Today I passed a cyclist with something on her helmet. I would describe it as two square posts about three inches high, with something shiny suspended between them. The shiny rectangle swung back and forth like a cat door.

I wished I'd turned around to find out more. It's possible that this was just some artsy thing with no real purpose. She wasn't a serious cyclist, but she didn't look like some kook.

Anyone know what it was?

Are there a lot of magpies in your area?

You got me curious, Machka- are magpie repellants a common helment attachment in your area?

something to sparkle and get driver's attention?

perhaps is was a light...

perhaps from your point of view the different sides of the cone reflected, giving you the illusion that it was moving?

Not here, but in Australia. In Australia, the magpies are particularly aggressive, especially when their eggs are hatching, and they will dive-bomb cyclists. Magpies are big enough that they can do some serious damage. So the Australian cyclists claim that if you attach two zip-ties to your helmet so that they stick up like antennae that somehow wards the magpies off and they either won't dive-bomb you, or if they do, they'll veer off before they hit your helmet, face, neck, etc.

I was there in hatching season and witnessed these magpies dive-bombing my cycling partner many times, but for whatever reason, they left me alone. Rowan and I speculate that maybe it had to do with my braid, and perhaps my braid looked like a snake. Who knows!

On the back of the rectangle I think there is a red light. It pivots so as you tip your helmet it remains almost level. I believe I have seen a couple.

Maybe it's designed to catch the attention of male cyclists ?

I have read that painting eyes, or one big eye on the helmet has a similar effect to the zip ties. Have you heard of that?

Yes, I have heard that as well. I can't say I've actually witnessed either the zip-tie technique or the eyes on helmets, but they are suggestions which are offered to those who are prone to being attacked by magpies.


In the Winnipeg area, red-wing blackbirds used to attack me all the time ... and if I had heard about the zip-tie technique while I was there, I might have tried it on them!

Did you do anything special to keep the blackbirds away?
I would guess that the zip ties look like and act like a branch in the way. It sounds efffective, they can't really get past them if they are in the right place.

Usually waving my hands around would get them to back off a bit, but occasionally they would plow into my helmet, and then flutter off somewhere. I think a few of them almost knocked themselves out.

I know it's not funny when it's happening, It has happened to me. But the image of a bird knocking itself out against a helmet sounds funny. I guess the birds need to wear helmets too.

Or maybe beak guards!

excellent !

.......................................................................................

chipcom.............the light

exactly!

Why not just hot glue a rubber snake to your helmet, that would make a much better conversation piece.

Maggies are great fun to watch - when they're attacking someone else! I have a stretch near home which runs right next to a golf course (lots of trees). During maggie season it's a hell run. Imagine swarms of maggies lining up for a shot.

The cable ties (big 9-inch size) do the trick, even better if you tape a piece of shiny tinsel on the ends, except that you look a bit like a martian.... the painted eyes don't seem to work at all for me.

they look fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z34CWfYM5vY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RLuy3IvSp0

I can already see Hollywood planning a remake of the Hitchcock thriller "Birds" updated to include a flock of geese divebombing a peloton. Mayhem ensues! Just when you thought it was safe to get back on the bike...

Yes, that looks right. Curiosity now satisfied, thanks!

Your cable ties are what I call "zip-ties".

So they do work? When I've been in Australia I've had a number of cyclists recommend them to me, but I wasn't sure if they were pulling my leg or if they really did work.

I used to work for a telephone company. They had us nailing zip ties at the top of poles to stop birds perching and pooping on them.

I found a picture of something similar, though that pole is carrying electrickery, not telephony:

Yup, cable ties = zip ties, and they do work.... but if there were recommended to you outside of maggie season then it was to keep the dropbears away, they're really nasty critters.

If you start riding around with huge zip ties on you helmet, with shiny tinsel on the ends, please post a photo!