Bats ( winged creatures, not cricket ones.) v cyclists.

[Saluki]

I have only ever had one bat fly into me and that was a glancing blow to the top of my helmet as he went past (might have been a she though). I do a fair amount of night riding and it seems that bats are not interested in cyclists nor are they attracted to the lights. I think that the one who bumped in to me was being inattentive or chatting to another bat or something. I was really suprised.

I love going bat watching.

 

[152l2]

Last wednesday when cycling to work at about 05:45, I went under a railway bridge. As I went past one of the bridge supports, a bat appeared about a fw feet from my face. It scared the **** out of me. I may or may not have screamed like a girl as he turned and flapped away.
If no one else heard, I didnt scream.

 

[fossyant]

They use a sonar system (echolocation) as well as sight, a bat is not going to crash into a bicycle, ever, unless it's a very dopey bat.

This. They don't have great eye sight, so use sonar to navigate. When working for a construction company, we had to put nets up between lengths on hedgerow which had to be taken out due to heavy machinery. The bats used the netting to navigate over the gap in the hedge to continue on as it was on their regular flight path.

 

[nickyboy]

Bats are not attracted to lights. As a matter of fact, the use of lights is recommended as a way to repel them. Illuminating an attic infested with bats will keep them from staying....bat's actually use street lights as they attract their food source, moths, so unless you have a lot of moths flopping about in front of your lights, you're perfectly safe .. well unless one bat lands and turns into a caped figure, then it was nice knowing you

Errr...you do know that your suggestion regarding illuminating an attic with a bat roost is illegal don't you?

 

[Andy_R]

Bats are fine it's them pointy toed owls you got to watch out for!

And if you're cycling where there are trees, don't forget to look out for drop bears

 

[Dogtrousers]

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch

 

[Tim Hall]

This. They don't have great eye sight, so use sonar to navigate. When working for a construction company, we had to put nets up between lengths on hedgerow which had to be taken out due to heavy machinery. The bats used the netting to navigate over the gap in the hedge to continue on as it was on their regular flight path.

Bat bridges. We went under one on the Reading-Lymington night ride last year, somewhere round the @rse end of Basingstoke. Or it might have been a dormouse bridge.

 

[Archie_tect]

Errr...you do know that your suggestion regarding illuminating an attic with a bat roost is illegal don't you?

Bats find their own roosts in crevices, trees and holes, there is no logical reason to have such restrictive legislation... we are losing our sense of proportion.

 

[Tim Hall]

They're pretty much the same, except that one has wings.

Fleder and dor. Two branches of the same family.

 

[raleighnut]

They use a sonar system (echolocation) as well as sight, a bat is not going to crash into a bicycle, ever, unless it's a very dopey bat.

Or you've got a really squeaky chain.

 

[annedonnelly]

Bats are lovely. I've a bat detector so I can go out and find them more easily - and if I learn the differences in the sonar patterns I'll be able to identify the different species.

 

[Soltydog]

Was once cycling home up the TPT from Hull to Hornsea, around dusk & there was a stretch with loads of bats flying around. Had one flying a few feet ahead of me, at head height & at a similar speed, was great until it did a sudden about turn. Dont know who was most startled,the bat or me, but I ducked & it went up rather sharpish, but it was a close call

 

[Spinney]

Bat bridges. We went under one on the Reading-Lymington night ride last year, somewhere round the @rse end of Basingstoke. Or it might have been a dormouse bridge.

Permanent bat bridges had to be put across the Newton bypass on the A590 south of the Lake District:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.2...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1svpmtRxi0dfpJBuFCTTnRSg!2e0

 

[welsh dragon]

I have never heard of bat bridges.

 

[fossyant]

I have never heard of bat bridges.

Neither had I till I saw them. Went out on site and said what are those for. Believe it or not, the construction industry is environmentally friendly...