Split Second Adventure!

[bikerHen]

OK, What would you do . . . Let me set the stage.
I'm riding home on a busy road. Coming up on a narrow underpass, with_maybe_two feet of shoulder. I'm pedeling along as fast as I can, trying to beat the 18 wheel truck behind me through the underpass. So, I get into the underpass and suddenly see a LARGE 3 to 4 foot snake slithering along on MY shoulder and I'm going waaaay to fast to stop. :eek: :eek:

In that split second, snake over ruled large truck bearing down on me and I swerved into the lane to miss the snake. Truck was a little bit closer than I thought and lay on his horn. Thank god I've been improving my heart rate or I would have keel over right there and been flattened by the truck. :D

So what would you do?
A. As described above.
B. Hit the snake and fall into the path of the truck.
C. Not race trucks through narrow openings.
D. I'm open to suggestions.

All in all quite a split second adventure! :rolleyes: bikerHen

[DeniseGoldberg]

Wow - I'm glad you're OK!

As for your question, I would have stopped and waited for the truck to go ahead of me. But then again, maybe I'm just a bit more cautious than most...

--- Denise

[DebW]

I think I would have just run over the snake and tried my best to remain upright and in control. Was the snake in a position where hitting it was likely to cause a spill? Or were you just reluctant to harm it? What diameter does 3-4 feet of length correspond to? What a decision to have to make! What I might opt for with the underpass would be to get in front of the truck before the underpass, signal to move left, and, if the truck slows, move to take the middle of the lane through the underpass. That depends on a cooperative driver, but gives you the most safety margin in a narrow place.

[mimitabby]

your story reminds me of why riding horses can be so exciting and dangerous.
Horses too make split second decisions that might make sense to them at the time (like not wanting to step into a scary 1 foot diameter puddle) but can endanger your life.

It's hard to make split sec. decisions always, and i think i would have veered in front of the truck too, then beat myself up for it for the next 3 weeks.
be glad it turned out okay!

[java]

Twice, I've run over snakes where they came across my path and I didn't have time to avoid them. It's a little disconcerting to run over a snake, but both times the snake has slithered away seemingly unhurt. One time I was able to pull up on my front wheel to kind of hop over him, perhaps that helped. I think in a situation like this, I'd go for the snake to be sure to avoid getting any closer to the truck and hope for the best for the snake.

[Trekhawk]

Yikes:eek: :eek:
My My My bikerhen you sure do have interesting rides. Golf Balls, Trucks, Snakes. LRRH will seem dull after all this.

Im pleased to hear you were ok. No advice from me I would have freaked.

[Geonz]

I'd have treated taht snake as a railroad track and aimed for perpendicularity and a little bit of hop and getting over as fast as I could. If it were parallel, though, I'd have dodged it.

More likely, I'd have just FREAKED... you did great!!!

[Trek420]

:eek: glad you and the snake are ok

my vote would be c but I'm just glad it wasn't b. :)

[annie]

WOW! :eek: I THINK I would've bunny-hopped the snake........ Just an instinctual reaction combined with fear of getting hit by the truck. When things happen that fast, it's hard to know for sure. I HOPE that's what I'd have done. Such a relief that you made it okay!!!

annie

[bikerHen]

I'm really not a wild and crazy cyclist, I am a careful rider. But who would have thought there would be a snake slithering along the shoulder? The underpass is narrow, but not more than 25 ft long. So if you go fast enough you can beat car and trucks through. I go through this coming and going every day so I have it pretty well figured out. I usually slow down if there is something big coming too fast behind me but . . . not if I think I can beat them. :rolleyes: I was just sailing that day, with the wind at my back.

The snake was all over the shoulder, I don't think it wanted to be there either. It looked fairly big around, maybe over two inches? I have issues with stomping on bug! I could never run over a snake.:eek:

The shying thing is VERY horse like! I trade in my horses for a bike. I though I was done with that sort of behavior. :o

I'll tell you one thing, I will always be looking for that snake now! bikerHen