jp173

While riding out to my "marshall" spot on the MS Bike Tour Down To the Sound, I had two firsts for me:

1. I got hit by a deer (no, I didn't hit the deer, the deer hit me)

2. I hit a squirrel (fortunately just ran over its tail).

The deer came out of some deep underbrush near a nature preserve. It stood there in the road and I swerved to avoid it. I was well clear of it but as I passed it suddenly just came right across and jumped the bike. One of its feet hit my rear wheel. I don't know how I stayed upright, but I did. The deer appeared to be uninjured as it ran away.

The squirrel came off a telephone pole and darted right in front of me while I was doing about 20 on a downhill. No time to react or swerve. Fortunately, I only ran over the tip of its tail with the front wheel and missed it with the back. It continued across the road, so I have to hope that it was uninjured.

qmsdc15

Wow! The deer jumped over you or just the rear wheel? Glad you and the animals were unharmed. I'm sure the deer and squirrel are completely fine.

jppe

Whoa!!! Were you able to keep wearing your bike shorts????

Red Baron

Dogs don't scare me when I ride..........

Squirrels do.............

Cause their SPASTIC........

see attachment

Monoborracho

I once had a deer come out of the brush and plow into the fender of my truck... but on a bike....jimminy!!

2manybikes

Glad you're OK.

The deer and the squirrel are now discussing this on the Wild Animal Forum.

Thread title....... "Stupid Humans!"

Coloradopenguin

I've been knocked off my bike a couple of years ago when 4 deer came out of the brush next to the road about a mile from home. I dodged the first two, but the third deer glanced off my front wheel and down I went. The last deer was so surprised it stopped and tried to decide what to do for a few seconds before bouncing acrose the road. I was going so slow the only harm was to my pride -- gives new meaning to close encounters of the third kind.

nedgoudy

I can see both occurences in my mind,
but boy, wouldn't video have been amazing?

But it is indelibly imprinted in your brain
for a lifetime memory, so that is the coolest!

nmichell

And I'd always heard it was the 2nd deer you had to watch out for Guess I know now to keep looking for more.

leob1

OUCH! Did you keep the tail as a trophy?

NOS88

Welcome to the exclusive "I've been assaulted by wildlife" club. I've also been hit by a deer (not the other way around). I'm always amazed by their jumping ability. I've seen deer standing less than two feet from a four foot fence and clear it without a running start. Incredibly agile and yet clueless creatures (when it comes to vehicles). Glad you weren't hurt.

Monoborracho

Ever notice how they will first put their nose to the fence, to judge its height? They do it just like a high jumper at a track meet. (former deer hunter)

Olebiker

Even the deer misjudge sometimes. I watched a deer jump over a board fence that was only about 48" high. She misjusdged the height and her rear hooves hit the top board, breaking it loose from the posts.

stapfam

I had a dog Like that. Could clear a 4fence without even thinking about it- Raised the fence with wire to 6' and it could not jump it but instaed charged at the new gate I had put in and straight through it- Either shows my poor carpentry skills of 25 years ago or the determination of the dog.

Got rid of the dog very shortly afterwards.

duhhuh

First you say it, then you do it!

cyclintom

Concerning deer and jumping:

Some friends and I went to visit a vineyard that was on top of a hill. To protect it the owner built a 20 foot fence around it with a triple barbed wire on top. As we approached you could see deer calmly jumping over the fence on the far side. The buck waited to be last, leaped up and deliberately stood all four feet on the top barbed wire strand perfectly balanced. He looked down to where he wanted to land and jumped down and walked off.

Some protection that fence provided.

In another case I was driving down the 6 lane wide highway and I saw a deer on the edge of the road. I slammed on my brakes and another driver simply ignored the deer. It came bounding out on the road and I was slowed enough that I was well clear. The other driver ZOOMED past me and luckily the deer jumped over his car only shattering his windshield with its hooves.

The only thing dumber than a deer is California drivers.

67walkon

Sounds like the Seinfeld episode where George hit a squirrel and some girl made him pay to take it to the vet. "We have a deal with the squirrels", George said, or something like that.

I have seen a deer in a pretty urban area in Jupiter, Florida, on a dawn time ride about 2 weeks ago. We have some deer in that area near a big state park, but this was out near I-95 in an area they have just started developing.

Squirrels do scare me because they are unpredictable.

As far as getting hit, the only thing that hit me was a cat. I was in a residential neighborhood, in the road, going by some bushes. A pickup passed me and the cat darted out of the bushes, smack into my front wheel. I didn't fall and the cat ran away.

RockyMtnMerlin

Holy Cow! OOPS meant Holy Squirrel!

will dehne

Your lucky day despite it all.