General Cycling Discussion - Intended to go for a leisurely bike ride and killed a pregnant squirrel

I had not been on a bike ride in more than a year. But today's weekend weather was so pleasant, my girlfriend suggested that we go on a short ride to the park for a late afternoon sandwich picnic. Sounded fun, so why not?

So I pumped up the tires, packed the bags, grabbed the helmets, and off we went. Everything was great at first, aside from a bug flying straight onto my left eyeball and another into my mouth. But really, the temperature outside was perfect and it was nice to back out on a bike. When we left the bike lanes of the streets and got onto the paved trail that leads to the park, we pedaled slowly, as there were quite a few groups of walkers, also out to enjoy the warm spring atmosphere.

Well, as I approached a wide bend, I had to veer left to pass a wall of five pedestrians (all walking side by side). After carefully passing them, I looked back and noticed that my girlfriend was a bit further behind, so I hesitated my pace to let her catch up. The mistake I made was not immediately getting back over to the right side of the path in front of the group of walkers.

Within moments, another bicyclist (in biking gear) came tearing down the middle of the path. He was riding so fast, I didn't have time to anticipate him and move back to the right. He yelled to us, "On your right, on your left!". Again, he rode so fast, the following actions happened all simultaneously in seconds: 1) To get out of his way, I coasted my bike to the left edge of the path. 2) My girlfriend stayed on the right side and reached my parallel position because I had slowed down to keep out of the middle of the path and let him pass. 3) The bicyclist shot down the middle, right between us.

As all of this happened, a grey ground squirrel looked up at me from a side bush, dashed in front of my bike (i hit my breaks), and ran directly into the path of the bicyclist and my girlfriend. This all occurred in fractions of a second and I could see the ground squirrel doing gymnastics as it tried to avoid both oncoming bikes. But it was too late. As I continued to roll forward, I immediately turned my head around and saw the poor squirrel jump into the air one last time and flip onto its back. My girlfriend had felt a bump under her rear tire and asked "Did I kill it?" The biker replied, "Probably!" and took off down the path. He had likely hit the squirrel too, but I couldn't see either hits in the blur of the wheels.

We still continued on with our ride for the intended small picnic at the park. But the entire mood was sullen, so we just quickly ate our sandwiches without many words and left. On the return ride home, the squirrel was still lying there on its back with arms, legs, and tail sprawled. I had desperately hoped it was somehow still alive.

My girlfriend blames me for the accident because if I had been on the right hand side of the path, the ground squirrel may not have been startled and bolted across. I certainly did not intentionly ride on the left hand side. But this was a path with many kids, dog walkers, and slow casual bicyclists. This is not a bike lane, but a multi-purpose path. I just happened to be on the left hand side at that moment to look back at her after I rode around the group of walkers. I was about to get back over to the right side until the racing bicyclist came zooming down the trail. This was supposed to be a leisurely jaunt to enjoy the recent sunshine...not to become an accomplice involved with innocent squirrel killings.

My girlfriend went out to dinner and clubbing with her friends as soon as we got back from the ride. I stayed home tonight after she blamed me for the squirrel's death. A couple of hours later, I drove back near the pathway and walked over to the spot with a flashlight. The squirrel was still there and definitely not breathing. To make matters worse, I could see a swollen belly and prominent nipples, so I knew the squirrel must be a pregnant female. So I'm not just responsible for one squirrel's death, but the potential lives of several baby squirrels that will never come to be. Great Karma, huh?

Amazingly, I could not find any signs of external injury, obvious broken bones in the limbs, or body flattening. So the cause of death must have been an internal bleed, a spinal cord injury, or perhaps both. I paid my respects and went home. Of course, I feel absolutely horrible about all of this, but I can't do a damn thing to change what happened. Now, why did I go biking again? :)

Anyone here have a similar experience or a related story?

Your first post and your confessing to a murder? Geesh.....

Get a new girlfriend. If it was a MUP and it has a speed limit, that speeding cyclist caused this to happen, not you.

But deep inside in my ice-cold demonic heart, you did the world a favor by killing that squirrel. They are cute and all, but they have it coming. Everyone knows there's a small, but growing sect of radical squirrels that will commit suicide to defend their turf. Too many innocent cyclist have crashed and injured themselves because of those scum.

Good job. You're OK in my book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzoYOmfiEjI

Get them before they get us.

...

My girlfriend went out to dinner and clubbing with her friends as soon as we got back from the ride.

...
1. She's blaming YOU for a varmint running under her bike. What does she think you did? Used Jedi Squirrel Mind tricks to force that critter to kill itself?
2. See above excerpt - yeah, she was SOOOOO upset...

I gotta agree with the "get a new girlfriend" post.

And since this thread WILL generate a lot of dead squirrel picture posts, I'll get the ball rolling. :D

Show your soon-to-be-ex GF what happens to a squirrel that plays with electricity:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res14lf9l/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/DCP_2646.JPG

Bet she had veal for dinner, too.

oh that's so sad! poor squirrel....I'm always worried I'll run over one of them. However, i don't agree get a new girlfriend. she's upset! just straighten that out with her and maybe she'll understand....however, if she really can't get over it and won't let it go, maybe consider just not seeing her for a while, maybe she'll cool off...
i actually had a near miss a few years ago...i felt something hit my handlebars and looked down and saw this little, redbrown chipmunk running like mad into the bushes! it must have glanced off the bars but seemed to be ok. I was so freaked out! I hate the idea of hurting an animal, I was freaked out all the way home...waaah!

and please no more dead squirrel pics, that's just grisly! what's next, photos of 9-11 dead bodies?

This thread is crazy and makes no sense.

The Dead Squirrel Rides.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/488250-The-Dead-Squirrel-Ride-No.-4

Welcome to BF.

Uh, yeah...welcome.

You are, your GF ain't. She has NO F'N business blaming you for something you really didn't do. And if she can lay that kind of guilt on you, THEN go out clubbing with friends...that isn't someone you need in your life. Only those with a conscience feel guilt, and since she pretty quickly transferred hers to you, she'll squeeze your emotions like a sponge and walk away laughing someday.

The SQUIRREL was a greater loss to your life than she would be.

is this serious?

it's a squirrel. Also, commonly referred to as tree rats. +1 to doing the world a favor.

Queue that awful "Circle of Life" song from Lion King.....................

Queue that awful "Circle of Life" song from Lion King.....................

Would this be the "Circle of Death" then?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/76039319_f5e81e4f93_d.jpg

I'm surprised that hasn't been posted already...

Would this be the "Circle of Death" then?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/76039319_f5e81e4f93_d.jpg

I'm surprised that hasn't been posted already...


About 1000 times...fake Photo

About 1000 times...fake Photo

Well of course it's been posted thousands of times. Why do you think I was surprised it hadn't been posted yet?

;)

Oh oh and another thing OP, if you do decide to break it off with her, I'd suggest sleeping with a prostitute and contract a nasty STD of some sort(nothing too serious now, maybe just your run of the mill Herpes) and then pass it on to her as a good bye gift. Then she'll really have something to blame you for.

Circle of Death.

Problem Solved.

Get a new girlfriend. If it was a MUP and it has a speed limit, that speeding cyclist caused this to happen, not you.

But deep inside in my ice-cold demonic heart, you did the world a favor by killing that squirrel. They are cute and all, but they have it coming. Everyone knows there's a small, but growing sect of radical squirrels that will commit suicide to defend their turf. Too many innocent cyclist have crashed and injured themselves because of those scum.

Good job. You're OK in my book.


Squirrels cannot be trusted!

Several years ago.
My wife and rode the SRT for several years without incident. Then one day we rode from Lower Perkiomen Valley Park down into center city Philly. Going through Fairmont Park near the Art Museum a squirrel darted across in front of the wife. She took a fairly good size chunk of hair out of it's tail. At first thinking nothing about it.
Two weeks later we were on the trail after dark going from Betzwood to LPVP. I see her red tail light going from one side of the trail to the other. A groundhog was running back and forth between her wheels. Then a few weeks later there was the single bird about 60 feet in the air sitting on a wire near Norristown. The bird got the front of her white blouse. Then a few weeks later we were leaving Conshohocken heading towards Port Royal Road. A red shouldered hawk flew low over the trail and dropped a 2 and 1/2 foot long garden snake. Missing her by no more than a foot.
We suspect that the Fairmont Park squirrel had put out a contract on her.

From no contact with critters along the trail to the list above after having injured the squirrel's tail.

Squirrels cannot be trusted!

Several years ago.
My wife and rode the SRT for several years without incident. Then one day we rode from Lower Perkiomen Valley Park down into center city Philly. Going through Fairmont Park near the Art Museum a squirrel darted across in front of the wife. She took a fairly good size chunk of hair out of it's tail. At first thinking nothing about it.
Two weeks later we were on the trail after dark going from Betzwood to LPVP. I see her red tail light going from one side of the trail to the other. A groundhog was running back and forth between her wheels. Then a few weeks later there was the single bird about 60 feet in the air sitting on a wire near Norristown. The bird got the front of her white blouse. Then a few weeks later we were leaving Conshohocken heading towards Port Royal Road. A red shouldered hawk flew low over the trail and dropped a 2 and 1/2 foot long garden snake. Missing her by no more than a foot.
We suspect that the Fairmont Park squirrel had put out a contract on her.

From no contact with critters along the trail to the list above after having injured the squirrel's tail.

This reminds me of the Simpson's episode where Lisa Simpson goes out to enjoy day out in nature, but she gets harassed by the forest critters.

This reminds me of the Simpson's episode where Lisa Simpson goes out to enjoy day out in nature, but she gets harassed by the forest critters.

Then not long after that we rode the local Thun Trail out of Reading down into Pottstown. On the way back there was a large copperhead snake stretched across the trail blocking one of the two opens between bollards at a road crossing. Had her stop well back when I spotted it. Chased it off the trail with a squirt of ice cold drink. Sent it crawling back into the bog along the trail. Continued on our way. As we approached Reading we crossed over a high bridge over the river. Sitting on the bridge railing was a large Turkey Vulture. Did not fly away even though we were only 6 feet from it. It just watched us go past. Following us with its eyes. Now that really cranked the wife up. Of course I joked that it was smiling at her while *****ing the snake failed in its assigned duty. I joked that I would check the Internet for a Get Bev dot come web site set up by the squirrel from Philly who may have had mob connections and put out a contract on her with the other critters.

Tell her you're very sorry you killed the poor, innocent little squirrel. You realize she will never forgive you. So, you can give her my name and phone number, assuring her that I have never killed a squirrel...

A tragedy, but it was a squirrel. Good luck with the gf.

I went on a ride and got to my destination.

True story.

Is BikeRider's interesting first post fiction or nonfiction?

Another squirrel encounter:
http://www.vtwinmama.com/demonic_squirrel_riding_story.htm

I went on a ride and got to my destination.

True story.
Pics or it didn't happen!

Dude, she ran over the squirrel, so she blamed you to feel better about herself. Then you blamed the kids, the people, the dogs and the speedy cyclist to make yourself feel better. Both you and your girlfriend have problems. Get over it, it is only a pregnant squirrel and stop blaming other people.

+
I had not been on a bike ride in more than a year. But today's weekend weather was so pleasant, my girlfriend suggested that we go on a short ride to the park for a late afternoon sandwich picnic. Sounded fun, so why not?

So I pumped up the tires, packed the bags, grabbed the helmets, and off we went. Everything was great at first, aside from a bug flying straight onto my left eyeball and another into my mouth. But really, the temperature outside was perfect and it was nice to back out on a bike. When we left the bike lanes of the streets and got onto the paved trail that leads to the park, we pedaled slowly, as there were quite a few groups of walkers, also out to enjoy the warm spring atmosphere.

Well, as I approached a wide bend, I had to veer left to pass a wall of five pedestrians (all walking side by side). After carefully passing them, I looked back and noticed that my girlfriend was a bit further behind, so I hesitated my pace to let her catch up. The mistake I made was not immediately getting back over to the right side of the path in front of the group of walkers.

Within moments, another bicyclist (in biking gear) came tearing down the middle of the path. He was riding so fast, I didn't have time to anticipate him and move back to the right. He yelled to us, "On your right, on your left!". Again, he rode so fast, the following actions happened all simultaneously in seconds: 1) To get out of his way, I coasted my bike to the left edge of the path. 2) My girlfriend stayed on the right side and reached my parallel position because I had slowed down to keep out of the middle of the path and let him pass. 3) The bicyclist shot down the middle, right between us.

As all of this happened, a grey ground squirrel looked up at me from a side bush, dashed in front of my bike (i hit my breaks), and ran directly into the path of the bicyclist and my girlfriend. This all occurred in fractions of a second and I could see the ground squirrel doing gymnastics as it tried to avoid both oncoming bikes. But it was too late. As I continued to roll forward, I immediately turned my head around and saw the poor squirrel jump into the air one last time and flip onto its back. My girlfriend had felt a bump under her rear tire and asked "Did I kill it?" The biker replied, "Probably!" and took off down the path. He had likely hit the squirrel too, but I couldn't see either hits in the blur of the wheels.

We still continued on with our ride for the intended small picnic at the park. But the entire mood was sullen, so we just quickly ate our sandwiches without many words and left. On the return ride home, the squirrel was still lying there on its back with arms, legs, and tail sprawled. I had desperately hoped it was somehow still alive.

My girlfriend blames me for the accident because if I had been on the right hand side of the path, the ground squirrel may not have been startled and bolted across. I certainly did not intentionly ride on the left hand side. But this was a path with many kids, dog walkers, and slow casual bicyclists. This is not a bike lane, but a multi-purpose path. I just happened to be on the left hand side at that moment to look back at her after I rode around the group of walkers. I was about to get back over to the right side until the racing bicyclist came zooming down the trail. This was supposed to be a leisurely jaunt to enjoy the recent sunshine...not to become an accomplice involved with innocent squirrel killings.

My girlfriend went out to dinner and clubbing with her friends as soon as we got back from the ride. I stayed home tonight after she blamed me for the squirrel's death. A couple of hours later, I drove back near the pathway and walked over to the spot with a flashlight. The squirrel was still there and definitely not breathing. To make matters worse, I could see a swollen belly and prominent nipples, so I knew the squirrel must be a pregnant female. So I'm not just responsible for one squirrel's death, but the potential lives of several baby squirrels that will never come to be. Great Karma, huh?

Amazingly, I could not find any signs of external injury, obvious broken bones in the limbs, or body flattening. So the cause of death must have been an internal bleed, a spinal cord injury, or perhaps both. I paid my respects and went home. Of course, I feel absolutely horrible about all of this, but I can't do a damn thing to change what happened. Now, why did I go biking again? :)

Anyone here have a similar experience or a related story?


Okay I'm going to say it. Your girlfriend needs to grow up. I'm not going to go as far as to say get rid of her (but I'm sure that many here would think that would be my opinion), but if it were me I would have a discussion with her and make it crystal clear that I don't get off playing the "your fault" game. You didn't deliberately aim yourself at the squirrel and what happened was an unfortunate accident. Additionally, the impression I get is your girlfriend used the incident as an excuse to go out by herself with her "friends." I'm not sure if that's true or not but it sure smells like it from the way you described it.

I had a girlfriend that progressed all the way through to the ex-wife stage who would play this "it's all your fault" game even when whatever happened was an accident or rotten luck. The problem this is the sort of person begins to use the same line of reasoning even when it's something she herself has done wrong. It's a pretty miserable existence taking the blame for everything even when you're not responsible.

Also.... stay to the right.

Get a new girlfriend.

I have native turkeys on my land and my GF tried to get me to kill them.

you're dating sarah Palin??? ew

you're dating sarah Palin??? ew

Wouldn't Sarah Palin have shot the squirrel from a helicopter? (sounds like fun actually - darn tree rats).

I'm more worried about deer than tree-rats though. I had a scare while riding on Saturday. BIG deer, and I was riding alone. :eek:

Don't blame yourself. Squirrels are insane. I've seen them wait through a long gap in traffic then suddenly dash across when a group of cars comes by, with fatal results.

No one made that squirrel run into traffic.

It was clearly the squirrel's fault. MUPs are meant for walkers and cyclists (ok, rollerbladers if you must) and should be traversed longitudinally.

Any animal which doesn't understand this deserves what it gets. I've seen squirrels act as if the rules don't apply to them: crossing without looking or stopping, swerving and dodging around other MUP users without even the courtesy of an, "on your left/right!", never checking over their shoulders or signalling.

And none of them pay their taxes, so they've no right to be on MUPs anyway. Who do they think they are?

It was clearly the squirrel's fault. MUPs are meant for walkers and cyclists (ok, rollerbladers if you must) and should be traversed longitudinally.

Any animal which doesn't understand this deserves what it gets. I've seen squirrels act as if the rules don't apply to them: crossing without looking or stopping, swerving and dodging around other MUP users without even the courtesy of an, "on your left/right!", never checking over their shoulders or signalling.

And none of them pay their taxes, so they've no right to be on MUPs anyway. Who do they think they are?

Probably didn't even have it's chestnut helmet on... got what it deserved! I hope you sue the squirrels family for grief counselling after this outrageously irresponsible act.

Wow tough crowd today - and I don't even like squirrels - unless they're smothered in gravy.

Would this be the "Circle of Death" then?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/76039319_f5e81e4f93_d.jpg

I'm surprised that hasn't been posted already...

Nooooo! That poor fork!

ewwww! don't post that picture again!
I know, deer are HUGE...people think they're like bambi or something but they're BIG.

ewwww! don't post that picture again!
I know, deer are HUGE...people think they're like bambi or something but they're BIG.

:lol: Deer are huge? Wait until you see a moose?!

Preggers or not, it's a squirrel. A rodent that lives in trees. Rodents are designed by nature to be disposable. Laying a guilt trip on you for such an insignificant event is a form of abuse. Tell the GF that you're not buying it, and if she can't accept that, then good-bye.

:lol: Deer are huge? Wait until you see a moose?!

A Møøse once bit my sister...

I went on a ride and got to my destination.

True story.

I am calling you on this one... we know you were racing roadies and endangering wildlife (probably armadillos) on your commute.

You probably did someone a favor. Those nasty little tree rats wreak havoc on my friend's gardens.

I'm not so fond of them myself. I haven't killed one, but I did have to remove bits of his tail fur out of my RD.

A Møøse once bit my sister...

You calling your sister a vegetable? Hahaha! Pretty sure those moose are all herbivores.

My wife is more commonly know as Karen the snake killer. She has ridden over more snakes sunning themselves on the trail than anyone. She has to be averaging at least six or eight a season.

:lol: Deer are huge? Wait until you see a moose?!

No thanks, almost got one with the car in Newfoundland...

You two make a good couple.

My wife is more commonly know as Karen the snake killer. She has ridden over more snakes sunning themselves on the trail than anyone. She has to be averaging at least six or eight a season.

Just watch out if they're near an apple orchard.

Wow tough crowd today - and I don't even like squirrels - unless they're smothered in gravy.

It's not a matter of liking squirrels or not, I do. It's a matter that his girlfriend is blaming him unnecessarily. Unless he purposefully drove straight for the cute little critter, it's not his fault. It's squirrel nature.

I hope not to meet anyone like your girlfriend any time soon - because I would be in serious trouble.

If you are going to spend any amount of time on your bike, you are going to kill some animals, and hopefully if you're a reasonably decent person you will feel some sort of regret or upset about it. You can't place blame though.

Here's my list of Australian wildlife no longer alive due to my 2 wheels.

- Kookaburra
- Brown Snake
- Carpet Python
- Possum

And a similar incident involving an oncoming cyclist and I passing ways next to a small puppy, who flipped out and ran onto the road where it got hit by a car.

Let's not even go into the short list of animals that have met their end under my four-wheeled vehicles.

I feel pretty upset about all of the above, but that's the nature of the beast. Accidents happen. If you did not intentionally aim at the squirrel, you've done nothing wrong, and your lady friend should be supportive. Not angry.

- Brad

A Møøse once bit my sister...
Well, she shouldn't have been Karving her initials on the møøse
with the sharpened end of an interspace tøøthbrush given
her by Svenge - her brother-in-law - an Oslo dentist and
star of many Norwegian møvies: "The Høt Hands of an Oslo
Dentist", "Fillings of Passion", "The Huge Mølars of Horst
Nordfink"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SII-jhEd-a0&feature=player_detailpage