Machka 

A friend of mine ran over a skunk during the night while riding the Manitoba Randonneur 1000K event. It sprayed and he rode alone for the rest of the event.

shopan

I almost forgot about those...Snipes...

Machka 

No ... haven't seen a Drop Bear yet.





And no sugar gliders, but I have been hit in the side of the head by a bat!! That was unexpected!! I was cycling in Queensland late in the evening and all of a sudden the sky was full of bats, and ......... whop!!

Machka 

I was cycling along just out of Canmore on a 400K. The sun was almost down when something ran across the road in front of me. I didn't know what it was, but ran through all the possibilities in my mind ... deer, elk, bear, dog, horse ... but nothing fit. Then it ran up on the embankment on the other side of the road, and crouched ... and looked at me. As soon as it crouched, I knew what it was. A very, very large cat.

I had a helmet light on my helmet, and it was on. So I rode past slowly, turning my head to shine my light at it. I was hoping I would appear big. A little ways past it, I had a sudden burst of energy, and rode like I've rarely ridden before.

rollin

Watch the video, they don't seem to work. I tried it and had no joy. Let m know if you figure it out.

Machka 

I've never tried the cable ties.

I usually just put an arm above my head and swing when I hear them coming.

Interestingly though, most of the time if I am riding with another cyclist, they'll attack the other cyclist and not me. I'm not sure why ... I wonder if it is my long braid. Maybe it looks like a snake???

rollin

OK I'll tie a snake on my helmet

Looigi

Huh? Tell it the coyotes in NV and CA. Use to see them all the time in my yard, even when I was outside standing in it myself. They'd just look at me. I usually made noise and chased after them a bit to make the less comfortable. One time my cocker spaniel was out and started chasing one. I could see them going for about 1/2 mile, the coyote just casually trotting along with the cocker furiously running after it. I thought that was the last I'd see of my dog but he came back OK.

danvuquoc

Fake but funny.

rkelley23

velociraptor

SBRDude

My biggest concern are deer. I've rolled over a squirrel before without any problem to myself (killed the squirrel - deserved it), but deer are too big. Usually they just watch as I go by, but lately they have taken to running alongside of me (searching for an opening in a fence) or in front of me right down the road. I clocked 3 of them yesterday at 27 mph. It seems like its the younger ones that get spooked and then take off so I'm hoping they wise up and chill out pretty soon. I also had to swerve around an armadillo the other day - they're faster than I expected.

dgasmd

People!

Fox Farm

Teen age girl on cell phone is the animal that scares me the most.

John_V 

Speaking of deer! I was at the wilderness park riding this morning when two doe jumped out of the palmettos across the paved road. Lucky thing that I looked in the direction that they came from, because a buck was just getting ready to jump the road right behind them. I yelled and the buck turned and went the other way. Too bad I wasn't hunting instead of riding, he was a pretty good size buck in velvet.

dahut

Country @ss dogs.

I live in South Carolina and ride country roads. The dogs out here like to hide and lunge out at you, or come a running at a clip from across their yards.
With their superior hearing, they have time to set an ambush or get up a head of steam. By the time I see or hear them, they can be close. Just today I was rushed by a big, mangy mutt from the side of a house.
Its one reason I dont like helmets. The wind noise from the skullbucket makes it hard to hear them coming.

But these dogs have benefits. I can really pick up my cadence when they come around. And they hone the thin edge of danger that is part of cycling.

"A bicycle does get you there and more.... And there is always the thin edge of danger to keep you alert and comfortably apprehensive. Dogs become dogs again and snap at your raincoat; potholes become personal. And getting there is all the fun." ~ Bill Emerson, "On Bicycling," Saturday Evening Post, 29 July 1967

SVThis

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the American Brown Beaver.

Doohickie

Make them predictable by ringing a bell. They are scared to death of those things and will run away from the bike every time, in my experience.

shopan

I picked up a bell used in Fishing..2 jingle bells on springs...Just in case...

SBRDude

I've been chased by the same dog about a half dozen times on one of my regular rides. Like most dogs, he's just in it for the chase. When I see him coming, I usually slow down enough so that he's close and I try to see how far from home I can lead him. But, he's only a medium sized dog and I know I can get away if necessary. On a ride I used to do, there was a giant black dog that looked like half horse and half bigfoot and that sucker would come hauling ass across a giant yard at me. Luckily there was a fence to stop him. It was at a point where the road was going uphill, so I always had to make sure I had something in the tank in case he ever figured out how to get out of his yard. There are lots of other dogs I see in yards that like to bark. I usually just say "good dog" and they stop barking and wag their tail. Others, however, I'm not too sure about their motives so if they're loose, I always try to make sure I can accelerate if they catch me.

VA_Esquire

manbearpig.

dahut

Ive considered mace, too, but always opt for the sprint away choice. They do like the chase, thats for sure. And pedals going round and round seem to drive them wild.

guadzilla

Oh yeah, forgot about those. Almost ran over a monitor lizard the other day - barely missed it.

I actually got my first perfect bunnyhop trying to avoid a snake.

daredevil

There is no age or gender restriction on those things.

ilovecycling

I had a rabbit jump out of the weeds just last week. The damn thing was hopping side to side right behind my front tire. I almost lost it, but he hopped away just in time. The adrenaline that pumped through my body was incredible. I really thought I was going down because of the little guy.

Nachoman

The triathlete.