One of the things I’m learning in this trip is that flexibility in plans is key to happiness. To wit: I intended to make it to Lancaster PA or thereabouts tonight, which would have left me with about 150 miles into New York City, my destination for tomorrow. However, two things happened to thwart this plan.
First, I woke up in the happy home of my old friends Rick & Renee, and it was just darn hard to leave. I ended up leaving Radford VA about 1.5 hours after I intended.
Second, and more dramatically (this is where the reflex part comes in) I nearly got splattered against the side of a 14′ truck. I was cruising north on Hwy 29 towards Charlottesville on a divided highway, two lanes each direction. At an intersection, I noticed a car that looked like they were about to enter from the right, so I started to move into the left lane. As I did so, I noticed this big truck entering from the opposite side. I figured they were pulling into the median turn area, which prompted me to correct and stay in the right lane.
No. The driver of the truck barreled across all four lanes, cutting directly in front of me, running at about 65mph. Through the glorious combination of quick reflexes and the ABS on my motorcycle, I avoided clipping the rear bumper of the truck by no more than 3′ – maybe closer to 1′. After I finished cursing the bastard I realized I needed to cool my jets and let the adrenaline seep out of me, so I ended up with an unexpected long pitstop at a Starbucks in Charlottesville.
These two factors contributed to me being several hours behind expected schedule. I rolled into Frederick as dark was falling – about when I expected to hit Lancaster. Ah, well. Tomorrow, I’ll get up early and get a move on to make up the time. And hey, if I don’t make it into NYC until Friday, so be it.
Comments
8 responses to “re(flex)ibility”
Glad you’re OK, Stuart. And after all my warnings about 81, it was 29 that nearly got you. You never know.
It was great seeing you. I enjoyed making you late. :)
I approve of flexibility… and of not hitting trucks at high speed.
Fun fact:
Sandy was nearly hit by a recklessly driven house at 100kph+ on our last big trip.
Loves me that BMW ABS. It has literally saved my life, twice.
That’s the proper attitude. We found that once we learned to be really flexible (like dilly dallying for an extra day in a place that as you say, “was just darn hard to leave”) we enjoyed the trip more. Of course, there are deadlines, but adjusting your time in NYC because you were enjoying being with friends is not a bad thing. Better to live in the present, I say.
That sounds scary with the truck. I’ve never had a close call like that.
Enjoy the last days in the states.
Marshall
Hooray for quick reflexes. I’m feeling your adrenaline empathetically!
It’s great to hear your stories. Thanks for letting me “ride along”.
–Becky
ABS on motorcylces! Clearly I am behind the times. Hooray for training, technology, and good fortune.
I find it helpful to keep two things in mind when riding in traffic like that.
1) I am invisible and 2) If they can see me, they are trying to hit me. :-)
Glad to hear you are OK.
After 20 years with no ABS on my bike, perhaps it is time to update.
Marco, those are definitely worthwhile things to keep in mind. And yes to ABS. I truly feel it was a lifesaver in this instance. I would’ve skidded without it.