Road Cycling - Squirrel Suicide Season

Living here in Northern Virginia, the last few weeks all of the squirrels have been going bonkers. I think it might be mainly a Northeast thing, with the fuzzy little creatures scavenging for nuts before winter. Anyway, it sure makes for interesting rides. The other day I had one actually make it between my front and rear wheels (no jokes about me biking to slow!),. I know I am going to nail one anyday now, I believe it to be unavoidable.
Anyway, on the W&OD bike path, it's kinda like a video game, because the darn things are so upredictable, and they dart out from any old place. It definitely adds a level of excitement to the ride. Just seeing if anybody else has had some squirrel fun.
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Absolutely!! I'm in PA, and for the last week or so I have had a close call with a squirrel on almost every ride....sometimes a few times per ride!

I've found myself slowing down, etc. I wonder if the best strategy is to just keep riding riding straight and fast and let the squirrel handle it. Problem is, I find it tough to trust squirrels. Thieving buggers.

Also in PA and I darn near got one this morning in the parking lot of my work. It would have been ugly too as I was turning into the lot and would have gone down for sure had I hit him. :mad:

Which brings me to my next question. I am sure a dog/cat has the mass to bring a rider down, but all my countless close calls with squirrels makes me wonder, if you got one of them in between your spokes, would that be enough to send you down, or would the furry little bugger explode before locking you up? Gruesome, I know, but an honest question...

I've noticed the same thing recently. They dart out in front of you and stop and look at you, then they decide to finish their way across the street only to turn around and go back to where they came from. I sewerved to miss one last week as he changed directions on a dime. And I think if you hit one, you would go down. They don't weigh much, 8 or 9 pounds maybe, but they could do some damage I think.

Oh that is just nasty. I think I would go down trying to shield myself from the guts and blood.

They don't weigh much, 8 or 9 pounds maybe, but they could do some damage I think.

:eek: Holy crap where are the 8-9 lb squirrels? :eek: I have to avoid that place. I think they probably weigh around a pound if that.

Too funny Grasschopper, you got me openly laughing at my desk...

I ran over a squirrel last week. Well just its tail. It seemed a little stunned and just stayed there after the fact looking rather dumbfounded.

I hit a squirrel once. Very not pretty or fun. I didn't crash but he did get flung into my chain-ring and then into the path of my rear wheel. I would avoid them at all costs. Picking squirrel out of a chin-ring is worse then crashing, and doing both would just suck.

Milo

Scientific side-by-side comparison of Vermont squirrels to average cyclist.

That's fricking good Vermont Jim. They really are goofy looking and acting creatures. How would you all like to go through life in a constant wave of panic and indecisiveness.

On the WOD, it's just not a complete ride unless:

I get a bee drilled into my helmet vents

A squirrel tries to intersect my line of travel at least once.

Dave

On the WOD, it's just not a complete ride unless:

I get a bee drilled into my helmet vents

A squirrel tries to intersect my line of travel at least once.

Dave

For me it's a grasshopper in the chinstrap, right below my ear. At least with cooler weather they're getting sluggish.

Squirrels are hilarious. You can see the thoughts: "LEFT! NO! RIGHT! NO! REALLY REALLY FAST LEFT AND RIGHT! YES!" Almost as random as sheep sometimes...

did

They have been going crazy here in Atlanta, too. Last suday one tried to run between my wheels and got flipped to the side. My son who was riding behind me said it looked a bit dazed by the interaction. :eek: I could hear him chatter as we left him behind.

I think the shorter days are making them seek food for the winter. Also, I looked up their weight and it ranges between 1 to 3 pounds.

Another thread here about squirrel crossings (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=68598&highlight=squirrel)

I also use the W&OD here in Virginia.

This season, one squirrel hit the front spokes and bounced off. The wheel is going too fast for them to get caught up. I also had a little chipmunk hit the spokes and then my foot; he was out for the count.

One season I had a squirrel bounce off the spokes and then hit my chest. I do not slow down for them I just close my eyes in case they hit me in the face.

It’s the deer’s I worry about.

Saw a lot of deer on the W&OD last night about 6:30pm in the Ashburn area. Gotta becareful now 'cuz those guy will do a lot of damage if you run into them.

How would you all like to go through life in a constant wave of panic and indecisiveness.

You've met my wife then :D

They have been darting across the American River bike path all summer. I had one bounce off my spokes a few months ago and a week later a guy right next to me went right over one. It is possible for one to get flung up and stick in your forks but the kinetic energy involved would likely tear the poor little guy apart. A squirrel endo would be pretty rough.

Which brings me to my next question. I am sure a dog/cat has the mass to bring a rider down, but all my countless close calls with squirrels makes me wonder, if you got one of them in between your spokes, would that be enough to send you down, or would the furry little bugger explode before locking you up? Gruesome, I know, but an honest question...


Maybe this might answer part of your question - http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=13765

I killed one last summer around Three Oaks Michigan. Weird ride overall, before killing the squirrel I got lost in Indiana and ended up riding by Oprah's "Farm". The place is a fortress!!!

I ran over one about a month ago. I saw him run out on the road when he was a good bit in front of me. I decided to keep my course and let him do the menuevering. When I got near he ran past and then must have remembered he'd forgotten something in my chainring because he ran straight for it. I then hit him with my rear wheel. I looked back to see him darting off the road. I suspect he had a monster headache.

they do it on purpose, trying to get us to crash attempting to dodge them...after which they laugh and hi-five their squirrely friends....some just aren't very good at it....

:eek: Holy crap where are the 8-9 lb squirrels? :eek: I have to avoid that place. I think they probably weigh around a pound if that.

Yeah, they actually only weigh a few pounds I think. I had to go with the 8 or 9 for dramatic effect. The stories are much more interesting if you are talking about 8 or 9 pound squirels.

When I lived in Sacramento, CA I use to run over (with bike) 3 or 4 squirrels each fall. The first time it happened I swerved to avoid the squirrel, I still hit him and he nearly took me out. After that first time I took the “me vs. them mentally” and did not bother swerving. I used the same approach with snakes, but it sucks when you have a rattlesnake spinning in your spokes.

Rydwhite,
Maybe the squirrels near you are using EPO, you should have them tested, just make sure you don't freeze the second sample...

At least they're not jumping at us from overhanging tree limbs yet...

Interesting thread.

Down here in Texas just off Galveston Bay I ride almost every day and have seen for the past week or so
a BUNCH of road killed squirrels. A dozen or so at least. A bunch more than I usually see that's for sure.


Something must be in the air. Secret government spraying squirrel-nip from high altitude jets? Eh?

i did not realize there were that many northern virginians here. high all ride the w@od most sat. see you all there. any group rides i always go it alone?

We had one try to cross the street during a mass start of a 1500 person ride. That squirrel took alot of tumbles between pedals and spokes but finally made his way across. All cyclists were safe.

There are regular group rides through the Reston Bike Club
www.restonbikeclub.org
I live in Herndon and commute to Sterling on the WOD almost every day.

Had a wierd experience the other day....was riding along a two lane road in backcountry PA. I see a deer up ahead, standing in the middle of the road. I yell and slow down, and it runs back into the woods. So, I start to speed up again. Right as I near the spot that he used to be standing, he ran back out into the road...at this point I locked up my brakes. Instead of crossing the road, this deer runs ALONG IT. Any bystander would have claimed I was "chasing" the deer.....so wierd...

maybe something is in the air...i am in western MA...had a ride today and one squirrel fell of a long branch just about on top of me...i looked back thinking he was dead, but the bugger just ran away...a few miles later i almost ran over one...geez...

Surgeon General's Warning to squirrels: Gathering nuts may be hazardous to your health.

maybe something is in the air...i am in western MA...had a ride today and one squirrel fell of a long branch just about on top of me...i looked back thinking he was dead, but the bugger just ran away...a few miles later i almost ran over one...geez...

When I lived in Ohio, I had a large lot w/ house. 27 huge Oaks and maybe 15 Hickory trees. Squirrels were always falling from trees with a huge "thud". ALWAYS would run back to the same tree after a second or two of indecisivness like they left their wallet up there or something! Always amusing to watch and just as dumbfounded that they survive without any injuries.

Suicide?

They have been darting across the American River bike path all summer. I had one bounce off my spokes a few months ago and a week later a guy right next to me went right over one. It is possible for one to get flung up and stick in your forks but the kinetic energy involved would likely tear the poor little guy apart. A squirrel endo would be pretty rough.

As Cerberusgl says ... they have been all over the AR trail all summer. So far this year I hit three, or rather; I have been 'T-Boned' by three of these pesky long tailed rodents. One went into my front wheel and was thrown up and bounced off my shin. It was kind of gross.

My biggest concern with the change in season coming on is all of the acorns on some parts of the trail. It can get kinda interesting when rounding a bend at speed and your front wheel hits an acorn and slides radially outward over the acorn. It tends to get your attention rather quickly.

Anyway, I just don’t want to go down from hitting a long tailed rodent.

I got one on a group ride last tuesday. 23 MPH and I got it with tires.. thought for sure I was going down (I didn't) took me 8 miles to get my breathing back in rhythm and the group almost dropped me. Oh well, scary!

That's an awful picture - did you go have to search for it or what?
I have hit several squirrels in my career, and this year they seem to be more numerous and crazier than ever. Just the other day I was rolling thought the arboreum (tree place) near my house and one faked me out completely - doubling back just after he crossed the path. Went right under my front tire, a 20mm at about 130 psi. I stumbled and almost crashed, while he scrambled away and up the nearest tree, whereupon we locked eyes for what seemed like a long time. Maybe he climbed it on adrenaline and dropped dead as soon as I left.
Why do all of my cycling stories involve animal death or near death?

A week ago, I hit a sqirrel with my car. I was on my way home from the bike shop. It made me feel pretty crappy. Poor little guy : (

I haven't been dive-bombed from above yet, but that has to be pretty freaky. I know it's bad enough trying to predict their path when they are in front of you. (impossible to account for the actions of somebody or something that is irrational...)

Same here in Annapolis, MD. Little buggers wait till the last second, can't decide which way to go...thank God I haven't hit one yet. Scary the way they scatter one way and the other, I just stay loose and hope for the best for us both.