Close Call in a Tunnel

[Black_Beauty]

Friday afternoon after work I am headed to my friends house, about a 2 hour drive, on my 2007 S-50. I am riding thru the city of Pittsburgh on a 4-lane highway, Rt376. I am approaching the 2nd of the two tunnels I need to navigate, I am in the left lane crising with traffic about 40 MPH, a mini-van in front of me, a car to my right and a full size, lifted, pick-up behind me, enough comfort room around me to feel satisfied but I am alert, except for the view in front in partially blocked by the tinted windows of the mini-van. As we enter the tunnel known as the Squirrell Hill Tunnel about 3/4 mile long. As my eyes adjust to the light in the tunnel I see the mini-van abruptly stops due traffic in front. I have time to quickly get the bike stopped, but hear the sickening sound of tires screeching behind me. I guess the tobacco chewing cowboy behind the wheel of the pick-up was not paying attention. Funny how things go into slow motion at times like these, it seemed I had lots of time to decide what to do, although it was fractions of a second. Instinct told me to avoid being a pancake on the front bumper of the ford F250, I need to head left, as traffic in the right lanes were still moving. I Squeeze thru between the now stopped mini-van and the tunnel wall to my left, my left boot scraping on the tunnel curb wall, avoiding the mini-van side mirror, I sneak past with out a scratch on me or the bike. The boot... oh well, thats why I wear them. As i pull back in front of the mini-van, I look over my shoulder and wave at the driver, she saw the whole thing in her mirrors, and knew why I did what I did.
This is my first bike I have ridden in over 30 years, I bought it new 2 months ago and have about 2500 miles on her. I am glad it is not any bigger. This was the first incident so far, and it had a butt pucker factor of at least 9.0.
Thanks for all of your tips from this site, your experience is priceless.
Stay safe, Stay alert.

[sra4031]

I am glad you are OK, and that also made a very good point I am not sure if anyone else picked up on. I know when I come inside on a birght day I cannot see a thing until my eyes adjust, so if you are going into a dark tunnel increase your following distance if you can to compensate.

[TFee3]

I think cops are really stupid for doing something like that. I would have climbed his tail for creating a seriously dangerous situation, and if he ticketed me, I'd explain to the judge what the idiot did and why he gave me a ticket. Of course, I'm in my late 60's, and I could probably get away with it much easier than a young man.

[SNAFU]

Glad you guys are okay. I'm glad we don't have tunnels around here.

[Black_Beauty]

Thanks for your concerns.

With only 2500 miles under my wheels, I feel my decision was more instinctive than from experience. An increased following distance is a great idea, especially inside a tunnel, because your escape routes are very limited. On the open road, even on the approach to a tunnel in heavy traffic, increased following distance only leads to someone cutting into the empty area in front of you from another lane. There is a happy medium though, a 'comfort zone' based on the situation you are riding in. Once inside the tunnel it is illegal to change lanes though, around here, I've seen it done but not often.

Once a sport bike split the lanes blowing past traffic at what had to be double the moving speed of the traffic in the tunnel, some guys have a death wish it seems.

[Mydlyfkryzis]

If you ever driven in Pittsburgh, you would know you can't increase your distance. You can slow down, but as the opening in front of gets bigger, cars jump in, filling the gap.

Those tunnels in Pitts are the pits. Pittsburgh has got to be the only place where you go across a bridge, directly into a tunnel.

[MOTOHOLIC!]

That WAS a close call! Glad you're OK

[MOTOHOLIC!]

It could have been much worse