Modern Vespa

I was traveling on I-5 in San Diego County on my way to work a few days ago at about 5am. It was still dark with a moderate amount of traffic. I was in the number 1 lane at about 70 mph when I noticed something ahead in the number 2 lane. I slowed a little and as I went by the object I realized it was an extension ladder lying across the lane diagonally! It startled me and of course I got to thinking about what the result would have been had I hit it! I have since slowed down a little and I try to stay behind other traffic and really pay attention to what they are doing especially at night. Has anyone had a similar experience or does anyone have any comments or advice about what should be done if you appear to be likely to hit something like this ? It was definitely an eye opener.

That would of made me piss my pants.

A few nights ago I was heading East on Wilshire late at night and the street was really dark. I was in the far right lane racing home with 3 cars next and ahead of me with green lights for days and nothing in our way. Well I noticed the car in front of me switched lanes to the left for no apparent reason which struck me as odd. So I slowed down and came up on some guy in the street. He had his hand near his brow like a sailor looking for land - and he was by a bus stop. Except this guy looked f-ing nuts. He didn't even flinch or move to look at me when I came up on him. I had to stop right by him and wait to change lanes as the other cars passed. I'm glad I slowed down and strained to see ahead because I didn't see him until really close. It shook me a little cuz I would of nailed him.

That's odd! A weird guy on Wilshire late at night? What are the chances of that?!

Seriously though I guess we can get a lot of clues by paying attention to what's going on ahead of us huh? Glad to hear everything went ok!

I always stay a good ways behind any cars that I am following,
as I want time to dodge smaller things that the car might just
drive over. Experience talking, but I was lucky.
A variety of objects that day suddenly appeared from under the car in front
of me, and in a split second (60mph) I saw i would run over a plastic
fuel container ( this was on a Burgman)-luckily it was empty
but if it had been full I would have likely crashed. No way
of knowing before I hit it of course. I stay a ways back now.

Scary story about the ladder, and worse, someone probably hit it
soon after you passed ( hopefully not a Bike!).

For some reason Atlanta seems to have a ladder in the road incident once a week or so. Scary stuff.

Yeah, it's a very good idea to look down the road and watch for "changes in the flow", like rafting and looking for signs of hidden rocks. And go ahead and squeeze the brakes to warm them up. Pretend your psychic and try to predict the behavior of the other commuters. Particularly look out for the driver on the phone with a cup of coffee who will not wake up when the cars ahead turn into a sea of red brake lights. Stay away from that guy

The worst is the friggin carcasses from 18 wheelers. I had a car clip one and it sailed through the air barely missing my 4 Runner, I always keep that in mind while on my bike - cars and trucks can kick this stuff airborne. I hit a big chunk of rubber once that almost ripped the running board off my truck - it would've flipped the bike. So - as someone else said - stay the hell back from the cars in front and pay attention to what they're doing.

Shortly after getting my MP3 500, I was heading up I-185 just getting some air. Traffic was flowing at around 70 and I had given the guy in front of me a very decent lead. Luckily I noticed him start to slow and veer to the right lane. This revealed a queen sized mattress fully blocking the left lane and partially blocking the right. It was the beginning of an Improperly Secured Load nightmare of a debris field at least two miles long which ended with a group of people standing beside a truck loaded with items from a move. The people didn't seem to be in too much of a hurry to clear up the items they'd dropped.

I'm certain they created quite a few, "oh sh*t" moments for motorists that day.

The odd thing is...this wasn't my first mattress in the road incident.

My son was on the motorway in his car when he saw the cars 'acting funny'. He realised there was a rubbish bin in the middle of the road. He managed to stop just in front of it - then looked in the mirror and saw a car heading straight for him at speed.

It hit the back of his car and of course pushed the car into the bin. Result - his car was a total write off, fortunately he wasn't hurt nor were any of his passengers.

If he had been on a bike I doubt he would have survived. It is not only you and your bike you have to keep an eye out for but the guy behind.

Speaking of being alert on the highway:

http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/261721/6e439dcf/agent_let_heel_goed_op.html

wow, yeah I'd say he reacted pretty quick. I would have fumbled getting it into gear.

I cut my teeth motor cycle riding in Orange County CA. I've had ladders come off trucks in front of me, I hit and ran over a complete exhaust system, I've had a truck carrying cinderblocks fall off in front of me. That's not counting the various pieces of furniture and appliances I've encountered.

All in all a dangerous place to ride.

We're into that time of year when the deer are on the move, so keep your eyes peeled on the sides of the road as well. You never know when something is going to jump out in front of you.

Just saw a report that my wife's home state of West Virginia is #1 for deer/vehicle accidents, and unfortunately my home state of Michigan is #2.

Traveling on I-40 towards Knoxville in my husbands new Honda S200 we encountered a dishwasher, or something else Kenmore, bouncing down the road. Box and packing materials flying. He ended up heading off the left shoulder to avoid it. After executing a dramatic fishtail and settling back into his lane we saw a delivery truck with the back door wide open. Lots more appliances at the ready. Just waiting for their chance to make a bid for freedom. I would have loved to overhear the conversation with his boss when he returned to work.

You just never know what you might encounter. Stay safe everyone!

did you see Mr Potato Head, Slink or Lenny? reminds me of a scene from Disney's Toy Story!

anyway i had sand rain on me once. the truck carrying all the sand had only a flimsy canvas covering the pile which was filled way over the brim. and the wind was peppering sand on me and i could've sworn that if i'd stayed any longer behind the truck i could've been sandblasted down to my bones.

the scariest encounter i had was when this biker in front of me had a spanner fall out of his bag. we were traveling at about 90kmh when i noticed something shiny bouncing all over the road in front of me.

it was bouncing and spiraling so erratically it's impossible to predict where it'd go next at that speed so what i did was i kept a straight line and hoped that it bounces away when i'm over it.

thank god it did, just barely inches from my foot!

I too had a brand new, still in the box Sears refrigerator fall off a truck in front of me. Came upon a large alligator across the lane... had a truck tire tread spanning the lane...standing on edge! Had a trailer coming the other direction lose a wheel with the axle still attached sending it bounding toward me. Got to keep alert.

So far I have just missed on the freeway a ladder, mattress, and now I seen this sign..The heck with the freeway you all can have it..

that the sign when you going towards TJ

Even when we are at slow speed it can be dangerous when we hit something unexpectedly! Couple of days ago, It was raining cats and dogs and after stopping at the lights, I was eager to be on my way. After a few meters away I hit a pothole! Couldn't see the pothole as there was a car infront of me. caught me by surprise and all I could do was hit the brakes real hard and one of the tire hit the hole with a loud thud! Luckily the hole wasn't too far from the T.lights or else i could have gather enough speed to cause me a disaster. Cheers! Oh! Yeah, I forgot to mention, I did hit a piece of maybe 3"x3' or a 4"x4" on the road before! It was the early days of my MP3 riding. But thank goodness the right wheel that hit it just went up and down and nothing serious occurs except it scared the hell out of me! Now, when I see small stones or other small items on the road I won't be afraid but just make sure the rear wheel doesn't hit it cause the front wheel is rather safe even if it hits it.

Well nothing really crazy so far just the usually tire from the tractor trailer, road kill, the live animals try to cross the road with out becoming road kill (fox, rabbit, dog,cat, so far ive been lucky and havent had to dodge a deer). Oh I like the rocks about the size of a golf ball or pea gravel that comes out of a dump truck now and than it is amazing how they bounce down the road and get kicked back up by other cars and trucks (full face helmet always).

Last week going to work in thick fog i saw a darker blob in the road ahead. Slowed down and identified it as 2 deer just standing nose to tail across both lanes like they had a suicide pact.

I slowed way down and meep meeped 'em. They just looked at me but did not move. Now i am glancing in the mirror to see what may be coming out of the fog behind me. Down to 10 mph and when i was about 30 feet from them they finally moved on. I sped up quickly. Fortunately I was the only one on the road at the time. Made me think though.

Old as dirt..That is a sign going to LA..San Onfre.. What I would like to see..

Another argument for an air horn.

Saw a sports bike going down the road yesterday with a ladder across the back. For me that would be a ticket, for others like him probably they do it everyday.

Stickyfrog, you got off easy. A friend had pretty much
the same thing happen ( on his Harley). he stopped to
let the deer cross, then started to take off, and the deer
turned around, crossed back, and ran into HIM full tilt.
Totaled the Harley! And beat him up pretty good.
Unpredictable critters. And you honking at them with
no results makes me think it foolish to think a "deerhorn"
is something that might cause a deer to move out of the
way for you.
We have Elk here-you really don't want to run into one
of those guys! They are freakin HUGE!