OT: On the road

Yesterday, as I pedaled my bicycle up an overpass -- one that crosses
the 4-lane interstate -- I was passed by a wrecker. Just as the
wrecker went by me I heard what sounded like a shotgun blast. I'd
thought maybe the wrecker had backfired and maybe that the driver had
done it on purpose (to shake up the cyclist ... you know how some
people are) even though the experience lacked the full-backfire feel.

The next instant, as I approached the midpoint of the bridge, a huge
chunk of truck tire came flying overhead. It went over the fence on
the north side of the overpass and continued south over that fence as
well and then into traffic (it was going with the flow).

I took a quick look to my left and saw a dump truck, with part of a
flapping tire still hanging on, slowing and heading for the shoulder.
I wasn't able to tell if he was able to catch the tire chunk in the
back of the truck.

Inasmuch as nobody got hurt (and I'm nothing more than a grown-up
little boy) ... it was really cool.

"d wells" <d.wells40@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:jm3q939j63von39q71ec8fun4925d658fp@4ax.com...
> Yesterday, as I pedaled my bicycle up an overpass -- one that crosses
> the 4-lane interstate -- I was passed by a wrecker. Just as the
> wrecker went by me I heard what sounded like a shotgun blast. I'd
> thought maybe the wrecker had backfired and maybe that the driver had
> done it on purpose (to shake up the cyclist ... you know how some
> people are) even though the experience lacked the full-backfire feel.
>
> The next instant, as I approached the midpoint of the bridge, a huge
> chunk of truck tire came flying overhead. It went over the fence on
> the north side of the overpass and continued south over that fence as
> well and then into traffic (it was going with the flow).
>
> I took a quick look to my left and saw a dump truck, with part of a
> flapping tire still hanging on, slowing and heading for the shoulder.
> I wasn't able to tell if he was able to catch the tire chunk in the
> back of the truck.
>
> Inasmuch as nobody got hurt (and I'm nothing more than a grown-up
> little boy) ... it was really cool.

You were lucky. I've seen truck tires blow a few times, fortunately
from the comfort and safety of an automobile at a moderate distance
away. Truck tires are heavy things (think World Strongest Man
competitions and similar) - even a piece of one, flying through the air,
has got to pack a wallop.

One of the things I keep thinking about doing is picking up a big tire
to keep in the back yard for me and the kids to practice flipping.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com