Riding distraction !!

[nick crisp]

As to the original topic, it's not so much a distraction as what is happening while you are doing your lifesaver?  Guy I work with used to commute into work on his bike.  Had been doing it for years on and off and didn't give it a second thought.  On his way in one morning he came up behind a petrol tanker, did his lifesaver check over his shoulder, looked forward to complete the overtake only to find himself considerably closer to the back of the tanker than he was comfortable with as it had slammed the brakes on to avoid a car that had pulled out in front of it.  He missed it by fractions of an inch.

Is that not a case of rider error still, as he should have left room for such an event occurring whilst doing his life saver?