It’s not cars or peds it’s………

iPad

….Squirrels..!

I swear those twitchy nosed, fluffy tailed b*stards out to get me..!
It must be a 5 or 6 times in the last week where I have been nearly taken out by the little blighters.

It started on morning when I’m free wheeling down this really steep hill, when one of the little feckers ran out from the side of the road an must have missed me by inches, it left me no time to swerve let alone brake, all I could do was close my eyes and brace for impact, I have no idea how I missed the little aunt..!

Since then they appear to have adopted the practice or running out into the middle of the road as I’m cycling past then running back to the curb..! And the little f*ckers are the same colour as the tarmac, so you can’t see them until the last minute.

I swear the last one that ran in front of me was wearing a hoodie..!

And all this from the creature that taught me road safety as a kid (anyone else remember Tufty, or am I showing my age here?)

mapleflot

Yep I've had one bounce off my spokes once. I think its worse in Spring though when the young ones are still learning the Highway Code.

don_don

Perhaps they'll evolve into red ones, so they are more easily seen!

Unless you are on a red cycle-path though, doh!

Stevo_666

This might sound a bit harsh, but If it's a choice between having a prang to avoid what is effectively a tree dwelling rat with a bushy tail or running the little fecker over, just keep going and let the rodent take it's chances :twisted: -after all, you didn't ask it to play 'chicken' on a busy road. As long as you think it won't damage your wheels :P

PS: I like animals really...

Wallace1492

If i saw a squirrel I would ... swerve to run the feckers over.
A few years ago, hordes of them dug up all my carefully planted spring bulbs, shredded them, then buried acorns.

Needless to say, I took exception and declated war. I ordered a Trap: http://www.trapman.co.uk/squirrel-traps.htm and got it sent to work. I thought it would be parceled up - it was in cellophane!! Great mirth was had by my colleagues.

I went ahead and have trapped between 30 and 40 of them. Must admit to releasing them alive well away over the other side of a river. (Meant to kill them as non indigenous species)

have always hated the grays for destroying my bulbs, but they are cute.... not as cute as the Red's though.

Mr Sworld

What happened to my post? Good Grief! The mod's have no sense of humour sometimes...

bradford

Yeah there B******S to get out,when you drag one into your brake calipers :shock:
Bloody Yank squirrels :x

Porgy

Wallace1492 wrote:

I went ahead and have trapped between 30 and 40 of them. Must admit to releasing them alive well away over the other side of a river. (Meant to kill them as non indigenous species)

I think it's illegal to release them under any circumstances - I took in a few young uns passed to me by the RSPCA - they'd been abandoned by their mother and I was told they'd have to stay in captivity - could never be released.

They died though - poor mites

Wallace1492

Porgy wrote:

Wallace1492 wrote:

I went ahead and have trapped between 30 and 40 of them. Must admit to releasing them alive well away over the other side of a river. (Meant to kill them as non indigenous species)

I think it's illegal to release them under any circumstances - I took in a few young uns passed to me by the RSPCA - they'd been abandoned by their mother and I was told they'd have to stay in captivity - could never be released.

They died though - poor mites

Correct. Totally illegal to release..... clap me in irons and deport me to Australia....PLEASE!!

Mr Sworld

I thinks it because they are classed as vermin (if grey) so you can't re-release them once captured.

You could always launch them somewhere....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Ya6z-NlDo

:twisted:

Not that I'm advocating this mind you.....

Porgy

Wallace1492 wrote:

Porgy wrote:

Wallace1492 wrote:

I went ahead and have trapped between 30 and 40 of them. Must admit to releasing them alive well away over the other side of a river. (Meant to kill them as non indigenous species)

I think it's illegal to release them under any circumstances - I took in a few young uns passed to me by the RSPCA - they'd been abandoned by their mother and I was told they'd have to stay in captivity - could never be released.

They died though - poor mites

Correct. Totally illegal to release..... clap me in irons and deport me to Australia....PLEASE!!

just an observation - i'd be inclined to release them too.

UndercoverElephant

There's good eating on a squirrel.

ride_whenever

release them, out of a cannon, into the sun

Wallace1492

Mr Sworld wrote:

I thinks it because they are classed as vermin (if grey) so you can't re-release them once captured.

You could always launch them somewhere....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Ya6z-NlDo

:twisted:

Not that I'm advocating this mind you.....

"They are vermin Faulty,... vermin I say.."

Its not because they are vermin, but because they are dispacing the native reds.

Wallace1492

UndercoverElephant wrote:

There's good eating on a squirrel.

Yep!! http://www.backwoodsbound.com/zsquir.html

Not done yet, but have these waiting.... now where did I put that squirrel trap....

Mr Sworld

Wallace1492 wrote:

"They are vermin Faulty,... vermin I say.."

Its not because they are vermin, but because they are dispacing the native reds.

They already have! Unless your on the Isle of Wight or Scotland you'll be lucky to see a red nowadays...

bradford

What do they taste like?

Porgy

Mr Sworld wrote:

Wallace1492 wrote:

"They are vermin Faulty,... vermin I say.."

Its not because they are vermin, but because they are dispacing the native reds.

They already have! Unless your on the Isle of Wight or Scotland you'll be lucky to see a red nowadays...

I saw plenty of them in the Lake District about 15 years ago.

Porgy

bradford wrote:

What do they taste like?

chicken

Wallace1492

Mr Sworld wrote:

Wallace1492 wrote:

"They are vermin Faulty,... vermin I say.."

Its not because they are vermin, but because they are dispacing the native reds.

They already have! Unless your on the Isle of Wight or Scotland you'll be lucky to see a red nowadays...

Well, as my location is Glasgow, we are on the front line. Reds standing firm just up the road, grays advancing from the south....

Incidentally saw a squirrel streak across the road the other day, swerved towards it then realised it was a red, and swerved the other way. No harm done, but think I will stop trying to squish squirrels.

UndercoverElephant

bradford wrote:

What do they taste like?

Well, kinda like squirrel. I guess they quite like rabbit, or even a gamier version of chicken.

Jamey

if they hit the wheel from the front then I probably wouldn't swerve but if it was coming from the side it could easily damage a spoke so I'd probably try to avoid it.

BentMikey

LMAO at the video!!!

Good squirrel recipes from Hugh Fearlessly-Eatsitall.

ex-pat scot

Had a squirrel (grey) run into my front wheel years ago, mtbing through Endcliffe Park in Sheffield (see OP). I was glad of the front Crudguard, as the spinning motion of the spokes neatly beheaded the little rat.

jimmypippa

UndercoverElephant wrote:

There's good eating on a squirrel.

Did that this weekend.

Taste a lot better than wabbit.

Casserole in cider with plenty of mash.

Red=Good

Grey=Spawn of Satan