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[1abastarsmda]

I just had this conversation with a friend last night.  He told me that he likes to settle in behind a big truck and stay there.  I told him that's the last place I want to be.  I can feel the effects of the wind from a semi in front of me even when they are a good distance up front.  I like to ease up on them cautiously and move into the far right of the passing lane as soon as possible (so they will be able to see you coming) and then gun it to get around them as quickly as possible, moving more to the left side of the passing lane while I do so.  I am always trying to keep an eye on the tires of the truck and preparing for the worst, should I see one start to malfunction.  I really hate getting behind a pair of semis side by side rolling down the highway.  The wind effect increases and I always drop back until I can safely pass at least one, if not both of them quickly.

Last week, I got caught in some very heavy crosswinds, and I had slowed down a bit and had a few semis passing me on the left.  Twice I came within inches of becoming road kill, as my bike unexpectedly got blown hard to the left and very near blew me into the side of those trucks.  I actually pulled off on the berm for a few moments to get a grip, as I was pretty shaken up over this. Then I continued down the berm for a few miles in 1st gear, until I reached an area with some tree cover on the side of the road to block the winds.  I had never experienced wind gusts literally instantaneously shifting my bike from one side of a lane to the other.  I leaned hard to the right, but I was still being pushed toward the trucks.  I was very lucky to be able to make a quick shift back across the lane between gusts and before I was history.

[SERK3]

And Please do not ride or pass on the right, Even with all the mirrors we have there are still blind spots.

[sgchick]

These are a few of basics if you haven't seen already might be helpful fr group riding.



http://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/Group_Ride.pdf

Thanks Bunt! Those were great links!

[arcticdude]

Last week, I got caught in some very heavy crosswinds, and I had slowed down a bit and had a few semis passing me on the left.  Twice I came within inches of becoming road kill, as my bike unexpectedly got blown hard to the left and very near blew me into the side of those trucks.  I actually pulled off on the berm for a few moments to get a grip, as I was pretty shaken up over this. Then I continued down the berm for a few miles in 1st gear, until I reached an area with some tree cover on the side of the road to block the winds.  I had never experienced wind gusts literally instantaneously shifting my bike from one side of a lane to the other.  I leaned hard to the right, but I was still being pushed toward the trucks.  I was very lucky to be able to make a quick shift back across the lane between gusts and before I was history.

Here in Oklahoma, we call that a gentle breeze.  Everybody talks about the 18  wheelers being bad, but the RV's are often worse.  The bigger ones run the same truck sized tires, but are driven by typically inexperienced drivers.  So don't sit there waving at the kids, get the hell on around them.