I know we all tend to be very attentive while driving our rigs down the interstate. At least I hope we are. I'm always driving ahead (watching several cars distant to watch for anything happening) as much as possible. I even often scope out escape routes in the event something might happen. I had an incident today that shows that it doesn't take much to distract us.
We were driving in the right lane on I-30 west between Little Rock and Texarkana. There was a line of about six vehicles in the left lane stacked up behind a semi truck that was passing a semi truck in the right lane. The two semi trucks were approximately side by side about 1/4 mile ahead of us. The last vehicle in the line behind them was maybe 100 feet ahead of us.
I heard a kinda faint explosion noise that I knew was a tire, followed by a flap-flap-flap sound. Of course, the first thing we think (even though my TPMS didn't go off) is that it is probably one of our trailer tires. Now I'm busy craning my head to try to see all my trailer tires in the rearview mirrors instead of looking ahead (with cruise control set to 65 MPH).
About the time I figured it wasn't my tire, the six vehicles ahead of me are all on their brakes and swerving around a huge chunk of rubber from one of the semi trucks. Each successive vehicle had to make progressively more aggressive evasive maneuvers to the point that the last vehicle in line swerved across both lanes in front of me and partially into the shoulder. Fortunately, I looked up as soon as I did and eased over into the shoulder and braked normally. Everyone sorted themselves out, straightened up without incident and proceeded on up the road.
It only takes a second, folks. You never know where that next distraction will come from.
We were driving in the right lane on I-30 west between Little Rock and Texarkana. There was a line of about six vehicles in the left lane stacked up behind a semi truck that was passing a semi truck in the right lane. The two semi trucks were approximately side by side about 1/4 mile ahead of us. The last vehicle in the line behind them was maybe 100 feet ahead of us.
I heard a kinda faint explosion noise that I knew was a tire, followed by a flap-flap-flap sound. Of course, the first thing we think (even though my TPMS didn't go off) is that it is probably one of our trailer tires. Now I'm busy craning my head to try to see all my trailer tires in the rearview mirrors instead of looking ahead (with cruise control set to 65 MPH).
About the time I figured it wasn't my tire, the six vehicles ahead of me are all on their brakes and swerving around a huge chunk of rubber from one of the semi trucks. Each successive vehicle had to make progressively more aggressive evasive maneuvers to the point that the last vehicle in line swerved across both lanes in front of me and partially into the shoulder. Fortunately, I looked up as soon as I did and eased over into the shoulder and braked normally. Everyone sorted themselves out, straightened up without incident and proceeded on up the road.
It only takes a second, folks. You never know where that next distraction will come from.