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Squirrels

Old 08-07-22, 08:17 PM
  #26  
Random11
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I've run over four squirrels in the past five years. Fortunately, no harm done to me or my bike, but it can't be pleasant for the squirrel. I see them zigging and zagging in the road and then, THUMP, THUMP! In all cases the squirrels ran away after being run over, but I have to imagine that internal injuries resulting from being run over by a bike would be fatal.
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Old 08-07-22, 08:29 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by Random11
I've run over four squirrels in the past five years. Fortunately, no harm done to me or my bike, but it can't be pleasant for the squirrel. I see them zigging and zagging in the road and then, THUMP, THUMP! In all cases the squirrels ran away after being run over, but I have to imagine that internal injuries resulting from being run over by a bike would be fatal.
I finally ran over one that tried to run between my wheels. this was on my e bike that was about 70 pounds with my bags. never did see him again. usually they do a Uee and go back not this idiot.
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Old 08-07-22, 08:37 PM
  #28  
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Without time to react, had a chicken run into my front wheel and bounce off. Running off, it making the most hilarious chicken in distress sounds. Am sure it was fine just scared.

Unfortunately a number of snakes have met their demise under my wheels. Not intentional just bad times and places for them to be sunning. Just avoided hitting one yesterday. They’re welcome.
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Old 08-07-22, 09:20 PM
  #29  
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I had a pet squirrel. He died last year. He was a great pet and I still miss him a lot.

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Old 08-08-22, 12:00 AM
  #30  
Polaris OBark
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There must be a good story behind this ... ^^^
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Old 08-08-22, 12:26 AM
  #31  
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One thing that happens is that trying to avoid a squirrel makes you ride squirrelly. That's a problem if there's traffic coming around you.

The other day I had an instance where the squirrel was seen by the motorist behind me and they gave me the thumbs up when they saw that I didn't swerve after they passed me and realized the squirrel made it safe across the road.
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Old 08-08-22, 02:44 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by Aardwolf
Good point, it never occured to me it might be pregnant
But that picture was on 6th October a few years back so I figured it was fattening up for the winter.
I tell hat to my wife every October also, but she never believes me.
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Old 08-08-22, 06:08 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by c_m_shooter
Aim for the squirrel and you will never hit one. If you try to avoid it, there is a 50 percent chance it jumps into your line travel.
Hasn't worked for me. I've lost track of the squirrels I've hit. Also, if they dart out right under your wheel there's no time for anything like aiming. It's more like "rustle, rustle, thump".
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Old 08-08-22, 06:45 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
snakes = blip



armadillo = ER visit
Armadillos bounce off the front wheel, and if your pedal is down on the side they roll towards, it is like kicking a bowling ball. It will make you yell some swear words, but shouldn't break toes if you have on cycling shoes.
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Old 08-08-22, 07:20 AM
  #35  
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Circle jumping frog

Originally Posted by JohnDThompson
Not a squirrel story, but I had a frog jump into my front wheel once. It landed inside the spokes, went around a few rotations, and then was flung out against my leg. It dropped to the road and I saw it hop away. Cheap thrills, I suppose.
I was following a companion cyclist in a rainstorm when a frog jumped into his back wheel. The frog lost one rear leg in the encounter and jumped off the trail in the direction of the river. Every time I cycle by that area I look for a circle jumping frog.
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Old 08-08-22, 07:34 AM
  #36  
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I’ve never ran over a squirrel. They always seem to get out of the way long before we get tangled up. Sadly I’ve run over a few chipmunks. I couldn’t zig to match its zag in time. I also ran over a frog once. It felt squishy.
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Old 08-08-22, 09:39 AM
  #37  
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Indecision is why there are so many flat squirrels on the road...
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Old 08-08-22, 09:53 AM
  #38  
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The ground squirrels are pretty think along the bay trail out here. The concrete riprap makes bountiful living spaces for them. Had one go into my back wheel and slam off my back recently.
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Old 08-08-22, 10:19 AM
  #39  
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And there are always the scavengers that show up in the aftermath...
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Old 08-08-22, 10:27 AM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by Eds0123
good fun entertaining discussion started by a photoshopped image of a critter with intact spokes and no appearant skin break blood injury to the critter but a broken fork? squirrels are capable of pulling magic tricks sometime 😂😂😂
Can't speak to the veracity of the image, but IIRC the first time I saw it, there was also an interview/photo of the cyclist, and he was pretty cut up. An elaborate interwebz ploy? Maybe. However, I could well believe a squirrel not coming apart of even rupturing under these conditions. They're tough wiry little bastards. We had one attempt to climb from one overhead power line to another above our back fence. When he grasped the lower line, there was a flash and puff of smoke, and what looked like a dead squirrel hanging limp from the top wire. However, after a few minutes, the little begger came around and scampered off. Tough little bastards.
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Old 08-08-22, 11:31 AM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
There must be a good story behind this ... ^^^
He fell down my chimney when he was just a tiny baby with his eyes still closed. I fed him puppy formula until he could eat solid food. We had him for 7 years, and he died about a year ago. They make great pets. Super smart, really cuddly, kinda messy, but didn't really wreck stuff. I'd recommend it if you ever have a chance.
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Old 08-09-22, 01:01 PM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by GeezyRider
I had a squirrel dart from the side of the trail we were on, hit my rear wheel and then, somehow, bounced off the wheel then bounced off my shoulder and back to the side of the trail where it came from and scampered away. My wife was right behind me and witnessed the whole fiasco. Naturally, she was more concerned about the welfare of the squirrel than if it might have bitten my neck or ear.
Similarly, I had a chipmunk dart out at me at the wrong time, get kicked up by one of my wheels, land on the top tube facing forward for a moment (long enough for both of us to be like, "Er, WTF?" probably), and then he jumped down and ran away, unharmed as far as I know.
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Old 08-09-22, 02:29 PM
  #43  
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I had a rabbit jump into my right calf about ten days ago. I was doing maybe 15 MPH. I don't think it suffered any permanent injuries, but I was surprised by how much of a thump he put on me.
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Old 08-09-22, 04:20 PM
  #44  
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I have a regular route around the South Bay Area that has some sections in the East Bay that have huge ground squirrel populations. On some days there are what must be between 30 - 50 ground squirrels in the area that all decide to run across the trail I'm riding on to get to safety.

Unfortunately two of them did not make it this year.

Per ​​​​Sorcerer 's point it's super important not to freak out and crash yourself. I understand the feeling to avoid them and it sucks to roll over the little critters though.
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Old 08-09-22, 05:28 PM
  #45  
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I ran over a squirrel last week. Jumped out from the edge of the road with no time to react. Felt the crunch under the wheel but the little fellow just kept going. Wish I had their resilience.
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Old 08-18-22, 05:23 PM
  #46  
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Where I ride the ground squirrels seldom are seen before 10am most of the year. Riding early in the day reduces the odds of a squirrel encounter and there is a lot less wind as well..
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Old 08-18-22, 09:19 PM
  #47  
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I have not run over a squirrel yet. I know how to make the danger chirp of a squirrel and they take flight quick. I did run over a big raccoon on my fat bike with about 8 psi pressure in the tires. Thump, Thump with a curb like bump. The coon was rolling behind me in the rear view mirror. I stopped but it got up quickly and continued running. The fat bike probably only gave it a good headache.

This little guy fell out of the next and approached me to put it back in the nest. A quick Google search said the mother would collect him as soon as I left him. She got him back about 5 minutes after I moved out of sight.
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Old 08-18-22, 09:39 PM
  #48  
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This is both somewhat unrelated but an opportunity none the less. I was hiking near my home a few years ago when I came upon 5 squirrels that had somehow got their tales bonded together 😳😳😳😳********** My guess is tree sap but even that leaves more questions than answers. This pic shows 4 but there was one more hidden underneath. I’ve seen some weird things in my life but this was special.
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Old 08-18-22, 09:43 PM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by JohnDThompson
Not a squirrel story, but I had a frog jump into my front wheel once. It landed inside the spokes, went around a few rotations, and then was flung out against my leg. It dropped to the road and I saw it hop away. Cheap thrills, I suppose.
We have a really popular rail trail in the area that has a long bridge which is a couple hundred feet above the river it crosses. Each month there is a full moon ride on the trail that is well attended.
On one spring ride, the frogs were out in full force along the marshy creek that borders the trail and it was an absolute bloodbath. You couldn't avoid them- in your spokes, chain, underside of the downtube...everywhere.
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Old 08-18-22, 09:43 PM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
snakes = blip

squirrels = thump

rabbits = THUMP

racoons = THUMP + crash

armadillo = ER visit

Don't forget Feral Hogs = ICU

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