ModeratedUser150120149

I was riding on a MUP today that goes through a pretty wide variety of terrain and cyclist types. There were the usual baby carriages, kids on bikes, walkers and others enjoying the day. Of course there were the crazies too. Those are the road bike riders who behave like they are racing even when, like in this case, they are riding through a city park full of picnicker's, walkers, kids and others. July 4th probably is not a good time for a training ride through a crowded park.

Still, all was well. My riding companion was a little way in front of me. There was this pedestrian on the left side of the path doing something. Who knows what? You know how they are. The pedestrian looked up at my companion and waited. Then I saw his eyes right on mine. He took off and sprinted from the left side of the path to the right. I barely missed him, or her, not sure of gender. Had I hit him/her it would have probably been fatal because I am so much bigger and bigger squashes smaller. Suicidal or just pretty good at judging while playing Avoid The Bike?





Oh, did I say it was a squirrel?

robtown

I've met several of that pedestrian's cousins. My favorite is the squirrel that safely makes it accross then immediately turns 180 degrees to run back in front of me.
I was traveling over 28mph downhill one night and had one leap thorough the bike's triangle. It left a bit of tail fur stuck in the bottle cage.

CommuteCommando

Skwewee wabbits almost as bad around here.

TomD77

Reminds me of the title of a spoof article on the Onion several years ago: " Motorist says that the squirrel was frantic and indecisive!"

JanMM

Spoof? The Onion is a widely respected news source. 'America's Finest News Source'.

DnvrFox

overthehillmedi

So how was the squirrel stew?

rdtompki

I asked our ag folks about the horrible squirrel situation. Turns out there is a several year population cycle and were at the zenith. Get on a back country road and that shimmering in the distance is not the thermal-induced optical distortion, it's the sea of squirrels crossing the road. I'm spending $75/month on smoke bombs beating back the little beggars on my 5 acres.

Turkeys are much more dangerous of course, but at least while you're recovering in the hospital you can have a good wild turnkey meal.

B. Carfree

Half our local squirrels work for the dentists and the other half work for the orthopedic surgeons. He may have just been doing his job.

missjean

Don't you just want to dash out right in front of him? Then pause and run back the other way?

Bikey Mikey

Squirrels are just tree rats. People like squirrels better than rats because the tree rats have better publicists. Even before riding I loathed squirrels. The pests did $500 worth of damage to my roof.

David Bierbaum

You have to watch out for these squirrels. They're doing insurance scams by staging "accidents," and taking you to court with their high-powered legal weasels. Media is calling them the "Furby Fakers."

It's the tail. Folks would love rats and mice, if they had a nice bushy furry tail. Ask your local gerbil.

jim p

When I see a squirrel on the road, I just bark like a dog and the squirrel is heading for cover. Or if I want to see if I can hit it, I just keep quite and pedal faster.

rumrunn6

I dislike the ones that look to one direction but walk/wander the opposite direction, you never know which direction they will move next

leob1

I have had many do the exact same thing. One stands out though. Little fellow decided to get a good look at the underside on my bottom bracket. Felt a small bump when the back wheel went over him.
I also had one that ran full speed into the side on my car, darn near knocked himself out.

Bikey Mikey

When my son was learning to drive, he was driving with his mom and couldn't avoid the tree rat--he ran it over. He apologized to his mother and his mom retorted, "Well, your dad will be happy." ....and I was.

Phil_gretz

My wife and I have a running joke about squirrels who have the chutzpah to run across a road as we drive by. The squirrel's competitive category varies with the achievement in crossing.

Crossing a residential street = apprentice or amateur
Crossing a divided road (45mph) = club-level runner, varsity
Across a highway = olympic class sprinter
Across an interstate (actually seen this) = world class, medalist

Dudelsack 

I respect, and fear, squirrels. In a few million years I believe they will evaolve into a master race.

sail

We have some very arrogant geese who seem to think the trail near me is theirs. They scare me.