Has anyone ever hit a deer on a bike?

bikejr · Apr 1, 2005

Yesterday I was riding in a rural area and a deer jumped across my path. I was starting a little climb, so was not going that fast and didn't really come close to hitting the animal as it made the side of the road but it was a bit freaky nontheless. Especially once across the road it was trying to get into the woods but the bank was too steep. I kept thinking it might come back on the road. If finally trotted up maybe 100 feet and found a road/way to where it wanted to go.

I have twice hit deer in an automobile. First time totalled the car, 2nd time only a damaged headlight (he almost made it). They just jump out and you really don't have much chance in a car at any kind of normal speed. I'd hate to think of hitting one on a bike.

deastin · Apr 1, 2005

Saw it happen 3 times last year on our group rides. Since I live in Iowa its not all that rare to see the bastards out while we are riding but 3 guys lost their rides from them. Snaped the front forks on all 3 and no not all of the bikes were carbon. Yet another reason why are deer population needs to be thined out.

ARP · Apr 1, 2005

No, but I'm sure the story about the guy and the deer

bikejr said:
Yesterday I was riding in a rural area and a deer jumped across my path. I was starting a little climb, so was not going that fast and didn't really come close to hitting the animal as it made the side of the road but it was a bit freaky nontheless. Especially once across the road it was trying to get into the woods but the bank was too steep. I kept thinking it might come back on the road. If finally trotted up maybe 100 feet and found a road/way to where it wanted to go.

I have twice hit deer in an automobile. First time totalled the car, 2nd time only a damaged headlight (he almost made it). They just jump out and you really don't have much chance in a car at any kind of normal speed. I'd hate to think of hitting one on a bike.

that jumped on his back and went for a drag will be coming up soon.

Einstruzende · Apr 1, 2005

On Halloween my dad hit a deer on his motorcycle. Broke both legs and several ribs. His left leg is still in a cast with metal rods holding his leg together. Thankfully my dad is very safty conscious, so he had his helmet, and full riding leathers on. He didn't have any road rash at all.

Totaled his 6 month hold Honda Goldwing.

Crazy thing is that his best friend hit a deer on his motorcycle earlier in the year, however he didn't have a helmet on and was in a coma for several weeks.

Angelracer · Apr 1, 2005

I was riding past a farm once and a chicken almost got caught up in my spokes. Thats a good way to crash...

vonteity · Apr 1, 2005

One of my teammates hit a deer on her bike in November. She was lucky to escape with only a few broken ribs.

everydaybike · Apr 1, 2005

Angelracer said:
I was riding past a farm once and a chicken almost got caught up in my spokes. Thats a good way to crash...

"It's much more satisfying to finish alone. There's a different taste of victory when you leave everyone behind. A taste of triumph."
-Marco Pantani

How sad it is that we won't have such a great spirit in the peloton any longer...

Cheers... to Marco

No, this isn't about the original post... just thinking about great cyclists.

Fr Ted Crilly · Apr 1, 2005

No, but I was within 6" of a turkey vulture while descending a hill at about 27+mph

Going down hill I see this group of 3 turkey vultures taking off near me, flying in the same direction at maybe 10ft off the ground and 20ft to my left. One decides to cross in front of me, apparently to land on the other side of the road. He obviously doesn't see me until he's about 12 inches away by which point I've bent my neck into some odd shape trying to avoid him while trying to swerve the bike out of his path without going into any possible traffic coming behind me. This fella was as big as the biggest Christmas turkey I've ever seen so I've no doubt I would have been in trouble had I hit him at the speed I was doing. Anyway, we miss by a few inches but the fright, (and it was a fright!) and the attempt to avoid him has put the wobbles in me and I've trouble controlling the bike as I bring it to a stop. I strained my neck trying to get my head out of his way but fortunately I was relatively close to home so the discomfort while riding was minimal.
A deer did run out in front of me, maybe 10 to 15 feet ahead, a few weeks ago, but after the turkey incident I was cool.

steelbikerider · Apr 1, 2005

Hit by deer

I have often seen them on the side of the road in rural Texas. One spring morning I was in a large pack of 50+ riders. 2 deer jumped into a clearing, were spooked by the pack and headed straight for the peleton. They ran into the front riders and hit 2-3 riders. Luckily they ran off and the rest of us missed them. I will never forget seeing and hearing their clattering hooves about 5 feet in front of me. Bent bikes and scraped riders but all finished the ride.

MarkS · Apr 1, 2005

Some close encounters, but no hits

The last five miles of my commute home from work is along a wooded road that deer like to cross. I have had some close encounters at night, one as recently as two days ago. Once, 3 or 4 deer were just standing on the road ahead of me. Because my bike was quiet, they did not move. Finally, I started barking to startle them so that they would clear out before I got too close.

Sintesi · Apr 1, 2005

bikejr said:
Yesterday I was riding in a rural area and a deer jumped across my path. I was starting a little climb, so was not going that fast and didn't really come close to hitting the animal as it made the side of the road but it was a bit freaky nontheless. Especially once across the road it was trying to get into the woods but the bank was too steep. I kept thinking it might come back on the road. If finally trotted up maybe 100 feet and found a road/way to where it wanted to go.

I have twice hit deer in an automobile. First time totalled the car, 2nd time only a damaged headlight (he almost made it). They just jump out and you really don't have much chance in a car at any kind of normal speed. I'd hate to think of hitting one on a bike.

The all time best story was when a deer jumped on Grz Monkey's back. Serotta, rider, deer, all atop two wheels. That is the best. Someone here will remember in greater detail or better yet preserved the thread.

Personally I've surprised small heards but nothing terribly close. Bikes are kind of sneaky.

SantaCruz · Apr 1, 2005

Never hit a deer but,

on my last ride I saw several deer, two wild turkeys, many hawks, and a road kill opossum. This does not include the miscellaneous birds, squirrels and insects.
Yup, life in the Ozarks sure is grand.

Mel Erickson · Apr 1, 2005

Almost. Riding about 20mph on a flat rural road closely bordered by dense woods. Heard a clatter to my left rear and then some huffing. Glanced to my left just in time to see a doe on a dead run about 3 feet away. She jumped over my front wheel and disappeared into the woods. That will take you out of your haiku induced dream world in a hurry!

Angelracer · Apr 1, 2005

everydaybike said:
"It's much more satisfying to finish alone. There's a different taste of victory when you leave everyone behind. A taste of triumph."
-Marco Pantani

How sad it is that we won't have such a great spirit in the peloton any longer...

Cheers... to Marco

No, this isn't about the original post... just thinking about great cyclists.

Hey man, I feel you too. I feel bad for Orbea when he called them up in 1998 and turned him down for a sponsor ship when he turned around racing for Mercatone and won the TDF and the GDI!!!

Their will be someone new racing on the top soon with a spirit like that. Lance is simmering down by the looks of it. Its not the end of cylcing. Its the birth to another racer with others inspration and their own determnination

Hipstrong · Apr 1, 2005

Almost!

Blazing down Vomit Hill doing about 40, I heard a weird scraping sound and looked to my right in time to see a buck sliding on all four hooves right at me! I had no time to do much, just yanked the bars and prayed. I assume he slid behind me, but I don't know. I live in the country, and commute year-round, so I see herds of the idiots almost every day. Getting T-boned by a deer scares me a lot more than getting whacked by a car - you have to be at least somewhat sentient to drive a car. Deer are utterly stupid creatures. I pay close attention to the roadside, and have had numerous encounters of the 10-20 foot variety.

A bird landed on a friend's head one day and hung on for about a mile. That was cool!

MB1 · Apr 1, 2005

I didn't know deer could learn to ride a bike.

That must be pretty rare so the likelyhood of hitting a deer on a bike has to be extremely low.

What would you hit them with?

BikeRider · Apr 1, 2005

I've been hit by one!

A couple of years ago I was trying to stay ahead of a rainstorm that was coming in from behind me. I was going along and all the sudden I wiped out. I flipped over and landed on my shoulder breaking my collarbone, no damage to the bike though. I had no idea why I had wrecked, but a passing motorist stopped and called for an ambulance. He said that a deer had run into me. I am blind on my left side, so I suppose that's where the deer must have come from, I never did get a chance to talk to the guy who saw it happen so I never got much details of where the deer came from and all.

Fogdweller · Apr 1, 2005

I was on a ride in the last 80s when a guy in our group hit one on a decent. We were movin' when the deer came off a steep slope and into the lane. He put the bike sideways and broadsided the deer knocking it over and breaking his hip and two ribs. We all stopped and pulled him out of the lane while another rode off to call for an ambulance. The "Good Samaritans" who pulled over ran over to the deer shouting, "Oh, you poor deer... you poor thing.. oh, how terrible. It'll be OK" as the deer wriggled in the ditch. Two of them ended up bitten and got rabies boosters and the deer got a bullet to the head from the Sheriff about 20 minutes later. My buddy was off the bike for 6 months and out of work for 2. The crash should have taken down about 4 or 5 of us given the speed and how close we were to each other.

funknuggets · Apr 1, 2005

No, but one night I ran into a beer-drinking dike....

ba-dum dum. (rimshot)

But seriously folks, other than dogs and kamakazie squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, possums, turtles and the other typical road kill fodder, the oddest one I saw was a pile up crash due to some cantankerous candian goose along a lakeside mut, who came at the oncoming cyclists with its neck low and wings extended, right at the group of riders, where the front rider tried to veer away from the goose crossing wheels and they all went down. Luckily they werent going all that fast, and strangely, I think the rest of the geese were quite impressed at the goose's work. One guy tried to kick at it, but it ran away.

I felt bad for them, but it was really hilarous to watch...

Hipstrong · Apr 1, 2005

For Funknuggets

Longview or Jacomo? I get buzzed by geese riding around Longview, and I used to get attacked viciously by a mockingbird on James A Reed road!

BTW, I live in Raymore, and work by the stadiums in Raytown. That's a nice, car-free commute! But the freakin' deer freak me out, especially in the winter.

Has anyone ever hit a deer on a bike?

bikejr

deastin

ARP

Einstruzende

Angelracer

vonteity

everydaybike

Fr Ted Crilly

steelbikerider

MarkS

Sintesi

SantaCruz

Mel Erickson

Angelracer

Hipstrong

MB1

BikeRider

Fogdweller

funknuggets

Hipstrong

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