Scary Experience

[CitySnake]

Out putting some last mileage on my Viper this weekend and had a memorable experience that COULD have been disastrous. Driving east along on a major roadway (Long Island Expressway) still near to Manhattan when I pass and unloaded 18 wheeler (I knew it was unloaded because it had an open truck bed). There was moderate traffic and the driving and speed was casual as it was a Saturday morning. and I came up on him at about 65 MPH. He was probably doing 60 which I though was pretty fast for the moderate traffic at the time. I pulled into the left lane to pass which was a bit of a pain since there was some traffic that was hesitant to pass him, lagging a few car lengths back. So I pass with no problem and as I'm pulling back to the right into his lane I hear an explosion that literally stopped my heart! The 4 lane roadway has 4-5 feet high concrete barriers in this area so I'm certain that they enhanced the sound with reverb...but let me tell you the sound and the vibration was astounding. At first I thought the Viper exploded, but other than the sound everything was fine. Then I looked in the rear view mirror and saw chunks of tire tread flying in the air right behind the truck that I had just passed. I mean the area directly behind the truck was filled with tire debris and what appeared to be sand...so much that the trailing area behind the truck was brownish to look thru! The truck was half jackknifed to the right and a few cars were careening all over the place to avoid the truck and/or debris. I could see a few diving down as the drivers jammed on their brakes. One was into the concrete divider scraping against it!

Needless to say, if I didn't pass that truck when I did.....

What I found most astounding (other than my extraordinary luck) was just how incredibly loud was the tire (or tires) burst. I was probably 150 feet in front of the truck and it was his rear tire(s) that gave way and MAN, I could swear for a nanosecond that it was right next to me. I literally had an ear ache for a few minutes after that incident.

Anyway, there's nothing to be learned from this experience , but I just wanted to tell it (and waste your good time).

Carpe Diem!

 

[ViperTony]

Well, I'm glad to hear you're OK. Hopefully you changed your shorts and are good to go. I always carry an extra in the Viper for just such an occasion.

 

[Bobpantax]

"Anyway, there's nothing to be learned from this experience , but I just wanted to tell it (and waste your good time)."

Yes there is. If you are going to pass a rig like that, do it fast or stay way behind it. I am always a little fearful of passing a big rig for fear that a tire explosion might occur. We also have the problem of dump trucks not using the net to secure their loads properly and small rocks and/or stones dropping off of the truck and bouncing along the road - another upsetting scenario. I am glad that you lucked out. I know the feeling.

 

[dave6666]

I was RIGHT NEXT TO a truck tire when that happened, in a rental F-150. I felt the concussion in the cab, windows up. No wreck or anything else exciting, but it's an underwear event for sure.

Glad you are OK.

 

[RTTTTed]

I was driing MY Dump Truck when that happened to me - same experience, except the seat lifted about 6" when the tires blew. I had 25mi. on a new set of retreads and when the outside tire blew it exploded so hard that it blew the inside tire as well!

The tread leaped off of the rim and laid out across a Mazda RX7 that had been pacing me for 5mi. Served him right I figured ... stupid enough to fill the fast lane beside me without going fast! I'm sure he filled his shorts. He swerved and nearly tagged the cement barrier, but was lucky enough that he just missed it. He learned, as I was slowing to pull over he sped away. He won't be pacing anymore Trucks for awhile.

If you follow a Semi, be aware that all the dust and sand on the raod is being picked up by the Semi's tires and is continually sand blasting the front of your car. Truck tires also have treads specially designed to pickup nuggets and throw them to the rear at high speed.

Ted

 

[plumcrazy]

glad youre ok and that could have been really ugly, not just tires.

 

[RTTTTed]

Just figured I'd post "the other guy's (truck driver) point of view" so that people can also learn from Citysnake's experience as well as mine. Hopefully, there won't be any Viper drivers finding out the hard way what not to do around Tractors. The paint on my DD (Stealth R/T TT) is destroyed and it's the small amount of time I follow Semi's that's smashed my windshield and destroyed the paint. I should add that all the "sand" Citysnake mentioned is the dirt that settles on the undercarriage of trucks and trailers ... until they hit a bump, then the clumps fall out and blow apart when they hit the road surface at speed. Instant sand-blaster!

Ted

 

[Hamrhead]

Yeah, if you ever take any advice from a Truck Driver, take this :


DO NOT DRIVE BEHIND, NEXT TO, OR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HEAVY TRUCKS - EVER!


If you approach one, keep going! Don't slow down and follow it.

If a Truck approaches you and starts to pass - Let him go! Don't speed up and pace it.


I've had my share of blowouts over the years, and they tend to happen waaay more in the heat of the Summer. The weight of a Tire Cap (the retread that gets glued to the tire casing) alone is heavy enough to wipe out the entire side of a car! F'n Retreads...


In all honestly though, after well over 1.5 million miles, the majority of people on the road really are clueless, and they'll never learn.

 

[ViperCollector]

I was driving the family back to Los Angeles from Vegas one Sunday in our minivan, when passing a semi (4 lane divided) and the right rear tire exploded right as we got next to it. Definitely an 'oh ****' moment, especially for the wife in the passenger seat! Windows were rolled up, air on and dvd playing for the kids, and it was still deafening! I floored it (as well as a Nissan Quest can) to avoid all the debris that was now spewing from the wheel and managed to escape unscathed. The semi driver never lost control and stayed in his lane (whew), but a drive I'll never forget!

 

[GTSRboy2000]

What would cause a truck tire to randomly explode?

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

TRUCK RETREADS, why the heck are they allowed? I trained my daughter when she started driving not to pace trucks OR cars, get around them and in open space. She still almost got wiped out by a big retread lying in the road, she was trained well enough not to try and dodge it with people in both lanes beside her and she probably would have rolled if one of her tires had gone over it, and there was no way she would have seen it in heavy traffic, the cars ahead of her just had more ground clearance as Dad allowed her to have a sporty car, this sucker was huge, I went back to where it happened and found it. We see this crap in the road all the time, why do truckers get to buy cheap retreads and put the rest of us at risk? $2000 damage to the car, ripped the entire front bumperand fascia off.

 

[rcl4668]

Glad you're ok.

/Rich

 

[ChrisGNJ]

I remember driving in my Mini one time behind a truck carrying concrete. I was about 2 car lengths back, about to pass, and all of a sudden, bam, 4 cinder blocks hit the road.

Thank God for the Mini's handling or that car would have been toast. It was the middle of the day and I was able to swerve safely and avoid it, but man was that terrifying. Just the unexpectedness of the whole situation is crazy.

Just goes to show, anything can happen on the open road. Glad you're OK, man. Guardian angels with you that day.

 

[groove]

Been there too. I was on my GSX-R 1100 and closing in on a rig going down the highway. BANG!! There goes a tire, rubber chunks whizzing by WAY to close. Given the how loud the noise was, I dont know how I managed to miss everything. Glad it was just a 'scary experience' for you too.

 

[Warfang]

TRUCK RETREADS, why the heck are they allowed? I trained my daughter when she started driving not to pace trucks OR cars, get around them and in open space. She still almost got wiped out by a big retread lying in the road, she was trained well enough not to try and dodge it with people in both lanes beside her and she probably would have rolled if one of her tires had gone over it, and there was no way she would have seen it in heavy traffic, the cars ahead of her just had more ground clearance as Dad allowed her to have a sporty car, this sucker was huge, I went back to where it happened and found it. We see this crap in the road all the time, why do truckers get to buy cheap retreads and put the rest of us at risk? $2000 damage to the car, ripped the entire front bumperand fascia off.

Geez... glad your daughter is ok. Makes you want to give your kids a frickin armored personnel carrier to drive around!

 

[Camfab]

A similar event happened to me about 2 months ago, except the truck driver was doing about 75mph near Cal Grove on the 5 fwy. I accelerated to get away from him, and just as I got in front of him his rear tire blew. He just kept going, did'nt even care that it nearly wrecked a bunch of cars. The bottom line is that this will happen more and more in the future as fuel costs rise, these guys are neglecting maintenance. Glad you did'nt get hurt, but take it as a lesson because it will happen again.

 

[ViperGTS]

Happened to me also. A few years ago in Italy, near Verona.

Was about to pass a truck - he in the right lane, me left lane. When suddenly one of the tires exploded in front of me and all the tire debris flew around - luckily the truck stayed in the right lane and he stopped, me going by without anything hitting me...luck. Sometimes you need some luck.

 

[CitySnake]

I NEVER knew this was so common! I mean, I see "truck tire tread remains" laying on the side of highways all the time, but I never realized what an inherent danger this is.

I never follow another car or truck by nature, but I'll not forget this incident and make it my business never to get remotely close behind another truck...ever.

I felt sort of guilty just driving on with all the "chaos" that seemed to ensue in slow motion in my rear view mirror.

 

[alpine7822]

I had the same thing happen to me on vacation this summer...my friend was in a Roush Mustang and took it right to the front fascia, I was able to swerve, but it still got my driver's side and left a huge mark. State police pulled the guy over about a mile away, thank goodness.

I also just had this sent to me...thought it was appropriate.

ABC News

 

[CitySnake]

I also just had this sent to me...thought it was appropriate.

ABC News

That was an excellent video! Thank you.

 

[Rollin4]

What I find amazing about this post is that you were doing actually 65 on the LIE. (the world's longest parking lot) Everytime when I go to NY to visit family it's 0 to 15 mph. Glad your safe and there is no damage to your car or yourself.

 

[Dave Moore]

Glad to here you are ok Scott and not picking retread out of your ears!
So, any further word on your car?
Dave

 

[CitySnake]

What I find amazing about this post is that you were doing actually 65 on the LIE. (the world's longest parking lot) Everytime when I go to NY to visit family it's 0 to 15 mph. Glad your safe and there is no damage to your car or yourself.

Some truth to that, but it really depends on the time and place. The LIE runs for 80 miles from Manhattan out to Riverhead. Most places it's 4 lanes in each direction. Early on weekend mornings, it can be reasonably clear of traffic.

Of course you can be coming back from the Hamptons on a Sunday night in the summer in bumper to bumper traffic.

Next week Dave! Or else.

 

[Hamrhead]

What would cause a truck tire to randomly explode?

Low Air Pressure causes them to overheat.

It's more common in the Summer when the temps are high and the roads are hot.

 

[Hamrhead]

We see this crap in the road all the time, why do truckers get to buy cheap retreads and put the rest of us at risk?

Same reason as usual - To save Money.

From what I've been told, there are 2 or 3 levels (I think?) of quality when it comes to retreads. Obviously, the higher quality retread, the more they cost. All are cheaper than a new tire though.

If retreads were illegal, then everything trucks haul, which is Everything, would cost even more. Do you want to pay even more for everything? (As if we're not already) From what I've seen in my lifetime, people are always looking for the best price on everything they purchase.


At least retreads are illegal on the Steering Axle...