Most dangerous animal on the road.

dbb

Australian magpie!
this bird aggressively attacks cyclists (and pedestrians) by swooping from behind

a helmets doesn't help either because they figure out that that is hard and they go for your neck.

trickeyja

Three of my personal annoyances are:

Horses - my road bike is so silent that several times I have overtaken and the horse has jerked in fright which is worrying for the horserider. I now ring a bell before passing!

Also, many horses don't seem to be familiar with cycists. In one particular display I was passing along in the Cotswolds when the horse literally threw itself down the hill in abject terror!

The worst encounter was when I was just starting out cycling (on a mountain bike) and I was nearly at the summit of Cleeve Hill. I could hardly muster the energy to pedal when this stupid and badly trained horse about 20 yards away starts rearing up with the rider on its back... fortunately the rider and horse ended up OK... I got screamed at though! :oops: I don't know what was so scary about me on my bike though.. :twisted:

Dogs - these things bark loudly and make me jump when I'm not expecting them!

Sheep (when on MTB) - prone to being in the way. Also prone to walking into your path when they are not in the way and they can see you are approaching. Prone to crossing the road just as you get to them.

Lagavulin

Never really had any bother with dogs myself. Have lived with dogs since I was about 12 and currently own a couple of border collies myself so I've a fair idea how to deal with 'em mind. Still, if a staffy or the like came after me the mini-pump turns into a decent baton.
Only incident with dogs I can remember had a couple of daft labradors bounding after me towards the A183 but stopping and telling them to sod off.

I've had far more potential incidents with birds darting out of hedges or swooping down. I had a really close call with a Blackbird on Sunday which must've missed my front wheel my mere inches. Bladed spokes on the DTs might've minced it but I think I'd of been chewing asphalt nonetheless.

Can imagine pheasants could be a real issue in the countryside. There's some suicidal buggers in Newlands Valley.

dilemna

trickeyja wrote:

.....they can see you are approaching. Prone to crossing the road just as you get to them.

Maybe your wellies are spooking them

pottssteve

Ruari wrote:

"Little beggars clocked me, but didn't stop 'passing' the ball across my line of travel. Road over their ball and squashed it, much to my delight (mostly at not coming a cropper), and their dismay!"

I ran over some teenager's remote controlled car when we lived in Germany - totalled it!

Ruari

pottssteve wrote:

Ruari wrote:

"Little beggars clocked me, but didn't stop 'passing' the ball across my line of travel. Road over their ball and squashed it, much to my delight (mostly at not coming a cropper), and their dismay!"

I ran over some teenager's remote controlled car when we lived in Germany - totalled it!

beverick

Pheasant. I was hit by one last night.

Neither rider nor pheasant suffered apparent injury.

Seriously having been hit by a sparrow, two pigeons and a pheasant in the last few years I have to say birds.

Bob

DavidBelcher

Fortunately haven't had any real run-ins with wildlife to speak of. Did have a head-on collison with a bumble bee the other week, who probably came out of it worse than I did.

David

Mossrider

I actually had to swerve to avoid a badger the other day, I'm sure I'd have come off worst if I'd hit it.

I once ran over a squirrel...

Bhima

SUPER SLOW Mountain-bikers on the road who panic and wobble about when they hear you're about to overtake them, causing traffic to also wobble about and speed up. :x

There seems to be a "slow mountain bikers convention" in Manchester this week - they're all coming out of the woodwork!

Stewie Griffin

Not too sure that I want to ride in the countryside now :shock: . Worst I have had is Pidgeons, they flew away from the car coming toward them and flew at me, just over 20mph going down a slight incline. I grabbed a handful of front brake, turned my face away from them closed my eyes and waited for the collision. No idea to this day how we missed each other.

The fox and cat versions of the green cross code also leave a lot to be desired, just because you can cross the road very quickly doesnt mean you should just go when you want.

Got hit in the face by a sparrow once, doesnt quite count for this though as I was driving a car at the time :shock:

The complaining tadpole

Muntjack deer! Those things are solid. The damn things wait in the verge until your almost upon them before they start their suicidal dash across the road. I've hit one in a car before & it totalled the front corner so I can only imagine what would happen if I did hit one on my bike :shock:

DavidBelcher

Bhima wrote:

SUPER SLOW Mountain-bikers on the road who panic and wobble about when they hear you're about to overtake them, causing traffic to also wobble about and speed up. :x

There seems to be a "slow mountain bikers convention" in Manchester this week - they're all coming out of the woodwork!

Surely you mean 'coming out of the woodland'?

David

plug1n

Got knocked out cold by a deer about 6 months ago