Poop the pants passing scenario - Close call - Analysis

[Gregorius T]

Just wanted to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed following this thread today and this line actually made me laugh out loud: "Now that would have been a pants pooper for certain." 
@gregoriust , thanks for the riveting tale that inspired all the resulting fecal commentary!

Ha ha.  My pleasure, upshift. 
I just hope my story might save a life.  
 
I consider myself to be a very careful rider with great attention to detail.  I wear high viz, for shit's sake!  Also, I've been
a software engineer for the last 20 years, with a low bug count.  If it can happen to me, it can happen to a lot of others.
 
I certainly can't place any blame on the bud.  Before this incident, there had been numerous times when he got ahead, as I was
awaiting my opportunity to pass.  An incident involving a bunch of Harley riders, comes to mind.
 
Nope.  This was just an unfortunate compilation of factors that resulted in a bad situation.
 
This I will say.  Unless there is a car in your lane, as you are blasting around a corner, there should be no reason for a motorcycle to
ever hit head on.  Seems to me, even if you have to attempt the mother of all lane splits, motorcycles are slim enough to squeak through
tight situations ( pun intended ).  Even if you have to dive off the bike, into the ditch, that certainly beats a head-on collision.

[Gregorius T]

Great example, and one thing I'd never do, and do not do, is wait for anyone to pass. If you are riding with a buddy, and he/she goes, and has a clear path, I follow right along with them, and on the throttle full tilt to get past the vehicle you are passing, and back into your lane.

I'm a true believer in riding your own ride, so I want to see that the way is clear for my bike regardless of what the bike in front of me is doing.  Having said that, what you describe happens alot when riding with others.  My comment here is actually for the lead bike.  If you're going to pass somebody, get it done and make sure you make enough room behind you (after you've passed) so that if someone does follow you they have room to get back into the lane easily.  I have followed people on a pass that were very slow to do this (even with a clear road ahead) and it's not fun to either make room for yourself, or have to pass the person you were following just to get back into the lane in a timely fashion. 

Thanks for the advice, adjuster. 
No.  Bud did get past in quick order.  He was past, and outta there.  This was all on me.  Also, the semi being a double trailer, and the passing lane
being so fricken dang short.  That particular highway had a lot of semis on it, and them boys don't give room for nobody.

[OutlanderBC]

An excellent example of the stuff you can encounter on the roads. Especially if its a road your not familiar with.
I am an extremely picky passer, even in my SUV. If I'm not sure I don't even attempt it, I need to see my re-entry and-then-some, before I pass.
 
I'd hate to have been in your situation there on that road, I've had drivers move into my lane and it is not fun at all.
Thanks for sharing.

[xlxr]

Never out run your line of vision. Never assume any other traffic can see you. But the hardest part is having patience behind a slow car or truck.
Twisting the throttle may have put the guy at 100 mph, between two trucks, and, approaching a blind corner, that's certainly a good way to die.

[Gregorius T]

Never out run your line of vision. Never assume any other traffic can see you. But the hardest part is having patience behind a slow car or truck. Twisting the throttle may have put the guy at 100 mph, between two trucks, and, approaching a blind corner, that's certainly a good way to die.

Thanks xlxr.  I certainly agree.  Of course, I wish I had never put myself in that position, but once there, I still think I made the correct choice to get out of it. 
Primarily, because I'm still alive and even came out unscathed.  Of course, like I said, if that approaching semi came one second sooner, I would
probably not be here.  Oy!  It makes me shudder, just thinking about it.

[wordsmith]

Never out run your line of vision. Never assume any other traffic can see you. But the hardest part is having patience behind a slow car or truck. Twisting the throttle may have put the guy at 100 mph, between two trucks, and, approaching a blind corner, that's certainly a good way to die.

Thanks xlxr.  I certainly agree.  Of course, I wish I had never put myself in that position, but once there, I still think I made the correct choice to get out of it. 
Primarily, because I'm still alive and even came out unscathed.  Of course, like I said, if that approaching semi came one second sooner, I would
probably not be here.  Oy!  It makes me shudder, just thinking about it.
Probably because Mrs Wordsmith is away from home at present, I find my thoughts often returning to the original post here, so graphically described by the lucky escapee Gregorius.   When starting his overtaking manoeuvre he did what we have likely all done at one time or another, which was to take a great leap of faith into the unknown, and he was very lucky indeed not to have ended up either mashed beneath the wheels of the semi he was overtaking, or bug-like splattered all over the grille of the oncoming truck.   In either case, not much fun for whoever would have been required to identify the body remains!    
Without wanting to sound holier-than-thou, for I too have sinned, his riding mate should perhaps have been a bit more patient when seeing (if he did indeed see) that the road was narrowing, likely to make things tricky for his following companion, and he should have backed-off from his own initial overtaking move.  (The necessity of having to think about others is one reason why I always ride solo).   
 
But that's all by the by.   My motive for adding these words is to suggest that there's a great lesson here, and that the original post could usefully have a wider dissemination, possibly under a heading "there but for the grace of God..."    The experience could be shared with other Forums, in a letter/ e-mail to motorcycling mags, and to individuals on other platforms.   A few lives may be saved - it has certainly made me think!    
 
I'm mighty glad that Gregorius got away with it - he should buy a lottery ticket as well as a few spare pairs of under-shorts!   But I'm still shaking!

[Gregorius T]

Thanks xlxr.  I certainly agree.  Of course, I wish I had never put myself in that position, but once there, I still think I made the correct choice to get out of it. 
Primarily, because I'm still alive and even came out unscathed.  Of course, like I said, if that approaching semi came one second sooner, I would
probably not be here.  Oy!  It makes me shudder, just thinking about it.

Probably because Mrs Wordsmith is away from home at present, I find my thoughts often returning to the original post here, so graphically described by the lucky escapee Gregorius.   When starting his overtaking manoeuvre he did what we have likely all done at one time or another, which was to take a great leap of faith into the unknown, and he was very lucky indeed not to have ended up either mashed beneath the wheels of the semi he was overtaking, or bug-like splattered all over the grille of the oncoming truck.   In either case, not much fun for whoever would have been required to identify the body remains!    
Without wanting to sound holier-than-thou, for I too have sinned, his riding mate should perhaps have been a bit more patient when seeing (if he did indeed see) that the road was narrowing, likely to make things tricky for his following companion, and he should have backed-off from his own initial overtaking move.  (The necessity of having to think about others is one reason why I always ride solo).   
 
But that's all by the by.   My motive for adding these words is to suggest that there's a great lesson here, and that the original post could usefully have a wider dissemination, possibly under a heading "there but for the grace of God..."    The experience could be shared with other Forums, in a letter/ e-mail to motorcycling mags, and to individuals on other platforms.   A few lives may be saved - it has certainly made me think!    
 
I'm mighty glad that Gregorius got away with it - he should buy a lottery ticket as well as a few spare pairs of under-shorts!   But I'm still shaking!

Hi wordsmith.  Thanks for the words.   
Yes, indeed.  I'm lucky to still be on this Earth.  There is an 'ol sayin "That which doesn't kill you, makes you stronger ( and wiser ).".  
 
It certainly has reinvigorated my appreciation for life.  But, it doesn't mean I've had any thoughts about giving up riding.  No way.  Quite the opposite.  
We all put ourselves out there, to one degree or another.  All it takes is a distracted driver coming around a corner to take one of us out.  We all know
the risk.  But, that risk also injects an element of vigor into our lives.  We know we could simply spend out lives sitting in the living room of a  
secure house or condo somewhere.  But, is that a life worth living?  Not in my book, it isn't.
 
This isn't the first time I've almost shook hands with the grim reaper.  During my mountain climbing days, I almost "got the chop" a couple times.  That's
what climbers call it when you meet your demise.  "You done got the chop".  The first time, an ice wall that I was climbing crumbled out from beneath
me.  I almost took a two hundred foot plunge, which most certainly would have killed me.  The second time, a refrigerator size ice block landed feet from
where I was standing.  Just like tangling with semis, I would have ended up a red smudge.  Those two incidences occured during my first 5 years of climbing.
I went on to enjoy another 15 years of climbing, and I still get out from time to time.
 
Each day that you've successfully enjoyed a great day of riding, lift that pint high, and say to yourself "Life is grand!".  
 
 
 

[troll]

Don't forget to downshift a few times if needed before passing

And get into "A" throttle mode if you aren't there already...