[3853]

Hey Gang,
Thursday me and my partner were traveling in the left lane of a 3 lane highway that had a posted speed limit of 60 mph when a twin size mattress peeled off the roof of a Ford Explorer a short distance in front of us. It was like slow motion as it just lifted straight up into the air and then like it was going warp speed as it and we closed the distance on each other. I could see that this was maybe going to be my moment to make the news so I got ready for it. The mattress was landing in my half of our lane and the left half of the middle lane. There was a pickup truck to my right and a grass shoulder to our left. I could see my partner had room on the left so I forgot about him and remembering my training I stood up on the pegs and got ready to blast through the mattress. It had not flattened out yet as I stood up. By God's Grace the thing went flat as I hit it. The pickup truck was literally inches to my right. As I hit the mattress I was looking straight ahead at the horizon and tried to lift the front end as I twisted the throttle. I hit/jumped over the mattress and maintained control with no mishaps. God is good. The mattress was ruined as well as the right side plastic and chin fairing on my scoot. The driver of the SUV had tried to secure the mattress on top of the luggage rack with a bungee cord. I did not loose my cool or freak out but the man did get a court citation for loosing his load on the highway. Training is important, but so is guardian angels and luck.
Aloha,
Dale

 

[milqster]

Wow, quite an adventure. Glad to hear you're ok after that.

 

[tekmoe]

yeah that's pretty wild man. i remember i was traveling down 35e here in dallas and i was following a ragged out looking car with a busted up rear window. i was about 7 car lengths behind it when next thing i know the entire rear window flies out of the car and is coming straight at me. i ducked and it smashed into the left hand median wall. i actually felt some pieces hit me but i remained uncut.

that was a close one...

 

[amberale]

Well done 3853. Glad to hear you are OK and had the presence of mind to avoid a bad accident.

I'll bet you weren't riding right up his backside either.

I'll take experience and training over raw natural ability any day.

Only talking about bikes though. Wimmens a different matter.

AA

 

[kuhlka]

Nearly had a 2x4 take out my face when I was down in Florida riding to bike week while my buddy drove his truck & trailer. I was cruising along behind a semi with his flatbed empty, when one of the boards on the back caught the wind and shot up into the air. I wasn't wearing a helmet either. It probably came a few inches from the top of my head as I ducked under it...

One more reason to wear a helmet.

 

[zooplancton]

wow, nice mattress ride!
consider yourself a lottery winner today.
glad you ok.
-b

 

[jrussell6]

yeah man,, congrats on the well handled situation, i don't know if i would have been so cool about it, just glad your ok.

 

[Catenaccio]

I remember a similar story from LJK Setright on a BMW. Sounds like you were blessed with good sense, quick reflexes, and God's grace.

 

[StoneTriple]

On 2006-11-18 18:30, 3853 wrote:
...the man did get a court citation for loosing his load on the highway.

If a mattress fell off of a truck directly in front of me, while I was riding 60 MPH - I'd be loosing my load on the highway!

Hats off to you for remaining calm under pressure. Well done.
:upthumb:

 

[24gt]

Wow great riding! As I was reading I thought thats what I would do. However no one really knows how they would act in split second reaction time.
Also I hope when you got home and told your girl about your ride she gave you a jump on the mattress

 

[MotoRaider]

wow, ***** I hope to never experience any of these freaky highway stories firsthand.. another reason to take a MSF refresher course.

 

[Triple_Rider]

Good job and great story! that's one to be telling the grandkids about someday

 

[HiVel]

Good riding and congratulations for your heads up reaction! A little luck too? An Angel on your shoulder for sure. I hit a big ole 4x4 in the middle of the bridge going across the Mississippi river into Memphis on my '75 Goldwing at about 75 mph. I did the same thing you did and did not crash. However, my bike would not go straight down the road after that. I sold it and it was just a year old. I also hit a huge "gator" (thrown retread) truck tire at 90 mph on my BMW R100RS at midnight in N. Alabama coming home from a long trip into Canada. To make a long story short I could not walk right for a year. Rode the slightly damaged bike home but my foot and ankle were hurt. I quit touring after that.

Be careful out there.

 

[bluesjeans]

Lucky for you the mattress was no longer airborne when you hit it. A buddy of mine was on the freeway in his Grand Cherokee when the bed liner from a pickup truck in front of him went airborne (turns out the idiot didn't think it needed to be bolted down..!). The thing pretty much took out his front end and windshield. As soft as a mattress might be I don't think I'd want to ride a bike straight into one, it could have been ugly..!!

 

[Calitriple]

Thank God, I thought you were about to brag to everyone about being a two pump chump, "Jumped a mattress at 60Mph".

Just kidding, glad to hear you're ok. Church on sunday?
:chug:

 

[Limey]

one of those 5-0hhhhhhhh! **** moments. :-D :-D

 

[ORCA]

I have always been afraid of those dumbass's. I have seen people hold on to them with there hands out the window...DUMB! You were lucky it was not a box spring! God was your copilot on that one.Sean

 

[Tee-Dub]

Besides a "citation" I hope his insurance is going to pay to the damage on your bike, since his negligence caused it.

 

[premier]

Glad to hear you're ok

Moral of this story? Never ride behind cars that have anything extra strapped on to them. Just wheelie past them

 

[BUCKET]

F*#k and double f*#k,good to hear you're ok,looks like we have a stunt rider for the next MI movie. :hammer: