On this past Sunday I came as close to Riding over the Great Divide as I ever have on my Scoot.
Beautiful fall day, sunshine and clear, temperature about 17C.
Two lane hiway, just west of Hedley British Coluimbia.
Newly paved section of road, about two months ago, had no bearing on what happened, except for the Smoke Show.
I was riding west bound, no traffic in front or behind me.
I was in a very slight left hand corner, meeting a long line of oncoming traffic.
I think, in retrospect, that I had looked at the oncoming traffic and dismissed it as any perceived threat.
In that line of oncoming traffic, about midpoint, was a transport truck.
At some point, I realized that the truck was in my lane, passing the cars, over a double solid line.
the speed limit was 100kph, about 60 mph.
I was travelling at about 105kph,around 65mph.
I suspect the truck was travelling about the same, trying to complete his pass.
I think we saw each other and recognized the threat about the same time, as I saw the smoke begin when he hit his brakes.
The only thought I remember, until the danger had passed was, This Is It.
I think that I just reacted, don't remember thinking about any thoughts of evasion.
I went to my right, over the Fog line, and then as I approached his trailer wheels, saw them still locked up, begin to cross the Fog Line towards me.
Then I was past him.
Lots of smoke in my mirrors.
But I had never hit the brakes, and was still travelling at about 100kph, so I don't even think that I let off the throttle.
Then I had lots of thoughts, mostly about maybe stopping to do some paper work, but then rally, I wasn't all that scared, nervous, yes.
I proceed to Princeton, about 25 or 30k, and stopped at the A&W, had a root beer and contemplated life for nearly an hour.
Lots of thoughts.
He nearly killed me!
I should do something. What?
I know that he was over the solid line, but suspect that when he began his pass, he wasn't.
It was probably never a safe pass, tho.
Although he was in the wrong when I met him, (the trucker), how did he get there?
I suspect the real cause was a very slow car, that others caught up to and didn't pass, and others then piled up behind it, causing frustration, leading to the trucker making a unsafe pass.
At the very least I know that I wasn t the only one who had paperwork to do, as I strongly suspect that he, also had paper to do.
I don't reallu know how close it was, but there is only about 3 feet of pavement outside the fog line, and I was in that, and so was some part of his trailer.
It has been raining ever since I got home, so no riding, but today, the sun is out, so I am off.
Bob
Beautiful fall day, sunshine and clear, temperature about 17C.
Two lane hiway, just west of Hedley British Coluimbia.
Newly paved section of road, about two months ago, had no bearing on what happened, except for the Smoke Show.
I was riding west bound, no traffic in front or behind me.
I was in a very slight left hand corner, meeting a long line of oncoming traffic.
I think, in retrospect, that I had looked at the oncoming traffic and dismissed it as any perceived threat.
In that line of oncoming traffic, about midpoint, was a transport truck.
At some point, I realized that the truck was in my lane, passing the cars, over a double solid line.
the speed limit was 100kph, about 60 mph.
I was travelling at about 105kph,around 65mph.
I suspect the truck was travelling about the same, trying to complete his pass.
I think we saw each other and recognized the threat about the same time, as I saw the smoke begin when he hit his brakes.
The only thought I remember, until the danger had passed was, This Is It.
I think that I just reacted, don't remember thinking about any thoughts of evasion.
I went to my right, over the Fog line, and then as I approached his trailer wheels, saw them still locked up, begin to cross the Fog Line towards me.
Then I was past him.
Lots of smoke in my mirrors.
But I had never hit the brakes, and was still travelling at about 100kph, so I don't even think that I let off the throttle.
Then I had lots of thoughts, mostly about maybe stopping to do some paper work, but then rally, I wasn't all that scared, nervous, yes.
I proceed to Princeton, about 25 or 30k, and stopped at the A&W, had a root beer and contemplated life for nearly an hour.
Lots of thoughts.
He nearly killed me!
I should do something. What?
I know that he was over the solid line, but suspect that when he began his pass, he wasn't.
It was probably never a safe pass, tho.
Although he was in the wrong when I met him, (the trucker), how did he get there?
I suspect the real cause was a very slow car, that others caught up to and didn't pass, and others then piled up behind it, causing frustration, leading to the trucker making a unsafe pass.
At the very least I know that I wasn t the only one who had paperwork to do, as I strongly suspect that he, also had paper to do.
I don't reallu know how close it was, but there is only about 3 feet of pavement outside the fog line, and I was in that, and so was some part of his trailer.
It has been raining ever since I got home, so no riding, but today, the sun is out, so I am off.
Bob
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