Roadkill PB

[Jon H]

One of the benefits of early Sunday morning starts for time trials is that you get to observe our country's normally shy and/or nocturnal wildlife going about it's business.

Well, this morning going out to the Charlotteville 50 I was heading down Succombs Hill. At the top of the hill a fat wood pigeon was waddling across the road, didn't manage to get airborne in time, and was dispatched with a glancing blow off the front bumper, confirmed by the flurry of feathers observed in the rear view mirror. A few hundred metres further on, a squirrel darted across the road, paused briefly, then darted for cover underneath my offside front wheel, confirmed by a definite bump.

Almost managed to add a fox to the tally on the A22, but the damn thing was too quick for me.

[Bo-Gilly]

Try beeping your horn in future (it's very effective)

And avoid slaughtering our wildlife.

[Bo-Gilly]

Sorry the mods have just edited my post.

Let me put it a different way.

If I got my kicks from killing animals I wouldn't gloat about it afterwards.

[Mike I]

Jon, any chance you can swing by round here and get the b****y squirrels off my bird feeder?

Did see one baby rabbit sitting between inside and outside lanes of the A31 as I struggled past this morning. It probably thought that, given my speed at the time, traffic presents no danger. I fear for the poor little thing - but won't be losing sleep over it.

[-Adam-]

I hit a deer once (Not that im proud, i was actually quite shaken by it)

Not long after i passed my test i was driving home from work, around 3am (i work in a hotel) And on Horton Lane in Epsom, which is next to Horton Country Park a deer ran out from the side of the road straight into the front of my car. The thing was a car was approaching from the other way which i think startled it, then so i couldn't have swerved other wise i would have hit the car. But to be honest, i didn't even have the time to brake let alone swerve it all happened so fast.

I duly stopped, which was more than could be said for the other car which blatently saw what happened but just couldn't be bothered. I rang the RSPCA whilst actually physically shaking, i was kind of in shock i suppose becasue it was one hell of a bang. Unfortunately the deer had died at which point the RSPCA reassuringly told me to leave it for environmental health to clear away. Great.

The deer did manage to cause about £400 worth of damage, smashed the light, dented the body work in 2 separate places etc. But overall i just felt really bad. But it could have been worse, another second or so later and the deer would have probably come straight up onto the bonnet, and probably come through the windscreen. Which undoubtedly would have caused a much more serious crash.

Safe Driving!

Adam

[Snoop Doug]

On my warm up ride yesterday I stopped counting the bunnies after 50, all of 'em alive mind. I also saw two male pheasants and one female. Two frgs, both dead......dead flat. If only riding shotgun was allowed in Blighty we could be eatin rabbit pie until Xmas.

Cheers - Snoop

PS - Jon did you collect the pigeon...? Yum!

PPS - I ran over a snake once, a real biggie. I swear I thought it was just a bunch of rope or summat in the road, turns out I was wrong.

PPPS - call me old fashioned but when I learned to drive I was taught not to swerve/evade small soon to be roadkill. Less dangerous (not for the impending squashed animal I accept) just to keep on going. Anyhoo - far as I'm concerned grey squirrels is just vermin, darn it

[Nick]

Unfortunatly I hit a Badger many years ago I was not impressed as due to its size (Which was a shock) the Badger broke both my newly installed spot lights. Cost me £20 when my wage was only £50 a week.

I was also told not too swerve BUT since then, I try and avoid all wildlife due to COSTS!!!! and the kids tears.....

[Robert]

Try Road Kill with a bike, a couple of years ago I was doing the SCCU 100. I was returning from the first leg to Crawley and a mad squirrel started running along parallel to me on my left. I just hoped he wouldn`t, but he did turn right. Slight bump, no squeal, glanced behind to see nothing in the road. Second lap confirmed it, there it was lying in the road dead. It is a feat I come close to near Charlwood but no fatality this time!!!

[Stu Merckx Man]

i once ran over a mouse going up box hill. made a popping sound

[jon avery]

Don't tell Bo -Gilly

[Alan M]

I don't enjoy reading this and I believe the thread is bordering on being offensive and certainly lacks taste.

[Bo-Gilly]

"Don't tell Bo -Gilly"

No, please don't.

One of the things that most appeals to me about cycling, specially when I'm on my own, off-road, is the solitude and possibility that brings to connect the natural enviroment and it's wildlife - the fleeting glimpse of a wild mammal or the sound of birds singing, makes it all worthwhile for me.

Roads littered with corpses due to callous drivers who find it amusing to kill don't impress me.

Sorry to post after you killed this thread Alan, but I had to say what apparently no one else was prepared to say

[-Adam-]

I want to add that i didnt put my post on here to brag at all, just to point out that sometimes it can't be avoided.

I think cycling is brilliant for opening eyes to a world of wild-life too, and seeing cows and sheep on an almost daily basis is fantastic. Especially when it comes having just escaped the hum-drum of city life in the very heart of Liverpool.

[Bo-Gilly]

[quote="A J C"] sometimes it can't be avoided.