I put on bar end mirrors yesterday and tried them out this afternoon. As I was riding back to my house two deer jumped out of a thick hedge near the road, and ran across the road, and I rode between them. :shock: There was no warning, and they were about twelve feet apart from each other and running fast. I was going about 30 mph when it happened... if I was doing 35 I probably would have hit the first one.

Still a little shakey.

I drew up a diagram in paint and was planning to post it, but I realized that if I uploaded it into Flickr and linked to it like I usually do then my girlfriend will see it and I don't think she needs to know about this. :lol: :shock:

Oh, and the mirros are great, I bought CRG knock-offs, like djamalt suggested. I'll buy the adjustable CRG elbows once I get tired of bending back the fixed elbows I have now.

Glad to hear that you slipped between those two deer. I've seen some jump out ahead of me while riding in the mountains out here, but they were not nearly as close to me as they were to you. Well done in keeping your cool and not laying 'er down.

Oh, and I'm happy to hear the mirrors are working out for you.

We need more wolves. A few thousand wolves in each state would take care of those pesky deer. :)

I heard on the radio the other day that the deer population has gone from 1 deer per square mile (on average) in Virginia at the time of Jamestown to 32 deer per square mile (on average) today. WOW, no wonder we are always dodging them here.

-FT3

:shock: Glad you're here to talk about it. Did you buy a lotto ticket? :D

I drew up a diagram in paint and was planning to post it, but I realized that if I uploaded it into Flickr and linked to it like I usually do then my girlfriend will see it and I don't think she needs to know about this. :lol: :shock:

Hey Sundog, where did this occur? We ride a lot of the same roads :)

Seriously, the quantity and threat from deer really detract from my riding enjoyment around here. When I can't see the areas to the side of the road clearly it's always on my mind--"what if a deer just appeared here... what would I do".

Everytime I see a Deer Crossing sign I automatically go on full alert. I can't seem to help it. I try to convince myself to not get too worked up about it (it's pretty much out of my control) but it's easier said than done!

Deer are even dangerous to bicycle riders around here! During one of the annual big bike races here last year a BIcyclist I know hit a deer at high speed and ended up with a spinal fracture.

I'm thinking of taking up deer hunting just to do my part...

-FT3

...a Bicyclist I know hit a deer at high speed and ended up with a spinal fracture.

:shock: Which reminds me, I need to invest in a back protector sooner than later.

It was on the road to my house, Thomas Lane, off of Price's Fork.

If I had been looking more carefully I might have seen it sooner, but the problem is that the stupid things are camouflaged. Which would be just fine for them if they didn't also freak out and run right in front or into people.

Maybe we oughta make the deer wear orange when crossing the roads. :D Darned things don't bother to use the crosswalks.

Glad you're okay, man. That would have certainly scared the doo-doo out of me!

Especially if you hit a big buck. You might get stabbed by his antlers.

I think those damn deer are out to get us some times. My friend got T-boned in his car by a deer on the interstate last week. It ran all the way across the opposing 4 lanes of traffic, across the median and then across three more lanes on his side of the highway, and right into his rear quarter panel of his pontiac sunfire, sending it into a 360.

There isn't always alot you can do to avoid them. I was driving to work in my truck when a big buck came taring out of someones yard at full speed before I could even think to brake, he was by me. It was a good thing he was running so fast or my truck would have been real hurt, not to mention the buck.

There isn't always alot you can do to avoid them.

We've got all kinds of things we have to dodge around here!

I went out on a short ride this past summer just to get some quick twisties in.

I clear traffic and head into the start of a fun down hill roller-coaster like section (Tom's Creek for you locals) thinking "Ahh Yeah!!" when I see a very large black dog moving fast on a direct intercept course with me. "Aw crud, not again..."

Here's what I find best for when a dog is on intercept. Slow down a bit--the dog sees you have slowed and it will adjust it's intercept course (they are very good at determining the correct course and speed...) and then when the dog gets close just speed up a bit and it will be too late for them to correct. Done. This works really well with "farm" dogs that have a fair bit of distance to cover before they get to you. If you accelerate as soon as you see them, they will correct and then you will have to deal with the bike/dog intersection at high speed :)

Ok, so back to the big black dog. He is already pretty close, but I decide to do my trick described above. I slow my speed a bit and notice he doesn't correct for my change and that he doesn't even seem to see me, weird. Slow even more, he's not even looking, weird, then it hits me all at once "HOLY CRAP THAT ISN'T A DOG......ITS A BEAR!!!"

A young-ish black bear (but still quite large I assure you), running at a full uncoordinated-looking "gallop". Big ears and big paws, almost comical looking. My slowing actually made the intercept WORSE since he didn't even see me. If I hadn't slowed he would have passed behind me, but not now! I get on the front brake hard and he passes right in front of me (<20ft) without even turning his head.

Everything I described above probably happened in just a few seconds, you probably know the "speed of time" I'm talking about :)

WHEW.

-FT3

"Aw Crud!" is putting it lightly. That adolesent bear was probably terrified of you with that scary mask on your headlight.

Its interesting what a motorcycle can teach you, i.e. the ability of dogs to pursue and adjust courses of interception with high speed objects.

This looked like a good thread to share my "Deer Story" in.
A doe t-boned me 2 days ago. I was in my truck (2001 Frontier), luckily, and not on the 599 when it happened.
The deer ran out of a residential neighborhood in the MIDDLE OF TOWN and tried to tackle the passenger side of my truck. I was doing about 50mph. The deer got up and ran away (good for her, but I know she was feeling the pain).
The damage to my truck was only cosmetic. It looks like someone threw four or five 100mph fastballs right at my truck. Still, the cost of repairs will be alot probably.
All I have to pay is a $250 deductible. State Farm gets the rest. :D