Uh-oh. I think I soiled me undies...

[DustyJacket]

I had to run a QUICK errand while at work today. I was in a hurry.

I was tooling along at 65mph when ALL the cars in front of me braked heavily. I didn't notice for a second (working over a problem in my head) and finally saw the other vehicles were almost stopped.

I grabbed a handful of brakes and (first time) the rear wheel locked and screamed, and began sliding over to the left. And still I wasn't stopping fast enough! I was steering straight and I knew I was going to hit that car in front of me. :yikes If the rear hadn't locked I could have increased the front break and stopped faster, but it did. :frownthre

Slowly, the rear started straightening out. And I was slowing down and the cars in front were speeding up. I am saved! Or am I? When the bike was more or less straight I began easing up on the brakes, and the bike gave me one of those "highside shakes" but I held on and rode it out, then started putting on the gas to resume travel, then downshifting a few times because I was still in 5th gear. :clap

I had known I was going to hit the car.
I had known the bike was going down in a lowside or highside when the rear end came around.

But I didn't. (I haven't checked the tire for a flat spot, but when I looked back there was a cloud of smoke, from my tire screeching, I think.)

I'd love to say how my superior riding skills saved me, but really I think I was lucky. Yeah, once the rear started coming around, I knew not to let off the brake, but it was really luck (or God or Vishnu or whomever/whatever) that saved my bacon today.

I was a little shakey for a while, and I don't dare check my shorts....... :laugh

[Barndog]

Moments like that are really good for making you pay attention on down the rode. Glad to see ya came through it OK.

MC

[AZbiker]

Did you think about swerving a tiny bit into the space between cars and using that space to slow down?

I actually saw a wreck happen in the scenario that you described. A tug on the bars, a tiny swerve to the left, and she wouldn't have made contact...

[DustyJacket]

Actually, there was a shoulder on the left. But, I was focusing on braking, and with the rear end coming around I didn't want to lay off the brakes.

The main thing was, I wasn't paying attention.

I focused on my ride, today.

[daesdaemar]

Glad you're OK... Learn from our mistakes... Gotta keep your eyes on the road... :)

[CntryFun]

I've had a couple of those, but typically I end up in the spot cause that jack__ behind me isn't slowing down quick enough, so I'm intentionally not so he doesn't hit me. Then by the time they back off enough, and I get on the breaks, I end up locking them up. I definitely have learned to look for any little holes, and now out of instinct when I see the people in front of me slamming the breaks, I check my mirror, get in position to break hard, and figure out which way I want to go to avoid the car in front of me. I've had this pay off a couple times to keep people behind me from rearending me.

Glad everything worked from ya, and even though it isn't fun, it gets a little more natural each time you're in that position.

[DM-SC]

Been there...done that...passed on getting the t-shirt!

Glad ya made through it. Not just invisible...focused too!

[Bikerdude]

Damn glad it all worked out good for ya. Been there myself..taught ME a good lesson. Friday night I was making a run to my campground at night. I was not really paying close attention I guess. There was a oncoming vehicle that I was observing. Just as we passed each other..I realized I was coming into a pretty sharp left turn. Got things slowed down enough to make the corner..but it woke my ass up! If I had been paying attention, I would have seen that oncoming car come around that corner...just goes to show what the heck can happen when NOT paying attention..like we should be. I've been riding over 35 years and STILL can screw up. :doh

I need to "practice what I preach" better ....Ride Safe crew.......