the_tool_man

Hi all:

While riding this past weekend, I came upon a black cat on the side of the road. Apparently, I startled it as I approached. It proceeded to sprint out into the road, and attempt to cross in front of me for some reason. It's funny how these things seem to happen in slow motion. I distinctly remember watching as the cat came closer, wondering what it was going to feel like to crash. I just knew I was going to run over it and go down. I didn't have time, or the presence of mind, to brake or swerve. I just yelled and screamed (like a little girl, in retrospect) in an attempt to scare it away. However, the cat crashed into the side of my front wheel, and pretty much bounced off with no ill effect. It ran the other way after that, hopefully a little wiser.

I consider myself lucky to not have crashed. Next time, I'll make more noise when approaching roadside wildlife. Y'all be careful out there.

danmc

Since you've opened up a cat thread...about three weeks ago I was riding on the local MUP (Erie Canal Path) and about 2 miles from my car spotted a small kitten on the side of the path all by itself. I slowed down to check it out and it ran right up to me. It looked horrible, face all bloody and eyes full of pus and almost closed shut. I figured it would die if I left it there so I picked it up and carried it in my left hand and rode back to my car. I took it to a vet, and, to make a long story short...I have 3 cats now. A single guy living alone with 3 cats...I'm guaranteed to never date again. That's the weirdest thing to happen to me on my bike so far, unless you count this past weekend when I got caught in a rainstorm and an Amish family invited into their home to dry off...

spectastic

We were so close before this dumbass started ****ting on the carpet.

jerrycan42

@danmc....Tell your cat story to the ladies and I'll be damned if you don't get [insert another word for cat here].

RIRview

You are a kind, compassionate soul.

popeye

So the cat didn't actually cross your path right?

the_tool_man

Exactly. Had he, I probably would have crashed. Bad luck, for sure.

f4rrest

Same exact thing happened to me, downhill at 32 mph. Cat went under both wheels. Thunk thunk. Amazingly, no crash... and cat kept running across the road unscathed.

valygrl

That is so great. I would date you if I wasn't already married, with two cats.

gamby

Seriously--good for you. You'll have a great buddy in that cat from here on in.

EnsitMike

I don't know if I am more surprised by the kitten or the Amish in this story.

Also, this might call for a picture of "Cat"

bikecrate

My own cat story…one time I was riding on a neighborhood street at a pretty good clip. From between some parked cars two cats leaped out chasing each other at full speed. The first one crossed before the front wheel and the second one passed behind the back wheel. It happened in an instant the timing perfect. If the cats or I had been off by any margin there would have been a pile of fur and bike on the side of the road.

SumoMuffin

I cross paths with a black cat every day, no problems yet! Squirrels on the other hand.....

danmc

Well, it wouldn't work out anyway. 5 cats in a house is way too many

eofelis 

A couple years back I was riding home from work and saw a black cat hiding in a culvert near my office. After I spent a few minutes saying hi and patting her on the head I had to go. She chased me up the road for 1/4 mile. Long story short, she now lives in my workplace office suite employed as an office cat.

San Rensho 

I almost hit a cat the other day. I had to swerve across two lanes of traffic but the little bugger still got away!