I was out riding at the weekend, going fairly quick through the lanes (but always keeping adequate stopping distance). A car coming the other way flashes me, thankfully I wasn't doing anythign "wrong" so my first assumption was, "something up ahead", rather than, "oops I'm riding like a tw@". So, not only do I drop to about 50mph, but I'm scanning the road even more thoroughly than normal. I see what it is- roll of carpet, rolled up, horizontal across the road, almost at exactly 90 degrees to the kerb and completely coveing my lane. Thankfully, due to the forewarning I managed to slow down and skirt into the empty oncoming lane to get round it.
Had he not warned me, I think to be honest, I probably would of seen it, but due to the colour of it, lighting, the shape/placement of it, etc. I could of easily mistaken it for one of those tarmac patches you get from the road being dug up and not slowed until it was too late. It didn't look like a full roll, but big enough to have you off.
So, they're not all inattentive, selfish and poor drivers. Still, lets be honest, probably a biker in his car, eh?
