Why I should have worn my helmet today

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Roadkill

Well-Known Member
Location
Scotland
Very occassionally I ride without a helmet and 15 miles in to my ride today I regretted my decision to ride sans helmet.

I was the victim of an attack, by a buzzard. It got at least 3 claws into my skull before it realised that it wasn't going to lift me up and take me home (despite having the wingspan of at least 6 ft).

Don't see that on Eurosport!

So be warned anti helmet lobby ;)
 

Fnaar

Smutmaster General
Location
Thumberland
Yikes... perhaps it thought you were roadkill ;)
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
Eek, far out!

Did you tell it to buzz off? Do you have a full head of hair or are you a chrome dome? The buzzard may have mistaken your shiny head for that of a fish in water if the shiny skin on top of your head was reflecting light? Alternatively it might have thought you were a rabbit or squirrel if you have a mullet ........

Moral of the story - always wear your helmet with helmet cam.
 
OP
OP
Roadkill

Roadkill

Well-Known Member
Location
Scotland
I have a full head of cropped hair so I guess I was more rabbit / hedgehog like!

Spoke to one of the estate guys who was quite impressed - said he'd only heard of it once before...
 

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
There was an article in one of the papers the other day. This is typical raptor territorial aggression, defending a nest of chicks/fledglings. One bird kept attacking visitors in a nature reserve. The resident expert pointed out that the bird will always attack the uppermost part of the intruder, and will NOT attack if it can see the intruder's eyes. Some visitors had taken to wearing hats with eyes stuck on them to avoid attack. I'll google a little and try and find the article.
 

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Smokin Joe said:
Lucky you WERN'T wearing a helmet.

If you had been, the buzzard could have got it's claws trapped in the vents and strangled you with the chinstrap as it tried to free itself.
Only if it was doing more than 12 mph. If its wings hit the spikey bit at the back it may cause rotational injury.
Apparently in Australia everyone stopped jogging and cycling as soon as they made buzzard attacks compulsory, or something like that:evil:
 

taxing

Well-Known Member
It's common in Australia! http://www.bv.com.au/bikes-&-riding/10754/

Edit: Sorry, you said that while I was looking for a decent link.
 

battered

Guru
The buzzard would certainly have been caught in the helmet strap had you been doing over 12mph and strangled you, so you had a lucky escape. There is also documentary proof that cycle helmets do not protect against fox attacks.

They are bloody good if you get hit by a car though.
 
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