Trucks are dangerous vehicles to ride around. They usually take a lot of space, weigh over 20 tons and have four times as many wheels as you have, increasing the chance of something going wrong with one of them. Like in this video.
Yes, I’m talking about a tire explosion. Such a misfortunate event can happen at any moment and without notice as you’ll see below. That’s one reason you should keep your distance from these road mastodons.
The guy in the video here was riding his bike on the highway behind a truck that was slowly crawling in the middle lane. Another rig came from the right and overtook both our subjects, rapidly followed by the biker who signaled and moved behind it.
Two seconds after that, one of the truck’s tires exploded and a big chunk of tread darted from underneath the truck’s rear skirt. Luckily, the rider acted quick enough to dodge the debris and safely went on, now having a great discussion subject for the next time he drinks a couple with his friends.
The whole scene is really butt-clenching, and I remember a Mythbuster episode when they showed how much force a truck tire generates when it explodes. Basically, if you’re right next to the tire and a large chunk flies towards you, your head might be gone.
So, whenever you see a truck ahead, keep a reasonable distance. And not just because of a tire explosion. The truck driver might have trouble seeing you if you’re tailgating his rig.
Also, poorly strapped cargo might get dislodged by a pothole and might fall off the truck putting you, as a rider, in great danger. You’re not completely safe even if the truck is coming from the other way on a two-lane road. Cargo anchors or anything he’s carrying might loosen and fling outwards so you should move to the far opposite side of the road until you pass.
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