Attack of the Pheasants, Peasants, Wild Non-Pedaling Things

[cwskas]

Inspired by this post by @C R and an encounter of my own.

Attack of the Pheasants, Peasants, Wild Non-Pedaling Things

What amusing or at least surprising tale have you while cycling?

I was riding with two friends on a two-lane state road with little traffic. We were just heading down a short descent long enough to get some speed with the two of them close behind. I noticed movement in the unmowed and over knee-high grass and could tell we had startled something that was now running through the grass beside me.

As I turned to see, a fox jumped right over the front wheels of my recumbent trike. It happened so fast we all thought it was going to land in my lap. One of those times I wished one of us had a forward facing camera!

 

[Donger]

Round here it is mostly pheasants and squirrels you have to watch out for ... though I did once cycle round a blind corner and only just avoid disappearing up the rear end of a horse, like that scene in Police Academy. I've encountered my fair share of loose horses, sheep and cows over the years, as well as having a herd of deer run out in front of me. The closest I've come to actually hitting anything was when I almost head butted an owl on an evening ride.

Edit: Plus one startled alpaca!

 

[C R]

The worst I've had was a deer bounding across the road just ahead of me, had the deer jumped just a second later it would have smashed into my side, which would probably have been a tad painful.

 

[I like Skol]

Nearly got taken out by an urban badger when riding home from work at 1am once. I wasn't wearing my specs so spotted something grey and blurry shuffle across the road ahead in the shadows between the street lights. I was speeding down a hill at about 25-30mph and was a bit shocked when a second creature (now identifiable as a badger at such close quarters) scurried out of the undergrowth to follow his mate but on a collision course with me. Too late for me to do much but thankfully the badger sensed my approach and stopped short of my path and snarled at me as I whizzed past. I would like to say he bared his teeth and claws, but that may just have been my imagination (but they were big teeth and claws!!!!) as I flew by just inches from him (or in reality probably more like 2-3ft).

Certainly had my heart racing for the next few miles.

 

[figbat]

Descending an unlit, rural single-lane road from the Ridgeway in the pitch dark with a friend, me in the lead, him 2-3 metres behind me, brakes off, full-tilt. I hear a large rustling from the verge but pass it so quickly that I see nothing in my light. When we finally come to the bottom and stop, my buddy tells me that a badger ran out of the verge behind my rear wheel and in front of his, threading the small gap between us.

Then, later in the same ride we are riding a narrow trail with trees and hedges either side - a narrow corridor if you will - and my riding mate takes a bat in the face.

 

[MichaelW2]

I was badgered in a park one dark evening. He jogged alongside me for a good minute before going his own way. I was a bit concerned about teeth and claws but I don't think he even noticed me.

 

[Moodyman]

Attacked by a swan whilst riding along a canal. It was late March and it had newly born young.

I fell over and narrowly avoid the canal.

 

[Sterlo]

I love the way pheasants run along the road for a bit before they suddenly realise "hang on I can fly". I've also had close calls with rabbits, hares, squirrels and even hedghogs.

 

[oldwheels]

Mainly sheep when cycling but when driving add in deer after dark or very early morning. Herds of highland cows on the roadway are not uncommon and can be a problem and just stand and look at you only moving slowly and reluctantly when shouted at. Having experience with handling cattle I generally get past with a bit of shouting. On one occasion a bull lowered his head and began to walk slowly towards me. A bad sign and I immediately conceded defeat and turned tail tho' if he had been serious I would have been in trouble as they have a surprising turn of speed.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Highlight of a dusk ride back (along our coast bike path) a few weeks ago, was a barn owl, flying about 10 feet to my left over the edge of the beach, for what was probably only a handful of seconds, but was a serious case of time standing still, before sweeping up in a graceful arc over me and into the field to my right.

 

[Gillstay]

Got told by a local in Slovenia to go slowly down the track through the forest as if you cycle into a bear they get bad tempered.
We were not quite sure if he was kidding, but found the B&B in the dark and when we got up the next morning the the hen hut was built like a 16th century prison cell.

 

[KnittyNorah]

Not long after I got my bike last summer, a swan tried to commit suicide/swanicide by means of my front wheel ... I wouldn't mind if it thought it was protecting its babies, but they'd long since left the nest, were as big or bigger than it AND were sailing merrily away on the opposite side of the canal saying dad! DAD! Oh you're so embarrassing ...

 

[Chief Broom]

I had a stag step into the road in front of me, i pulled up and we just looked at each other. He had a full complement of spikey antlers and i really didnt want to be on the receiving end. At what seemed like an age he turned and walked off phew
I havent had a problem with highland cattle or cows generally but err on the side of caution especially when theres no escape route.
Pheasants lived in a caravan in the sticks for a while and this pheasant would attack me on the way to work and again when i came home *****thing handsome birds but stupid.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I was riding through a local woods some years back when I rode past two men, just off the path, one practicing the purple oboe on the other one. Not the sort of wildlife you expect to come across.

 

[bagpuss]

Trying to get the missus back out on our tandem .....Makes her ruffle her feathers at me ........