Suicidal Squirrel

NGale

Apart from that sounding like a really bad teenage thrash metal band it was the only problem I had to contend with on my bike. No errant cyclists, even the dog (a gorgeous husky) that ran next to me didn't suddenly decide to try and fell me, pedestrians remained where they should and I managed the 15 mile round trip without breaking a sweat

zanes

Meh, out this way all I need to contend with are pheasants and deer.

iclestu

Is this a known phenomonon???

I had a squirrel jump right into my spokes when i 1st started out!

Zachariah

True Story:

On a holiday in the US, many years ago, my parents decided it would be nice to hire some bikes and have a ride in Yosemite National Park. We had split the cost of the holiday with another family with a son my age. He and I sped off ahead of slow mums, dads and sisters.

To our right were fabulous redwoods, on our left were giant mountains and cliffs. It was a gorgeous day. We saw a little chipmunk sitting on a fencepost ahead of us, next to the cycle path.

"Wouldn't it be funny if he ran out in front of us," my friend said.

Sure enough, as soon as we drew level with the little critter, it jumped down and sped over the path. It had a bushy tail (so may not have been a chipmunk, I could never tell), which my friend ran over. The chipmunk squeaked and dashed off to the side.

It ran up the nearest tree. At the first branch, it stopped to look at us. To this day I would swear in a court of law that it shook a little paw at us and chittered away like a cartoon version of itself.

So yes, I would say this behaviour is universal for small rodents. They can't help but dive under cyclist's wheels.

NGale

I forgot to add. the highlight of my ride today was cycling back down by the Exe towards the Exwick area. Our ambulances have a standby point by the river where they can sit and wait for calls (they don't sit on station all day )

Said ambulance is sat there with a crew and a Canada Goose was acting as a new roof ornament. The paramedic (who I know and will use this story against when the time is right) sets the siren going to shoo the good off. It didn't move. So he gets out and shouts at it and flaps his hands to try and shoo it away, said goose stands up, looks at the paramedic and honks loudly causing the paramedic to scream like a girl and rush back into the cab of the ambulance.

Paramedics crew mate, sat there peeing herself laughing.

I so wish I had a video camera, a you tube moment if ever there was one.