mylovelyhorse
Registered user
Last night I had a very close shave, in fact the closest thing I've had since the Ukrainian Death Slide (don't ask) and of equal terrorification.
I ride home along the A32. Near the village of Corhampton there is an often slippery roundabout at which I take the first exit. The road goes left then bends right and just after Bucks Head Hill it goes back left again: http://tinyurl.com/5a5ls2.
It was dark, around 8:00 pm and wet.
I have taken that last corner at some speed, in the dry and both in the daylight and in the dark. Yesterday I was doing around 45, maybe 50, accelerating (not hard) away from the village.
As I entered the corner, I felt all traction go. To be a little more precise, I did not feel the bike slide at all, but the usual feeling of vibration from wheels on road went completely. I became very, very quickly aware that I was crossing the centre line and then suddenly, very very quickly, I was upright and riding along in the gutter / verge, the right hand side of the bike and my right elbow were being whipped by branches and the bike was bouncing around in the ruts of the verge.
And there was an oncoming car. Close.
I saw his lights dipping as he braked like fsck. I daren't brake but had throttled off so was slowing down. I was in 4th so must have been in the 40-50 band when it happened (when commuting I tend to stick to lowish revs in each gear). I think I dropped the bike into 3rd to slow it down, although I'm not 100% on that.
As the car approached, I didn't think I could avoid being hit by his left wing as he was braking but not swerving so I yanked the bike left and back onto the road. I had to head across to the correct lane and near to the other side of the road because at exactly the same moment he decided to swerve
It felt like I missed him by 5 feet. I have no idea what it really was. 10 yards, perhaps, at a guess.
Thank Ged Above he had good reactions and braked.
Thank Ged Above the GS could easily cope with the broken up road surface.
Thank Ged Above I wasn't accelerating hard.
I went back along the A32 this morning, although I may well take the A3 home tonight. I couldn't see anything on the road, either mud or the rainbow of fuel residue. I didn't stop to see if it was slippery.
I honestly cannot think of how I could have screwed up the bend by taking the wrong line. It's an easy bend that you just tip into. I've done it twice a day for ages. I'm sure I tipped in exactly as much as I usually would and in the same place. The way the lack of grip felt was very weird too - just like I'd stopped being on the road. Both wheels must have given way the same amount 'cos I didn't feel the back coming round or anything, we just went right across the road instead of round on the expected tack.
The conclusions I draw:
- I was taking the corner too fast. I have taken that corner faster than that in the rain before but on that day at that time it was still too fast.
- the only thing I can think of for the sudden loss of grip is that there was something on the road.
- the GS is fecking' good at coping with stuff, despite having done 87k miles and having what must be fairly shagged suspension by now.
- I fscked it up but I wish I could say exactly how.
Scared the living daylights out of me, I can tell you. My wife looks ace in black but not, I suspect, in mourning :-(
I ride home along the A32. Near the village of Corhampton there is an often slippery roundabout at which I take the first exit. The road goes left then bends right and just after Bucks Head Hill it goes back left again: http://tinyurl.com/5a5ls2.
It was dark, around 8:00 pm and wet.
I have taken that last corner at some speed, in the dry and both in the daylight and in the dark. Yesterday I was doing around 45, maybe 50, accelerating (not hard) away from the village.
As I entered the corner, I felt all traction go. To be a little more precise, I did not feel the bike slide at all, but the usual feeling of vibration from wheels on road went completely. I became very, very quickly aware that I was crossing the centre line and then suddenly, very very quickly, I was upright and riding along in the gutter / verge, the right hand side of the bike and my right elbow were being whipped by branches and the bike was bouncing around in the ruts of the verge.
And there was an oncoming car. Close.
I saw his lights dipping as he braked like fsck. I daren't brake but had throttled off so was slowing down. I was in 4th so must have been in the 40-50 band when it happened (when commuting I tend to stick to lowish revs in each gear). I think I dropped the bike into 3rd to slow it down, although I'm not 100% on that.
As the car approached, I didn't think I could avoid being hit by his left wing as he was braking but not swerving so I yanked the bike left and back onto the road. I had to head across to the correct lane and near to the other side of the road because at exactly the same moment he decided to swerve
It felt like I missed him by 5 feet. I have no idea what it really was. 10 yards, perhaps, at a guess.Thank Ged Above he had good reactions and braked.
Thank Ged Above the GS could easily cope with the broken up road surface.
Thank Ged Above I wasn't accelerating hard.
I went back along the A32 this morning, although I may well take the A3 home tonight. I couldn't see anything on the road, either mud or the rainbow of fuel residue. I didn't stop to see if it was slippery.
I honestly cannot think of how I could have screwed up the bend by taking the wrong line. It's an easy bend that you just tip into. I've done it twice a day for ages. I'm sure I tipped in exactly as much as I usually would and in the same place. The way the lack of grip felt was very weird too - just like I'd stopped being on the road. Both wheels must have given way the same amount 'cos I didn't feel the back coming round or anything, we just went right across the road instead of round on the expected tack.
The conclusions I draw:
- I was taking the corner too fast. I have taken that corner faster than that in the rain before but on that day at that time it was still too fast.
- the only thing I can think of for the sudden loss of grip is that there was something on the road.
- the GS is fecking' good at coping with stuff, despite having done 87k miles and having what must be fairly shagged suspension by now.
- I fscked it up but I wish I could say exactly how.
Scared the living daylights out of me, I can tell you. My wife looks ace in black but not, I suspect, in mourning :-(
).
