Road Cycling - Cycling Carnage Question?

Lately it seems that I have had a quite a few mishaps with squirrels crossing the bike path and suddenly changing direction and darting directly into my wheels (e.g. spokes). Luckily I have not actually hit one directly with my front wheel but over the last couple of months I have had three occurances with them commiting suicide by suddenly changing dirction and reversing directly into the side of my wheels (both front and back). No mishaps on my part but every time I see a squirrel now I make some noise to let them know I’m coming.

As best I can tell they seriously misjudge my speed. Most of my hit and runs have occurred when doing between 18- and 20-mph. Anyone have similar experiences?

Gaul..Around here it is rabbits..Man, are they squirely.

this reminds (it's a bit off the topic): I have a theory that most single vehicle, rural motor accidents are caused by wild animals, such as kangaroos, jumping in front of the driver. Most of these accidents are blamed on fatigue; i suppose do to tyre marks, but.........whatever........I've lost interest in my own post.

I haven't had any experiences like that since living in Texas. Not even an armadillo!! But when I lived in New Jersey I had the fecal matter scared out of me by deer on 3 different occasions. I would trade your squirrel for a whitetail any day.

I had the fecal matter scared out of me by deer on 3 different occasions. I would trade your squirrel for a whitetail any day.
I've told the story before but I actually hit a deer once. American River bike path in Sacramento. Dang thing came full speed out of the brush, did a "bambi on ice" leg splatter when he hit the pavement in front of me, and I nailed him square in the gut. Rolled right over the top of him, somehow avoiding his antlers. Weirdest thing to ever happen to me on a bike.

55/Rad

Lately it seems that I have had a quite a few mishaps with squirrels crossing the bike path and suddenly changing direction and darting directly into my wheels (e.g. spokes). Luckily I have not actually hit one directly with my front wheel but over the last couple of months I have had three occurances with them commiting suicide by suddenly changing dirction and reversing directly into the side of my wheels (both front and back). No mishaps on my part but every time I see a squirrel now I make some noise to let them know I’m coming.

As best I can tell they seriously misjudge my speed. Most of my hit and runs have occurred when doing between 18- and 20-mph. Anyone have similar experiences?

I've almost nailed at least 3 squirrels so far. They stand there in the classic squirrel pose up on both hind legs, see you coming, and at the last second, decide to cross the street in front of me. Scares the mess out of me every time.

Sometimes it is the already in-place road kill you need to worry about.

Last week while riding on a calm, 2 lane highway, I noticed road kill in the center of the road. Easy enough to miss, right?!?! A pick-up truck coming up from the rear managed to get along side of me just as I/we passed the road kill.

POW! He ran over the carcass with his left tires and you would have thought he had set off a bomb in that carcass. Rather gruesome, but there were pieces and parts flying across the road and in the air ... unfortunately a few managed to pepper me! I have been splattered by bugs, but never "dead body" parts.

So be careful of the living and the dead!!

Here in west Tennessee I've had to brake hard to avoid deer, always watch out for squirrels, and take pride in hitting snakes.

I ran over a squirrel once. I was riding with a friend on a bike path and the squirrel dodged her bike and went right under my front wheel. The wheel sucked it up and the squirrel got chopped in half by the spokes. It was a nasty mess.

Eewwww!

Here in the Chicago Suburbs, we have squirrels, rabbits, deer, and the newest enemy to my world of biking, COYOTE. Now...they are not aggressive, and will usually run away after a few seconds that seem like minutes. Maybe they will help keep the squirrel, rabbit and deer population down.

Turkeys! Around here, there's one place where they like to gather and hang out on the road, 4 or 5 at a time. It's at the bottom of a screamer of a hill. I start yelling at the top of my lungs as soon as I see them. I end up threading the needle through the pack. It doesn't faze them a bit to have me blow through the pack at 35!

I've told the story before but I actually hit a deer once. American River bike path in Sacramento. Dang thing came full speed out of the brush, did a "bambi on ice" leg splatter when he hit the pavement in front of me, and I nailed him square in the gut. Rolled right over the top of him, somehow avoiding his antlers. Weirdest thing to ever happen to me on a bike.

55/Rad

I always wondered if anyone had hit a deer on a bike and how that would work out. Well, now I know. God that's got to be the wierdest ride home after you hit the deer. Peace.

Oh...I forget. The Canadian Geese are terrible here. Very aggressive.

Funny thread...

About 5 years ago I was peddlin' on the road along a fence line. A lone antelope on the other side of the fence picks up my pace and is shadowing me for about 3 miles. It was surreal. It gets better.... Suddenly, I notice that we are approaching the fence line corner. I keep looking at the antelope to see how far and high it will jump to clear the fence and continue pacing me. Instead, it runs smack head first into a fence post ...it's out for the count but breathing. I'm stopped and wondering if the antelope is going to be okay. Suddenly, it jumps upright and stands there for a second or two. Then it leaps the fence between us and is running straight for me. It stops just a few feet from me, turns around and jumps the fence back into the field and keeps going.

Weirdest bicycle/animal exprience I've ever had.

The scariest was in Durango when I sighted a black bear and her cubs running through the forest while mountain biking.

Funny thread...


The scariest was in Durango when I sighted a black bear and her cubs running through the forest while mountain biking.

a friend hit a black bear on a motorcycle, but that's a different deal

that roadkill story is awesome/brutal

almost hit a suicidal dove that ended up getting smacked by the car right next to me passing, a little feather rain there.
almost have hit collared peccary a few times (like a wild boars, run in packs, dumb and scatter dangerously) on the road...watched 3 riders on the other side of the road have a very close call just a week back; one large peccary in the bike lane (size of a large fat dog) stuck in between them and panicking. dicey.
the rabbits are insane here too (totally suicidal)
coyotes are something to deal with (I just shout and they go)
though the most common roadkill to watch for are the snakes; always feel bad rolling over that

ditto on the Canadian Geese....and man they leave a lot of crap on the trail.....the back of my shirt always has small poop line

I have a theory that most single vehicle, rural motor accidents are caused by wild animals, such as kangaroos

I haven't seen any accidents around here caused by kangaroos. :D

I had a close squirrel in the wheel, but he turned around at the last second. I've seen coyotes, snakes, deer, alligators, lizards, wild dogs, turkeys, and the creepiest thing...a tarantula while MTB.

There is one rabbit at my friend's house who loves to race, whether cars or bikes. He runs out next to me until he gets far enoughh ahead and then darts across the street in front of me triumphantly. Cute, but I'm sure it will get him killed someday, unfortunately. Still, at least he is living life to the fullest, right?

I've actually heard of two stories of runners having mishaps with animals. One was a girl who stepped on a squirrel much like you describe(but its just funny because honestly, who steps on a squirrel?). Another was a guy who was running a high school cross country race and a deer came out of the woods, ran right into the kid and then kept going. I suppose it was one of his worst races ever.

Lately it seems that I have had a quite a few mishaps with squirrels crossing the bike path and suddenly changing direction and darting directly into my wheels (e.g. spokes). Luckily I have not actually hit one directly with my front wheel but over the last couple of months I have had three occurances with them commiting suicide by suddenly changing dirction and reversing directly into the side of my wheels (both front and back). No mishaps on my part but every time I see a squirrel now I make some noise to let them know I’m coming.

As best I can tell they seriously misjudge my speed. Most of my hit and runs have occurred when doing between 18- and 20-mph. Anyone have similar experiences?

I ride a bicycle as a part of my job (police officer) and I posed this question to several of my fellow officers. We conclude that there is a little know cult of "suicidal squirrels." We are constantly dodging these fellows and have handed out telephone contacts for them to call.
All joking aside, myself and several officers that ride bikes on patrol have had numerous mishaps with squirrels. We all think that because the squirrels can see through the wheels they don't know there is an obstacle there. They attempt to run through the wheel. Knocked one officer over last month and sent him home for two days, Injured On Duty.

Out here in Colorado I am more afraid of the Gophers. Those dams things wont move out of your way, and sometimes there are 10 of the suckers on the trail. The have brought me to complete stops several times.

I always wondered if anyone had hit a deer on a bike and how that would work out. Well, now I know. God that's got to be the wierdest ride home after you hit the deer. Peace.
I was scraped but otherwise ok. The bike however, faired a bit worse. The front wheel was taco'd and there was road rash in various places. I had to hike to a phone as it was 1990 and cell phones were still in cars.

55/Rad

i've slid on the shells of turtles. no lie.

No mishaps on my part but every time I see a squirrel now I make some noise to let them know I’m coming.



I've thought of a theory that squirrels are attracted to noise as a deer is to headlights. Maybe try the no noise thing? I have no clue

Panoram Jazzman aka Panoramic

Hey Brian, there's a message in my alphabits. It says "OOOOO"
Peter those are cherios

Yeah, Suicidal Squirrels. Cross 90% of the road, freak out, turn around and head back.

I don't get it.