One of the most important lessons in motorcycle riding is being aware of your surroundings. On the freeway in the summertime one of those items to be aware of is a tire blowing on some other vehicle. In most cases it is just the shrapnel to avoid being decked with. Worst case scenario is being next to a blowout.
So I keep a special eye out on tires around me, even in the winter. And that paid off big time on Thursday.
I was going out of town in the cage for the weekend. So I hopped on the bike to run my errands on Thursday and get the last few miles of windblown enjoyment. Somehow I still managed to slab it most of the way, but it was still good.
My last few miles towards home and I see a little mini-truck passing me, listing a little to the rear. I keep a wary eye on the right rear tire, seeing it seems a tad low. And I just don't like the way the guy is driving. Must give him a wide berth because I am sure that tire is going to blow. I just never, ever expect to be around when it happens.
I'm about 15 miles from home and losing sight of the mini-truck as he weaves around cars and always stays in the faster lanes. My attention is diverted a little when the Lexus pulls up next to me and the two guys are waving and giving thumbs ups. I stay ahead of the curve of annoying cagers and make my way towards my off-ramp. As soon as I enter my lane that little mini-truck comes veering from the fast lanes...with an extremely flat tire. At least it hadn't shredded and flown all over the freeway. He entered the breakdown lane a few short moments before I passed.
I've never really expected to see a tire blow near me. And I guess I technically still haven't. But I recognized the possibility and actually did see it immediate post-blowout. Really glad nothing went bad. So please keep your eyes peeled for possible dangers around you.
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