Boat trailer rear ended next to me on 101S near Petaluma

[Tupperwolf]

So there I was, making my way politely through light traffic at about 65mph on the 101 just south of Petaluma area. I was following a vehicle towing a sailboat in the right lane for about 10-15 seconds. This area of the highway has some construction, so both left and right sides have concrete barriers. I moved over to the left to pass. Just as I was moving past the driver side window I heard a WHUMP, and the vehicle jerked forward a couple of feet. I glanced over, noticing the expression of surprise on the driver. Then, looking in my rearview mirror as I accelerated, I saw that someone had rear-ended the boat trailer, and it was jackknifing out to the left - and as I watched in awe the trailer tipped then rolled onto its side, spilling the boat out across both lanes of traffic. Still probably at about 50mph.

As the incident disappeared in my rearview mirrors I realized that I probably moved out of the way of being ass-packed into the back of a sailboat just in time. I had the adrenaline giggles for a good 10 miles.

Oh yeah, my GoPro was off because I used both batteries riding up the 1

 

[Tupperwolf]

Unrelated to the story but here's a pic from my solo ride today.

 

[day004]

And tonight's lotto #'s ARE???

 

[bpw]

Jesus, could you imagine having a BOAT fall on you.

 

[injun]

Many years ago on 99 coming back from bakersfield saw a 23 footer launch over the oleanders - no trailer just the boat into the fast lane I was like:wow.

 

[russ69]

Jesus, could you imagine having a BOAT fall on you.

And the two guys in the boat were still fishing!

 

[monkeythumpa]

Oh yeah, my GoPro was off because I used both batteries riding up 1

Fixed

 

[th3_d0c]

Ha, was up at Cow Mountain today and got stuck in the traffic from that accident.

The BMW that was towing the boat got MESSED up, the trailer nose(?) punched a hole through the tailgate. But the boat was on the trailer when I passed, probably around 630 or so.

 

[Tupperwolf]

So it was a BMW, that's interesting - I have very clear memories of the boat because I was behind it, and the vehicle towing it was light-colored, but I didn't capture exactly what it was. X3 or X5? Afterwards I was thinking that it was a Honda Element or maybe a Ford pickup. Which is exactly why I wear my gopro everywhere, because memory is sketchy compared to video! The accident probably happened about 4:00-4:15 or so.

 

[CRUZer]

Nothing to add here but that's a cool looking bike. :thumbup

 

[th3_d0c]

Yea, white x3. It was a smaller sailboat right? Maybe 23ish feet?

Wow, yea, that traffic must have been terrible for a long time.

 

[Tupperwolf]

Yup about a 23ft boat sounds about right. I was elated that not only did I not die by being crushed between some idiot and a boat, but that I was ahead of the inevitable traffic jam. I watched the highway behind me become deserted as I rode away. Probably should have been a good citizen and pulled over to give a statement and make sure everyone was okay, but I could see that despite looking messy nobody was likely to be hurt.

 

[louemc]

Refreshing to hear a great outcome story :thumbup

 

[ThumperX]

arty

Yesterday, not a good day to die.

 

[sanjuro]

I thought you were involved with this one:

http://blog.sfgate.com/stew/2014/08...-petaluma-involving-brick-oven-pizza-trailer/

PETALUMA (BCN) — A man was killed and three others, including two children, were injured when a detached trailer collided with their car near Petaluma on Friday night, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

The man was driving a Honda Civic, with a woman and two children inside, on Old Lakeville No. 3 Road around 7:30 p.m.

He was waiting to make a turn onto Lakeville Highway when a brick oven pizza trailer became detached from a van and crashed into the Honda’s driver side, Officer Andrew Barclay said.

The collision caused the Honda to turn over onto the passenger side. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. A woman and a boy who had been inside the car were taken to a nearby hospital.

 

[anytwowilldo]

Unrelated to the story but here's a pic from my solo ride today.

Glad you were not hurt. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.

Looks like a beautiful day at Alpine Lake.

 

[moto-rama]

Fixed

Thanks!


"the" [insert road number here] !!!!:afm199

 

[kurth83]

Wow, how can you not see a boat trailer?
Whoever the driver was they were going to hit whatever was in front of them.

 

[NB0tt]

Sorry mate, I didn't see the fucking boat so I hit it!

 

[moto-rama]

Glad to hear you avoided a bad situation.

Of course I have to re-tell my Hot Tub on i-80 story.

Coming back from road trip in Sierra, tooling along on I80 near Hilltop...
Up ahead and over a lane to my right is a Hot Tub on a trailer, full of water, sloshing and that sort of thing behind a hoopity truck of some kind.

Of course, it breaks loose, starts spinning wildly through traffic, causing a lot of craziness. I meander to far right lane and stop on shoulder...
just as the hot tub and trailer shoot off the freeway to the frontage road and crash in to a Ford Explorer on city streets.

Something you don't see often. Glad it was in front of me!