting from Boxboro, MA to Lawrence MA and a giant box got run over by a truck ahead of me and got lifted right up off the pavement. I hit it square on with the Windjammer on the R75/7 and somehow nothing happened.
I've had close calls with deer, raccoons, squirrels and other varmints and even had a seagull attack the hem of my leg while riding my CB750F on Revere Beach.
Gotta say that the brake drum was the biggest pucker factor. It appeared out from under the car ahead of me and because I was on the bridge, there wasn't much opportunity nor time to get out of the way, so I hit it squarely enough that it bounced me up and out of the seat and gave me a pretty good wiggle through the bars.
I think that was 2000 when that happened. It was before 9/11.
horacewill
Member
I was riding through a small town in SW Idaho last Spring, in search of Coddiwomple pictures, when bouncing down the centerline came two large semi-trailer wheels and tires that had just come off the bulk carrier trailer traveling in the opposite direction lane. Providence watching over me, my speed was exactly perfect for the tires to cross my path, one in front of me and the other behind. Only needed a bit of brake to avoid the one that crossed my front. No cars close so nobody was physically affected by them. They traveled a couple blocks further before wobbling into the curb and tipping over to a stop. But I had the "jumps" the rest of the ride.
rogerc60
Member
Riding home from the office this afternoon, I was on a divided highway with 3 lanes on each side. I was in the left lane, riding at a speed probably worthy of a performance award. A car in the center lane, ahead of me by a couple of seconds, kicked up a piece of cardboard into the air, about 2 feet square. It was floating about head high, drifting over to my lane. I swerved left and prepared to ride through it. It ended up missing my right shoulder by inches.
CaptCF
Pontificating Nobody
I had a similar experience once when I was following a Honda Pilot on the highway. Either a heat shield or a big piece of fuzzy carpet from one of the wheel wells or something broke loose and flew up into the air and floated back toward my head. Luckily there was nobody next to me so I was able to duck and change lanes simultaneously and it passed overhead by a few inches without incident.
efiedler
Hook
I hit a concrete paving stone head on at highway speed in heavy traffic. It was too late to maneuver, I made the quick decision to let go of the throttle, stand on my pegs and try and relax. That said my front suspension did its job and I was still upright after going over it. Suddenly I felt the mushiness of the front tire losing air and made it cleanly to the shoulder of the highway. Bent the front and back rims pretty good. Put my free towing and tire package to good use that day. Another guy on his GS hit the same stone right after me.
