My Close Call 2007 (1)

[[email protected]]

Got my second close call of the year today. This is actually a much
better rate than last year, so I'm encouraged.

When/where: Today, 07:12, Big Timber Rd at Tyrrell Rd, Gilberts, IL
[1]

Me: Black tights ('twas chilly this fine morn), orange jacket. Full
set of lights [2] enabled, even though it was past sunrise. Heading
west on Big Timber Rd, so sun was not a factor. Going 16mph in a 45
zone, right half of thru lane (Big Timber has both right and left turn
lanes here).

What: Dump truck blows by at 45mph+, about a foot to my left.

I was already on alert, as I'd watched a dump truck run the red light
at Big Timber and Lyle Ave [3] about 5 minutes earlier while waiting
for my light. As I approached Tyrrell, I took up my customary location
in the right half of the thru lane so SB traffic on Tyrrell wouldn't
think I was turning right and cut me off. I heard the truck about 1/4
mile behind me, and a mirror check showed him bearing down, with no
sign of movement (most truckers seem to move early, so I get a good
gauge of whether to move over or not). At about 50 yards, I decided he
wasn't going to move, so I dodged right, and he blew by at full speed,
maybe a foot away. Had there been a headwind rather than a tailwind,
I'd have had a nice draft to follow into the downhill to Tyler Creek.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, and say he didn't see me,
because I'm actively working on keeping a more positive outlook on
things.


[1] <http://tinyurl.com/2cpsje>

[2] CatEye Opticube headlight in solid mode (I don't regularly
commute, so it's good enough to be seen by), Trek red taillight in
solid mode, PlanetBike amber blinkies front and rear, in blink mode.

[3] <http://tinyurl.com/2bwtxq>

--
__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ [email protected]
(_)/ (_)

 

[Bill]

[email protected] wrote:
> Got my second close call of the year today. This is actually a much
> better rate than last year, so I'm encouraged.
>
> When/where: Today, 07:12, Big Timber Rd at Tyrrell Rd, Gilberts, IL
> [1]
>
> Me: Black tights ('twas chilly this fine morn), orange jacket. Full
> set of lights [2] enabled, even though it was past sunrise. Heading
> west on Big Timber Rd, so sun was not a factor. Going 16mph in a 45
> zone, right half of thru lane (Big Timber has both right and left turn
> lanes here).
>
> What: Dump truck blows by at 45mph+, about a foot to my left.
>
> I was already on alert, as I'd watched a dump truck run the red light
> at Big Timber and Lyle Ave [3] about 5 minutes earlier while waiting
> for my light. As I approached Tyrrell, I took up my customary location
> in the right half of the thru lane so SB traffic on Tyrrell wouldn't
> think I was turning right and cut me off. I heard the truck about 1/4
> mile behind me, and a mirror check showed him bearing down, with no
> sign of movement (most truckers seem to move early, so I get a good
> gauge of whether to move over or not). At about 50 yards, I decided he
> wasn't going to move, so I dodged right, and he blew by at full speed,
> maybe a foot away. Had there been a headwind rather than a tailwind,
> I'd have had a nice draft to follow into the downhill to Tyler Creek.
>
> I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, and say he didn't see me,
> because I'm actively working on keeping a more positive outlook on
> things.

One of these days you are going to be "Dead right", legal, but roadkill.
This sounds like a road I would ride on the wrong side just to be able
to know exactly when to get the hell OFF the pavement. Big trucks are my
problem on one 10 mile stretch but they run 4, 5, or even 6 at a time so
only the first one sees me and sometimes even the first won't pull over.
The next never get a chance to see me or move over. I ride ever so
proper on the right side of the road as long as there is at least 3 feet
of pavement to the right of the white stripe, but when that disappears I
go wrong way so I can see a convoy coming at me. That's the point where
I see if I am going to have to dismount and stand back in the weeds.
I always get ragged on for this 'blatant' bad behavior, but thanks to
that behavior I am not yet of the flat type of rider.
Bill Baka
>
>
> [1] <http://tinyurl.com/2cpsje>
>
> [2] CatEye Opticube headlight in solid mode (I don't regularly
> commute, so it's good enough to be seen by), Trek red taillight in
> solid mode, PlanetBike amber blinkies front and rear, in blink mode.
>
> [3] <http://tinyurl.com/2bwtxq>
>
> --
> __o Kristian Zoerhoff
> _'\(,_ [email protected]
> (_)/ (_)
>

 

[fluffy bunny]

In article <[email protected]>,
"[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Got my second close call of the year today. This is actually a much
> better rate than last year, so I'm encouraged.
>
> When/where: Today, 07:12, Big Timber Rd at Tyrrell Rd, Gilberts, IL
> [1]
>
> Me: Black tights ('twas chilly this fine morn), orange jacket. Full
> set of lights [2] enabled, even though it was past sunrise. Heading
> west on Big Timber Rd, so sun was not a factor. Going 16mph in a 45
> zone, right half of thru lane (Big Timber has both right and left turn
> lanes here).
>
> What: Dump truck blows by at 45mph+, about a foot to my left.

Congrats on being around to write about it.

A near miss by a dump truck, much like you describe, finally swore me
off my fave 10-mile cornfield loop west of Batavia... once the
surveyor's stakes sprout, the end is at hand. It's all MacMansions now.



..max

 

[Kristian M Zoerhoff]

On 2007-03-30, fluffy bunny <[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Got my second close call of the year today. This is actually a much
>> better rate than last year, so I'm encouraged.
>>
>> When/where: Today, 07:12, Big Timber Rd at Tyrrell Rd, Gilberts, IL
>> [1]
>>
>> Me: Black tights ('twas chilly this fine morn), orange jacket. Full
>> set of lights [2] enabled, even though it was past sunrise. Heading
>> west on Big Timber Rd, so sun was not a factor. Going 16mph in a 45
>> zone, right half of thru lane (Big Timber has both right and left turn
>> lanes here).
>>
>> What: Dump truck blows by at 45mph+, about a foot to my left.
>
> Congrats on being around to write about it.

Thanks.

> A near miss by a dump truck, much like you describe, finally swore me
> off my fave 10-mile cornfield loop west of Batavia... once the
> surveyor's stakes sprout, the end is at hand. It's all MacMansions now.

That stinks; cornfield loops are getting too hard to come by 'round these
parts.

The real bummer is that the dump trucks are followed by SUVs. They certainly
were in this development, so I'm glad we have a 20 mph limit in the village,
aggressively enforced (gotta pay for those new police somehow).

--

__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ [email protected]
(_)/ (_)

 

[Kristian M Zoerhoff]

I think I accidentally mailed this to Bill instead of posting here.

On 2007-03-30, Bill <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> One of these days you are going to be "Dead right", legal, but roadkill.

Nah, my cat-like reflexes will keep me in it

> This sounds like a road I would ride on the wrong side just to be able
> to know exactly when to get the hell OFF the pavement.

But I did get off the pavement -- more correctly, I got /over/ on the
pavement, as I had 12' of right turn lane next to me, plus several feet
in my lane.

> I ride ever so
> proper on the right side of the road as long as there is at least 3 feet
> of pavement to the right of the white stripe, but when that disappears I
> go wrong way so I can see a convoy coming at me. That's the point where
> I see if I am going to have to dismount and stand back in the weeds.

This is what mirrors, ears, and head checks (when you don't have mirrors)
are for. I'm all about "situational awareness", and it was needed this
morning.

> I always get ragged on for this 'blatant' bad behavior, but thanks to
> that behavior I am not yet of the flat type of rider.

Then I'll let you off withotu a ragging today.

--

__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ [email protected]
(_)/ (_)

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:

> What: Dump truck blows by at 45mph+, about a foot to my left.

> I was already on alert, as I'd watched a dump truck run the red light
> at Big Timber and Lyle Ave [3] about 5 minutes earlier while waiting
> for my light.
<SNIP>

I used to wonder why dump truck and cement truck drivers seem to be the
most reckless in the profession. I mentioned my impression to a number of
long-haul and local freight drivers, and they all agreed with me. Many
dump and cement truck drivers are young kids, just working part-time, and
often newly hired. In addition, these vehicles are designed for very
heavy loads, so if they happen to be empty, they have a surprising amount
of acceleration. So the testosterone-loaded drivers drive them like
they're daddy's Camaro.
Around here there's one company in particular [1] that's notorious for
hiring idiot drivers, not caring how recklessly they drive, and not
maintaining minor little non-essential items on their trucks, like the
brakes. I currently have a busted windshield thanks to one of them. I
always give them extra leeway if it's possible. (The truck that broke my
glass was oncoming.)
Bottom line: always watch out for this type of truck.

Bill


__o | What is objectionable, and what is dangerous about extremists
_`\(,_ | is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant.
(_)/ (_) | --Robert F. Kennedy



[1] For any Salt Lakers two whom it isn't already obvious, I won't name
the company, but it rhymes with "warper."

 

[Kristian M Zoerhoff]

On 2007-03-30, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> What: Dump truck blows by at 45mph+, about a foot to my left.
>
>> I was already on alert, as I'd watched a dump truck run the red light
>> at Big Timber and Lyle Ave [3] about 5 minutes earlier while waiting
>> for my light.
> <SNIP>
>
> I used to wonder why dump truck and cement truck drivers seem to be the
> most reckless in the profession. I mentioned my impression to a number of
> long-haul and local freight drivers, and they all agreed with me.

So it's not just me! I had also noticed that long-haul semi drivers always
gave me sufficient room, while dump trucks seemed to be on autopilot.

> Bottom line: always watch out for this type of truck.

Oh, I do, believe me. Hence my still being here

--

__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ [email protected]
(_)/ (_)

 

[John Kane]

On Mar 30, 6:11 pm, Kristian M Zoerhoff <[email protected]>
wrote:
> On 2007-03-30, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> What: Dump truck blows by at 45mph+, about a foot to my left.
>
> >> I was already on alert, as I'd watched a dump truck run the red light
> >> at Big Timber and Lyle Ave [3] about 5 minutes earlier while waiting
> >> for my light.
> > <SNIP>
>
> > I used to wonder why dump truck and cement truck drivers seem to be the
> > most reckless in the profession. I mentioned my impression to a number of
> > long-haul and local freight drivers, and they all agreed with me.
>
> So it's not just me! I had also noticed that long-haul semi drivers always
> gave me sufficient room, while dump trucks seemed to be on autopilot.
>
> > Bottom line: always watch out for this type of truck.
>
> Oh, I do, believe me. Hence my still being here

I believe you need to think of them like the trucker version of a
taxi. They, usually,are paid by the load and typically have short
runs. Therefore there is a strong economic incentive to drive like
mad. Combined with the above points and you have a 'lovely'
mixture.

Long haul drivers almost certainly are more skilled, probably have
more experience and, while they may be paid by the load, there is
likely to be much less incentive to rush since over a 1,000 or 2,000
km run they won't save much time.

I bought my first mirror after riding on a very winding road populated
by short haul logging trucks


John Kane, Kingston ON Canada