My parents had a rear bearing completely fail on a Renault many years ago as they were going to Cork to a funeral. The rear wheel passed them out on the road, it fell off the hub!
Nobody hurt, they got it fixed, and went on their way.
I myself had a rear wheel bearing go on my Honda VFR 750 motorcycle in the south of England on the motorway. Pretty scary. The bike shook it's head like a bronc at a rodeo. I had to move over three lanes without dropping the machine, or I would be dead under a lot of fast traffic.
Got it fixed, and we continued the tour.
Moral of the stories:
If I hear a wheel bearing noise, I get it fixed.
Joe
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Black Betty [Bam a Lam!] '93 UK spec, still languishing
Betty
Jersey Girl Silver '92 UK [Channel Isles] 40K
Jersey Girl @ Mersea
Candy Purple Honda Blackbird
Plum Dangerous
White X2 RVR Mitsubishi 1800GDI.
Vantastic
40,000 miles Jersey Girl