contact with other motorists- no harm no foul??!

[ArtByScars]

So today I don't know what happened- but I stayed alive.

Heading into bennington VT to get inspected today... and there's fresh blacktop.. today was really... really hot...

In front of me is a white pickup with a trailer towing an 80s honda dirtbike and a trials bike..
I was going about 50-55 with 120-150+ft of distance between me and the truck. The truck was following the car in front of him a little closely and I was aware of that... what I wasn't aware of was the car slammed on the brakes (couldn't see the tail lights)... and this is a 55mph main road with hardly any turns off of it... well all of a sudden the trucks brake lights go on and the truck is screeching to a stop, the car stopped quick I guess... so I jump on the brakes and downshift and I can't slow fast enough- I'm sliding on the gooey fresh blacktop in 100 degree midday sun, my rear tire locks up and is screeching, coming out to the side- fishtailing trying to keep it straight with handlebars counter turned and I see that trailer coming up awful fast so I'm ready to get mangled just thinkin "alright here we go- its gonna hurt!".. and I am planning that if the bike catapaults- trying to land in the empty bed of the truck, best case scenario... anything else is going to tear me apart.. about 12ft from the trailer I see the brakelights turn off and *BAM*
My front tire slammed the trailer and made the loudest BANG.. but I kept it up, never even put a foot down- and kept going!! They must have saw/heard me screeching and floored it- the impact actually straightened the bike out, or something- I can't explain how it happened and I kept it upright and both feet on!
The driver and passenger were hootin and hollering and clapping out the window- I gave them a thumbs up and we kept going!
I just looked up and said "thanks guy!"
I was sooo psyched. Am sooo psyched.

I guess I never included the "brake check slide factor" in with my "safe driving distance" to the vehicle in front of me.

So that's two! (I got rearended by a taxi at a red light in NYC and kept it up- he pushed me about 20ft into intersection from dead stop at red light- he thought the light changed!)

Btw: bike passed inspection

[7981GS]

Count your blessings. You are one lucky person today.
It could have gotten ugly and with you burning on the hot pavement would have been no fun at all.

Daniel

[spchips]

The accident I had was a similar low speed collision, someone turned in front of me with the same result into their left wheel. I had words for them, they thought they were right. Messed up the fender a bit but that's it. It did knock one of my hands off the bars and messed up the brake lever. Didn't go down.

[ArtByScars]

The accident I had was a similar low speed collision, someone turned in front of me with the same result into their left wheel. I had words for them, they thought they were right. Messed up the fender a bit but that's it. It did knock one of my hands off the bars and messed up the brake lever. Didn't go down.

Its almost like... you can't even be mad!
I didn't even bother to look where the car went, and though the truck was following a little too closely, I wasn't upset at all- I was so happy!
Had my bike gone down and/or me injured, it would have been another story.. that fresh blacktop is dangerous stuff in the heat. No one is safe

[tkent02]

Here's a couple things, if the car ahead is tailgating, double your following distance. If you can't see the car ahead of him, triple it if you can't move to where you can see it. If some one is behind you, double your distance again, or better yet GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE!

I'm happy it all worked out OK for you this time.
Check your front tire for damage.

[cableguy]

Glad you made it out in one piece. Are you part cat by any chance?

[JCSkokos]

..... I'm sliding on the gooey fresh blacktop in 100 degree midday sun,.....

Thats bull! the sign clearly says 99*

[ArtByScars]

Glad you made it out in one piece. Are you part cat by any chance?

23 years of skateboarding and snowboarding I think has conditioned me to keep cool in a scary situation and hold it together haha