IFjane
09-10-2007, 05:59 AM
Yesterday while out on a short (17 mile) ride, my SO and I were heading down a short (1/4 mile) section of heavily-traveled highway. Visibility is good, though the road curves slightly to the right and goes a bit downhill. It is a two-lane highway (Rt. 15) with about 2 ft. of smooth pavement to the RIGHT of the white line.
We were riding on the right of the line and knew traffic was coming from behind. SO was about 25 yards behind me. A car passed and then I heard a large diesel motor. I did not turn to look, but kept my line & kept pedaling hard. Suddenly, beside me was a tractor-trailer, pulling closer and closer to me! I pretty much froze and everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. My choices were to try and stay on the pavement or hit the ditch, which was about a 4 ft. drop. It seemed to take forever for the truck to pass & I thought I was going to get sucked under the trailer. I managed to stay upright and on the pavement but for the life of me I don't know how. SO said the truck swung around him slightly & gave him about a foot of clearance (his estimate), but then it pulled back in toward me - SO's guess is that I had about 3 inches between me and the trailer!
After he passed I flipped him off (I know I shouldn't have but I wasn't thinking quite clearly at that point) and I yelled some words I don't usually say! When we got to the end of the quarter mile section of road and could pull off into a country store lot, I dissolved for about a minute - I guess the aftermath of a massive dose of adrenaline.
Being a cyclist, I have had close calls before; things that happened quickly and scared me but were over in an instant. This was something entirely different. It seemed to take forever to play out and scared me far worse than anything else ever has. I was telling my DS about it last night (he, too, is a cyclist and has had similar experiences). His advice is to tell all those close to us that we love them, to hug them whenever possible, and then go out and ride, knowing that we can only control so much of what happens. I agree. So here is a big hug for all you wonderful women and men on TE - {{{{{{{{{{{{{HUG}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
We were riding on the right of the line and knew traffic was coming from behind. SO was about 25 yards behind me. A car passed and then I heard a large diesel motor. I did not turn to look, but kept my line & kept pedaling hard. Suddenly, beside me was a tractor-trailer, pulling closer and closer to me! I pretty much froze and everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. My choices were to try and stay on the pavement or hit the ditch, which was about a 4 ft. drop. It seemed to take forever for the truck to pass & I thought I was going to get sucked under the trailer. I managed to stay upright and on the pavement but for the life of me I don't know how. SO said the truck swung around him slightly & gave him about a foot of clearance (his estimate), but then it pulled back in toward me - SO's guess is that I had about 3 inches between me and the trailer!
After he passed I flipped him off (I know I shouldn't have but I wasn't thinking quite clearly at that point) and I yelled some words I don't usually say! When we got to the end of the quarter mile section of road and could pull off into a country store lot, I dissolved for about a minute - I guess the aftermath of a massive dose of adrenaline.
Being a cyclist, I have had close calls before; things that happened quickly and scared me but were over in an instant. This was something entirely different. It seemed to take forever to play out and scared me far worse than anything else ever has. I was telling my DS about it last night (he, too, is a cyclist and has had similar experiences). His advice is to tell all those close to us that we love them, to hug them whenever possible, and then go out and ride, knowing that we can only control so much of what happens. I agree. So here is a big hug for all you wonderful women and men on TE - {{{{{{{{{{{{{HUG}}}}}}}}}}}}}}