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So you were riding along at 20+ mph when you hit a squirrel and [________] happened

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So you were riding along at 20+ mph when you hit a squirrel and [________] happened

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Old 04-05-14, 07:10 AM
  #26  
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I hit an albino squirrel once...pretty sure I've been cursed ever since that happened.
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Old 04-05-14, 07:14 AM
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Originally Posted by pdedes
In some off season cx, a squirrel got into my teammate's front wheel, went around twice and escaped out the other side.
You mean he was in it like a hamster on a tread-wheel, not across the fork blades? So he could go around without getting crushed by the fork?
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Old 04-05-14, 07:18 AM
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I've never hit a squirrel but have hit 2 groundhogs, one of which sent me to the hospital with a collapsed lung, a broken collarbone and 4 broken ribs. Given a choice, I'd rather hit a squirrel.
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Old 04-05-14, 07:28 AM
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
You mean he was in it like a hamster on a tread-wheel, not across the fork blades? So he could go around without getting crushed by the fork?
Yes. But we were on the trails, so not going 20mph. It happened right in front of me.
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Old 04-05-14, 07:47 AM
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Goose. Damn brazen animals. I was coming down the bike trail...and most of them moved out of the way...except this big idiot who took off at the last second and I basically shoulder checked him. Honking, hissing, feathers...wounded bird pride...
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Old 04-05-14, 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Long Tom
I've had a couple near misses. Little rat bastids are out to get me, and the grey squirrels around here ain't so little!

Ever hit one? What happened?
It never ends well -- for the squirrel and frequently the rider as well. That is, unless you like fresh squirrel for dinner.
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Old 04-05-14, 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by kc0bbq
Almost took a Pileated Woodpecker to the head. More terror and surprise crammed into a single second of my life than any other I can remember. They are big and quite pointy in the front.
This made me LOL!
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Old 04-05-14, 12:38 PM
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Old 04-05-14, 12:40 PM
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Originally Posted by UnfilteredDregs
Goose. Damn brazen animals. I was coming down the bike trail...and most of them moved out of the way...except this big idiot who took off at the last second and I basically shoulder checked him. Honking, hissing, feathers...wounded bird pride...
On one occasion, I ran right over one that darted in front of me.
It was surprisingly firm, like a football..
Last seen, it was sitting in the adjacent pond expressing it's unhappiness.

On another occasion, one of the dumb things tried to attack me head-on.
He went airborne, straight at me, when one of my brake levers (mtn bike),
caught him right in the chest and knocked him backward out of the air.

Last edited by Shimagnolo; 04-05-14 at 05:55 PM.
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Old 04-05-14, 01:03 PM
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Was riding down the street @ 4 mph. Not sure if this is relevant to this thread. Anyway, a squirrel came out at me. Thought he was on the attack. Prepped my billy club. Thankfully he was just bluffing. Winked. Ran off to snorf some peanuts fron the lady down the street. I like squirrels.
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Old 04-05-14, 01:29 PM
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Originally Posted by jdowdy411
Does a guy on a longboard count? .
No. Longboarders are not nearly as intelligent as squirrels.
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Old 04-05-14, 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by shoota
Yep, that's what I was talkin' about. Worst thing about 'em.
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Old 04-05-14, 02:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Shimagnolo
On one occasion, I ran right over one that darted in front of me.
It was surprisingly firm, like a football..
Last seen, it was sitting in the adjacent pond expressing it's unhappiness.

On another occasion, one of the dumb things tried to attack me head-on.
He went airborne, straight at me, when on of my brake levers (mtn bike),
caught him right in the chest and knocked him backward out of the air.
They're mean cusses...lmao
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Old 04-05-14, 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Long Tom
[h=2]So you were riding along at 20+ mph when you hit a squirrel[/h]Ever hit one? What happened?
exactly that. It felt a little soft, bumping over on both wheels but no real jar or control issue. I felt bad about it and went back to check on him but he was gone
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Old 04-05-14, 03:15 PM
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
But the topic was squrrels. And they are special, because they can't make up their itsy, bitsy minds. They dart in, then back, than feint to cross again. Often they stop in the middle of the street and wait for you, the just as likely go left or right. That is why it is so hard to avoid them. They insist on doing the stupid thing but only after testing all their options. Absolutely no sense of self-preservation. My tactic is to speed up and pray. I doubt anyone has a more successful approach.
lol yah, damn things darting back and forth. Being in NYC I had a few close calls with pigeons too, going about 20mph. They are smarter though and run off before you get to them or just go straight up.
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Old 04-05-14, 03:42 PM
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Ran over a squirrel while descending on my brand new bike. It was bam bam with both wheels and then he rolled for a bit then ran off the road. I hit one while riding my motorcycle as well. That was hit, go once around the sprockets and then get pitched into the median. He ran away too.

Last summer I was in the drops and cranking and ran over a groundhog's tail. I really thought I was going to hit it dead on and crash but just caught his tail. Their tails are very short so it was very close to disaster.
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Old 04-05-14, 05:29 PM
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Don't really have a squirrel problem in Phoenix, but I did have to bunny hop over a rattlesnake once while on my MTB, scared the crap out of me. Fortunately I was going fast enough and it was stretched out, so it didn't have a chance to bite me.
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Old 04-05-14, 05:32 PM
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Originally Posted by UnfilteredDregs
They're mean cusses...lmao
What is it about their attitude? They won't give a freakin inch!
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Old 04-05-14, 05:54 PM
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Originally Posted by 3alarmer


...Wheel locks, do not pass go, do not collect $200, fall down pretty hard. Not me, but an acquaintance.

I'm told that the lower your spoke count, the more room they have to get caught. I whistle at them to get them to run away.
Thread.
I laughed my ass off when I saw that.
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Old 04-05-14, 06:00 PM
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Riding in long paceline in the low 20's and see a squirrel running across the road into our path and realize its going to intersect my path. It bounced off my wheel/spokes and ran back in the direction it came from chattering all the way. Couldn't stop laughing for a few minutes.
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Old 04-06-14, 05:38 AM
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never hit one so I dont know what happens. Personally, the bunnies scare me more than the squirrels. The hunker down in the grass by the road/trail and explode from hiding when you are right on top of them. Their path is not predictable and they can turn on a dime. I have been know to say that a bunny will be the end of me one day.....
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Old 04-06-14, 06:41 AM
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Yet another reason for not riding the MUP
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Old 04-06-14, 06:52 AM
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Saw a guy just riding along almost hit a black bear on the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail.
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Old 04-06-14, 07:06 AM
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I watched a squirrel running on an intercept vector across a yard and the road at me. Hit my front wheel yet still managed to get through/around my bike and up the ditch on the side of the road.

I swear some of these squirrels are suicidal.

Or just like the Geico commercial:

Squirrel Causes Car Accident Geico Commercial - YouTube


I did see a rider get hit by a deer years ago. Doe jumped, hit a rider in the head and totally ruined the paceline. After making sure the bike was okay, we called an ambulance which took both rider and bike to the hospital. He was a bit confused and his helmet was cracked but recovered just fine. Doe was okay, too. She came back to the scene of the crime as her two fawns were still on the other side of the road.

Last edited by bbattle; 04-06-14 at 07:10 AM.
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Old 04-06-14, 07:47 AM
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Riding a pace line and squirrel ran into the front wheel of the lead rider, just bounced off the spoke and ran back into the ditch. Afterwards we talked about the worst case scenario: squirrel gets caught between spokes, wraps around to fork blade, gets decapitated, you go over the bars landing on your back, squirrel body lands on face, neck wound bleeds into mouth.
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