echappist

Was cycling in Central Park last night and saw a raccoon dash across the street. I tried to slow down but still struck the poor thing. The whole thing had a bit of surreal quality to it. There were three girls on the side of the road and saw the whole thing happen. As soon as they realized that i was going to hit the raccoon they started screaming, and i think they screamed for a good 10 seconds. My front wheel swerved after the hit & and i remember thinking: oh *****, im gonna crash @ 20+ and i'm surely going to snap some carbon on my new bike. I was fortunate enough to regain control & i have no idea how i did it now. The front wheel seems to be rotating fine; by and by, i got away unscathed. Too bad i can't say the same for the poor raccoon.

What encounters with critters have you had & if you managed to regain control of your bike after the hit, do you remember how you did it?

n0tverycreative

Wait, does a racoon die after being hit by something moving at 20 mph?

ILUVUK

several squirrels...that's about it.

rumblebelly

A raccoon is quite a feat. Luckily you and your bike are ok, and luckily you didn't crash only to have a pissed off raccoon clawing at you for running him over.

echappist

sad to say. i do not know. by the time i calmed down enough i was 1/4 mile away and did not go back to check. i hope PETA won't start an investigation into this hit-and-run.

msincredible

I ran over something furry in the dark, it was still alive afterward but I never found out what it was.

hrt4me

On the WO&D trail in NoVA, I'm constantly dodging groundhogs (and occasional deer); it's just a matter of time before I hit a groundhog because they seem to like to dart across the path right in front of cyclists.

Spahrtm

A friend and I were out riding and a baby squirrel ran right into his front wheel. His bladed spokes acted just like a guillotine. You can imagine the rest. I personally have never hit any animals.

Val23708

Ive run right over the middle of a BIG coiled up kingsnake during a race ride. Didn't feel it at all but the person behind me confirmed the fatality

DonFrambach

Ten years ago, I hit a gopher snake with my then 6 year old daughter attached on an "Alley Cat". I didn't see the snake until a fraction of a second before hitting it and, at first, thought it might be a rattle snake that could have bitten my daughter. By the time we were able to stop, the snake was off the road in heavy brush. We couldn't find it but I think we inflicted a fatal injury. My daughter is now 16 as we still talk about it.

Kneez

I ran over a snake. I thought it was a stick in the road. It was bad, actually. I looked back and saw the poor thing writhing. It was really awful.

I hit a sparrow in flight once. It hit me in the chest and then fell down over my thighs and then to the ground. It flew off right away so I don't think it was hurt.

crbrown

Deer
Bat
Squirrel
Gopher snake (today--I was pretty bummed)

Frijolito1988

I hit a skunk when i was at the tails end @ seal beach about 2 weeks ago. Man did it STINK! I did not kill it but graced it, and he returned the favor and graced me with fluids.

cyclezealot

Snakes. Small garden variety.. Glad it was not a Rattler. Like cats, . They have multiple lives.

Tourmalet

I almost hit a rooster. I don't know why he was hanging around in the bike lane. Hell I don't know why there are chicken in Seattle.

Almost hit a deer once, and a racoon just the other day.

Three close calls? I'm overdue, aren't I? My spokes are aero also. If a little fury thing hits my wheels it will become sliced ham.

iareConfusE

I seem to get smashed on my face, or my sunglasses rather by moths and flies on a daily basis. I've now smashed many an insect.

Almost pwned a crow earlier today too.

Atol

A couple kids..

They shouldn't have been in my way.

kr32

A small bird flew into my front wheel once and a goose attacked me once as well.

Maybe payback for killing it's cousin?

yak

There was about a dozen turkeys on the road, at the bottom of a steep hill, and I was screaming down the hill (and screaming at the turkeys). I grazed a turkey with one foot, feathers flew, but she survived.

cshell

Locus

nitropowered

I hit a small dog

DataJunkie

A small bird and a squirrel. I have managed to miss many a snake so far.

jasony0423

I've seen rabbits, groundhogs and squirrels literally inches from my bike on the side of the road, but they always just watch me. I figured they must be smart enough to know not to suddenly bolt out in front of me. Not so much, eh? Good knowledge for the future.

silversx80

Snakes of all kinds.

A squirrel with a death wish - ran out in front of me, turned to run back, turned again, stopped, then ran directly under my wheel.

Had to kick a dog once... well, push it with my foot to get it to stop chasing me (fast dog @ 20mph up hill).

Coming down Sandia Peak when I lived in Albuquerque, NM I would get bug splatter all over myself from the 45-55mph speeds.

Never hit a bird.

str8jakett

Deer ran out in front of me a few weeks ago, missed it by a few feet.

A snake wouldn't do me any good. I'd either crash to avoid it, or crash after hitting it, screaming little a little girl the whole time, then I'd probably die of a heart attack. I'm such a *****.