I thought I was going to be killed

[..]

On my way to work. 6 lane road divided with a median.

I'm at the stop light in the left turn lane.

Ahead of me is a stopped white SUV and I'm positioned behind it's left rear light.

There is enough room for me to get next to the SUV on its left side.

Behind me is an SUV and I can see others vehicles stopped behind that in the left turn lane.

I'm in my safe pocket.

Suddenly and deafeningly the air is filled with an apocalyptic screech squeal of tires.

Without conscious action or thought I find myself up alongside the white SUV.

Sliding, bouncing and shuddering to a stop in the next lane is an empty log truck.

The truck shook and bounced so much all the dried mud on the frame work came off it like shrapnel.

Keep your wits about you.

SHTF quickly  

The woman in the white SUV looked at me wide eyed and nodded. She let me go first when the green light came on.

[da prez]

Guardian angel.

          da prez

[..]

Guardian angel.

          da prez

Not this time, just my deliberate choice to make sure I was in my safety pocket with an escape route.

[Savago]

Holy crap!

Thanks God nothing bad happened.

[Sorcerer]

Nothing like an adrenaline dump first thing in the morning. Who needs that espresso first thing in the morning. Glad it worked in your favor.
Years ago I was stopped at a stop light. First in line. Saw it coming. Left hand turner started its turn. I realized that the car coming the other way had no chance at avoiding the left turner. They hit and the left turner deflected that other car towards me. My original intention at the light change was straight through the intersection. It’s amazing what the fat girls will do when asked. I made a 90* right just around the corner. The left turner got spun to the spot I just vacated and the other car hit the front of the car that was behind me. Head on swivel.

[Gryphon Rider]

Yup, stop so you're positioned in a way that you have someplace to go.  Once I was riding behind three or four cars that were tailgating each other, and the traffic light turned yellow.  The first driver stopped at the light, and the drivers behind had to stop rather quickly.  I was not tailgating, so I had no problem getting stopped, but was unsure if the minivan driver behind me was paying attention, so as I slowed I pulled close to the dashed white line that separated my lane from the one beside me, allowing him room to stop beside me if he needed.  He got stopped in time, but the minivan behind him didn't, rear-ending him, forcing him up into my space.  Because I had pulled to the side of my lane, he only brushed my saddlebag, knocking me over without injury other than a scraped (not cracked) saddlebag, and the destruction of my home-made LED saddlebag reflector.

Make allowances for the bad driving of others, when you can.

[hubcapsc]

On this day, I was in the left lane on the throttle passing an
18 wheeler when everyone on I-40 stomped on the brakes
hard. I had my place towards the median picked out and
also paid attention to the guy my mirror since he was
who I didn't want to run over me. To some extent, threads
like this one are why my mind went straight to "where's
my escape route?" 



-Mike

[..]

On this day, I was in the left lane on the throttle passing an
18 wheeler when everyone on I-40 stomped on the brakes
hard. I had my place towards the median picked out and
also paid attention to the guy my mirror since he was
who I didn't want to run over me. To some extent, threads
like this one are why my mind went straight to "where's
my escape route?" 



-Mike

I'da been up the middle of that lot quicker than a ferret down a rabbit hole. But at a very slow speed just kinda trickling along.

[hubcapsc]

On this day, I was in the left lane on the throttle passing an
18 wheeler when everyone on I-40 stomped on the brakes
hard. I had my place towards the median picked out and
also paid attention to the guy my mirror since he was
who I didn't want to run over me. To some extent, threads
like this one are why my mind went straight to "where's
my escape route?" 



-Mike

I'da been up the middle of that lot quicker than a ferret down a rabbit hole. But at a very slow speed just kinda trickling along.

In ten or fifteen miles when you got to the explosion at the bridge you'd have been kicking
yourself  ...



-Mike "we all turned around, I-40 was closed for I forget how many hours"

[..]

On this day, I was in the left lane on the throttle passing an
18 wheeler when everyone on I-40 stomped on the brakes
hard. I had my place towards the median picked out and
also paid attention to the guy my mirror since he was
who I didn't want to run over me. To some extent, threads
like this one are why my mind went straight to "where's
my escape route?" 



-Mike

I'da been up the middle of that lot quicker than a ferret down a rabbit hole. But at a very slow speed just kinda trickling along.

In ten or fifteen miles when you got to the explosion at the bridge you'd have been kicking
yourself  ...



-Mike

Eventually everyone turned around?

Do you know what caused the explosion?

[Thunderbolt]

Good on you Britman for doing what comes instinctively.  Mike remember when the guy on the Harley was on your side of the road going back to Maggie Valley?

[hubcapsc]

Eventually everyone turned around?

Do you know what caused the explosion?

It was when I was headed to the Gettysburg ride, so it was ten years ago or so...
Some awful thing happened at the bridge over there on the right... an 18 wheeler
crossed over and bashed into an oncoming 18 wheeler and one of them was
a gas tanker or something... took out both lanes (notice nobody is on the other
side of I-40)...



I headed up 16 for a while, but didn't know any better then and made my
way over to Statesville to continue on to the meeting place at Wytheville
on 77.

And yes, Mr. Bolt, I think I'll always remember that Harley guy freezing
up and coming over at me and passing me on my right  ... I kept
going straight, didn't deviate, just had the brakes on as hard as I
could without skidding and my plan was to do "whatever" when the
time came... when the time came he passed me safely (for me) on
the right... it wasn't like on a tight twisty, it was on that Soco Road,
where you come down to Maggie Valley from the Parkway. A line of
Harleys filed into view from the turn ahead of me and one of them
just froze up, it seemed like one of those fixation things to me...

-Mike

[Pappy!]

I do the same as you. Position myself where I can scoot up alongside the vehicle in front of me. Once positioned I keep an eye on the mirrors to make sure whoever is coming up to stop behind me is not distracted......

[old2soon]

Glad yer okey dokey there English guy! ALWAYS without FAIL leave yerself an OUT. AND adjust the sitrep as NEEDED. A Good Friend-Kenny Carl-that taught me to drive an 18 wheeler told me something a long time ago that Has stuck with me all these years later. Try too figure what is the dumbest stupidest craziest off the wall THING the cage other big truck motorcycle rider school bus guy in a wheel chair could do. And lo and behold very rarely am I disappointed cuz the dummy fulfilled my prediction. Short version of dat-expect the unexpected. RIDE SAFE.

[art]

I'm of the opinion that there's going to be a big truck or some idiot driving across the double line at the next blind corner while I'm either driving or riding in the mountains on roads with tight curves. Many times I'm right an thankfully I'm on the right side of my lane an safe. I never ride the center line in blind curves like some other riders.

[Mr Whiskey]

Guardian angel.

          da prez

Not this time, just my deliberate choice to make sure I was in my safety pocket with an escape route.

Most times, reaction time's...
got nothing to do with it
Glad your okie dokie Bro