Unknowns When Riding Known Roads

[46th Georgia]

Mmmm….yummy.

At last...a hot meal!

 

[azman857]

If you want a challenge on a familiar road. Try riding it at night.

 

[40north]

Alibi up front: I do realize I am preaching to the choir on this article, just relaying a thought...

I ride the same 17 miles to and from work primarily on the Express Lanes of a super slab, I-95. I chew gum when I ride and when wearing an open face helmet, I know what part of the road to shut my mouth when there is a car in front of me. The left shoulder goes away and more road debris is present; mainly sand. And well, I don't like mixing sand with my gum.

I know what part of each lane to be in when crossing a bridge. Each crossing has smoother areas and I cross at those. Some of the transitions are quite painful if you hit them wrong.

I know where the rough areas and potholes are and set up to avoid those along the way.

I can predict the areas most likely for lane incursions due to the curve ahead or some other engineering flaw. I am expect the other guy to violate and am ready to enact some maneuver to avoid the collision.

I suspect that you do the same on your normal rides. Many of these ideas or actions are automatic to us who ride often. It is the unexpected things that I want to remind us about. View attachment 198467 Like the photo above; several years ago, a Texas Meadow Lark impacted the light shown and more or less exploded. The burst of feathers came inside of the windscreen and out. I was wearing a full face helmet which collected some bird blood and guts on the visor. More goo was left on my vest. While the incident was startling, I was not hurt nor was the bike. I did need to realign the light on the next stop; but that was it. I have read stories though that something like this has caused an rider to go down because of their actions that disrupt the bike's safe operation. My general thought when confronting an animal is to blow through. Sudden plane changes at high speeds do not usually bode well.

This morning, after 40+ years of riding, something new happen to me. The sun had not yet revealed itself thus it was somewhat dark outside. I had the bike pointed eastward into the dawn sky and was admiring the beauty I beheld. My speed was 85mph indicated and the temperature felt perfect. I was in the Express lane with moderate traffic for the northern Virginia area. With my gaze slightly skyward when my lower vision caught an object moving towards me. My first thought was it must be a bird. I was wearing a half helmet and expected to catch the object in the face. In that split second before impact, I was able to zero in on the object and saw that it was a tennis ball. The ball came right over my windscreen as I slightly nodded my head down. The ball ricocheted off the top of my helmet with hardly a notice.

I suspect that a vehicle going the opposite way tossed the ball out of their window. The ball bounced a single time as far as I know as it was coming up from the road. It had been thrown perfectly to impact me. I am amazed at the luck/skill of the tosser in doing that actually. Had the ball impacted my face though, I believe it could have caused enough damage/pain that I may not have been able to continue or worse, go down. Obviously, had I been wearing the full face helmet, an impact squarely in the face would be mitigated by the face shield. A ball could have cracked it I suppose but I doubt the tennis ball would have penetrated it.

The point of this is simply to remind us to be ready to act/react to unknown things along our routes each ride. What is your take?

You are 100% on target Brother. Add> Pheasants and ducks! Once an owl. Bird strikes are biggies! Swine and deer are somewhat worse...guys waving guns can be awkward...

 

[40north]

Yep, unknowns happen. I just came back from a spin around the area. Took a turn through a local riverfront park. a bit cool but I was rolling slow so it wasn't too chilly. I encountered a squirrel on my way out. He was on an intercept trajectory with me but when we met he didn't turn and run the other way , he jumped up instead, onto me and he was headed for the top just like he would in a tree. I shook it off when he got to my knee and he skidded a few inches and beat it back to the bushes. We both escaped unharmed and he has something to brag about to his rodent friends. He attacked a giant roaring beast and lived to to tell the tale. And so did I !

Rocky made it into the club!

 

[Kevin Werner]

Did I previously mention swarms of bees? Not a good time,,,

 

[Raymond]

The hazard I found several times yesterday was piles of wheat dumped on bends. A recurrent hazard. Must've fallen off overloaded trailers? It's not harvest time yet is it?

But when you've got like 1/2" of loose wheat dumped on the road, come along on two wheels and that's gonna feel like riding on ball bearings. I was lucky that I first spotted the hazard when I was heading the other way - the drifts of cereal were on t'other side of the road. Farmers have so many ways of making the roads unsafe . . .

 

[wildav]

Rocky made it into the club!

Yep, and I'm just glad It wasn't Bulwinkle that came out of the woods at me.

 

[Paleomechanic]

If you want a challenge on a familiar road. Try riding it at night.

Did that….hit an owl….ripped off my left side mirror
Thankfully , I was in my GTi, and not on a bike!!

 

[Paleomechanic]

Did that….hit an owl….ripped off my left side mirror
Thankfully , I was in my GTi, and not on a bike!!

I may have been going a tad fast …..

 

[MaxPete]

One of my buddies clocked a deer the other day on his H-D UltraSuperDuperChrome...Brontosaurus...somethingorother. It weighed about half a ton and the deer likely weighed about 100-150 lbs.

He has told me that neither the bike nor the deer survived and he walked away, slowly. He was danged lucky - lots of riders have been killed hitting stuff smaller than deer. Racoons are particularly bad because they are very heavily muscled and so hitting one is like hitting a 12" dia. chunk of wood.

Basically, deer are very stupid, impulsive animals with a very highly developed "flight" reflex. If in doubt, they bolt - in whatever direction they are pointed at that moment (i.e. off of, or onto the road, over or through a fence...whatever) and by far, the worst times for this type of behaviour are dawn and dusk.

As the man always said.....

 

[gggGary]

One of my buddies clocked a deer the other day on his H-D UltraSuperDuperChrome...Brontosaurus...somethingorother. It weighed about half a ton and the deer likely weighed about 100-150 lbs.

He has told me that neither the bike nor the deer survived and he walked away, slowly. He was danged lucky - lots of riders have been killed hitting stuff smaller than deer. Racoons are particularly bad because they are very heavily muscled and so hitting one is like hitting a 12" dia. chunk of wood.

Basically, deer are very stupid, impulsive animals with a very highly developed "flight" reflex. If in doubt, they bolt - in whatever direction they are pointed at that moment (i.e. off of, or onto the road, over or through a fence...whatever) and by far, the worst times for this type of behaviour are dawn and dusk.

As the man always said.....

I always say it's not the deer you see that'll get you it's the one following that you don't see cuz you're fixated on the first one.
In the last week
7-8 deer
2 fawns
Mom coon with 5 kits
Vulture close enough I ducked
2 turtles, finally something slow as me
Curvy rural wooded road guy coming at me using the whole road.
Ratty ole diesel pu pulled in front of me then laid a smoke screen for cover.
Just the usual.

 

[Raymond]

I always say it's not the deer you see that'll get you it's the one following that you don't see cuz you're fixated on the first one.

That is so true with deer - there always seems to be a second one following.

Back in the early '90s, evening, a deer crossed just ahead, I braked and was glad I did, just missed the mate.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Deer:
If they aren’t in the flight mode, I have seen evidence that they are aware of what a road is. In my neighborhood, they walk to the pavement and scramble across it. In the car with my wife, we noted a deer herd running through a pasture on a collision course with us on a state highway. As I prepared to stop, the deer herd stopped right at the road shoulder and crossed behind me. I would not have believed it had I not witnessed it.
Once spooked, they behave like a squirrel.

 

[MaxPete]

That is so true with deer - there always seems to be a second one following.

Back in the early '90s, evening, a deer crossed just ahead, I braked and was glad I did, just missed the mate.

My rule is that if I see any wildlife, I hit the brakes as hard as practically possible - regardless of what it is or which way it is heading when I see it.

P

 

[jetmechmarty]

My rule is that if I see any wildlife, I hit the brakes as hard as practically possible - regardless of what it is or which way it is heading when I see it.

P

Apparently, you aren’t accustomed to tailgaters. I once chose to hit the deer rather than have the tailgating SUV hit me. It was a conscious and correct decision.

 

[MaxPete]

Apparently, you aren’t accustomed to tailgaters. I once chose to hit the deer rather than have the tailgating SUV hit me. It was a conscious and correct decision.

Well, yes, of course one must always consider what is behind as well as ahead Marty.

That's just part of the customary situational awareness that all safe bikers must possess.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Well, yes, of course one must always consider what is behind as well as ahead Marty.

That's just part of the customary situational awareness that all safe bikers must possess.

Anywhere in the greater Memphis metropolitan area, deer are far more predictable than motor vehicle operators.

 

[46th Georgia]

Anywhere in the greater Memphis metropolitan area, deer are far more predictable than motor vehicle operators.

And generally, the deer are smarter.

 

[jetmechmarty]

And generally, the deer are smarter.

The deer aren’t armed either.

 

[MaxPete]

The deer aren’t armed either.

well, at least not in Canada.