Well, that was a first!!

[Audax67]

One of those things ran into my right shin on a 400 ~10 years ago. It bounced off, I stayed on. Chum riding behind said it tottered off into the forest so I suppose it was OK. I was a bit skinned, no sweat (literally, it was 4°C and we were in summer kit). I was quite disappointed it didn't leave a conversation-piece scar.

[iviehoff]

I was once hit in the middle of my chest by a bat as I cycled home from the station, along a dark tunnel-like lane. Since bats are noted for their ability to avoid moving objects in the dark, even in great intertwined flocks of bats, all I can think is that it was an old or ill bat and not long for this world. Fruit bats can get drunk, but we have none of those in or anywhere near Britain.

A deer once had a lie down in a flowerbed in our garden for 20 mins or so around elevenses on a Sunday. Cat went for a look at it, and they looked at each other. Ran off when person with camera opened a window to get a better shot.

[Chylona]

Hi just joined forum and read this thread - I ran slap into a deer commuting home on Thursday along a dark country lane. One second clear lane next second there was a deer, next we were both in an intimate embrace on the Tarmac. No cars about. I came round before the deer - but MAMILs get up slower than mammals - when it came to it just jumped up with legs flailing everywhere (great for bruses... ) and bounded off. Had been travelling at a bit over 20 mph, must have grabbed the brakes before the strike but can't remember the impact at all. Amazingly bike okay and I have nothing but a bashed hip and hoof prints!

[landsurfer]

I've had to dispatch 2 small deer over the years as a result of a RTA.
Last one was in June near Hull.
Young woman that hit it was beside herself, another motorist walked her a way and I dispatched it quickly, both hind legs were smashed and it was past struggling but still hurting when i turned up.
I sat with it while it bled out. Police turned up , nice chaps, I took it away with their permission.
My friend Jim Rintoul was killed when he hit a buck in Thetford forest in his MGB GT back in he 80's...
Lovely things deer ...... but a bit solid !

[Paulatic]

Hi just joined forum and read this thread - I ran slap into a deer commuting home on Thursday along a dark country lane. One second clear lane next second there was a deer, next we were both in an intimate embrace on the Tarmac. No cars about. I came round before the deer - but MAMILs get up slower than mammals - when it came to it just jumped up with legs flailing everywhere (great for bruses... ) and bounded off. Had been travelling at a bit over 20 mph, must have grabbed the brakes before the strike but can't remember the impact at all. Amazingly bike okay and I have nothing but a bashed hip and hoof prints!

Pleased you are OK. They can appear from nowhere even when you are looking out for them. We've a few places on local roads where they are commonly hit. In a vehicle I always ease off at these points but more than once I've had motorcyclists pass and I just shudder to think the outcome of them hitting a deer at 60mph.

[Annoying Twit]

I remembered this thread when a badger hit me last night. As I was cycling along a path in a park, I saw a badger running around way in front of me. It disappeared into the undergrowth and I assumed that was the last I'd see of it. Except that when I cycled past it suddenly burst from the undergrowth. It hit my foot/pedal and tried to go through my front wheel. This happened quickly, and I'm not quite sure of the order of events.

I was fine; I just wobbled a bit. I'm concerned about the badger but I don't know what I can do about it. It ran off, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't hurt.

A badger is a surprisingly solid animal. I could feel the weight as it hit me.

[hercule]

I've had one jump over me whilst I was out riding. Admittedly I was on my recumbent trike at the time. Another plus for recumbents.

(Edit: a roe deer, that is, not a badger... I'm not that low down!)

[Phil Fouracre]

Blimey! I was going to say, the badgers we've got round here make enough noise getting up the steps - getting airborne, that would be a sight to see

[Paulatic]

A timely resurrection of this thread.
Just the other evening I was cycling along past a field I'd seen a deer grazing in. The blighter jumped the fence towards me and I reckon if I'd been 5mph faster it would have landed right on top of me 'ouch'.

[esuhl]

I remember cycling along an unlit country lane at 2am. Nice clear road, doing about 25 to 30mph.

A metre in front of me, a deer leaps through the solid hedge, missing me by inches, turns at right angles and starts running along beside me! Literally, a foot from the bike! I swerve away quickly to the other side of the road, and the deer slows down, carries on, and leaps back through the (apparently solid) hedge.

"Scared the crap out of me!", the deer later said in interview.

[mercalia]

Hi just joined forum and read this thread - I ran slap into a deer commuting home on Thursday along a dark country lane. One second clear lane next second there was a deer, next we were both in an intimate embrace on the Tarmac. No cars about. I came round before the deer - but MAMILs get up slower than mammals - when it came to it just jumped up with legs flailing everywhere (great for bruses... ) and bounded off. Had been travelling at a bit over 20 mph, must have grabbed the brakes before the strike but can't remember the impact at all. Amazingly bike okay and I have nothing but a bashed hip and hoof prints!

Pleased you are OK. They can appear from nowhere even when you are looking out for them. We've a few places on local roads where they are commonly hit. In a vehicle I always ease off at these points but more than once I've had motorcyclists pass and I just shudder to think the outcome of them hitting a deer at 60mph.

a good place to go stealth camping with a cycle trailer

[Phil Fouracre]

We've just got a new trailer Funnily, as the OP, one of the original replies was that I was a bit slow, not grabbing the deer when it was on the floor! I was surprised at how hard it hit me, and how heavy if appeared, could have had venison for months from it, if I'd been armed with something, and quicker witted

[drossall]

I remember an Audax some years back. Someone in the group pointed out a whole herd on our left quarter, heading diagonally across our path. We were clearly going to reach the point where they crossed the road at about the same time as they did.

It didn't take us long to decide whether they or we should go first.

[hondated]

Out for a ride this afternoon, along one of our local country lanes in lovely winter sunshine with the missus. Noticed a couple of deer in the field next to us, taking off, I guess spooked by us - was going to point them out to her, but, a bit late, and she wouldn't have seen them. Thought no more about it, then, probably fifty yards later, one straight out of the hedge right in front of her going at full tilt. Just as I braked for that one, crash, hit broadside, by the other one (there's always two ) Don't you just love disc brakes! so lucky I'd almost stopped, I reckon with the force it hit me, it would have been really serious if I'd had any speed on. Amazing how hard it hit, was convinced it had damaged me and the bike - then felt so sorry for it, thrashing about in the road, had horrible visions of it there with a broken leg. It did manage to get up eventually and seemed OK when it ran off, we guessed just winded and probably scared witless. Bike ok, so carried on nursing a sore knee and ankle. It's not just the cars, watch out for the wildlife

If they were Fallow Deer then there are usually more than two.
On Ashdown Forest there is sign giving the number of deer road kills, and the figure is around 250/year. Yet there are people who are quite happy to drive at 60mph on the A22 and plough into half a ton or more. On the rest of the Forest the speed limit is 40mph, but collisions still occur.

Often ride my motorbike through there and always stay at 40mph and very alert.

[MikeF]

Out for a ride this afternoon, along one of our local country lanes in lovely winter sunshine with the missus. Noticed a couple of deer in the field next to us, taking off, I guess spooked by us - was going to point them out to her, but, a bit late, and she wouldn't have seen them. Thought no more about it, then, probably fifty yards later, one straight out of the hedge right in front of her going at full tilt. Just as I braked for that one, crash, hit broadside, by the other one (there's always two ) Don't you just love disc brakes! so lucky I'd almost stopped, I reckon with the force it hit me, it would have been really serious if I'd had any speed on. Amazing how hard it hit, was convinced it had damaged me and the bike - then felt so sorry for it, thrashing about in the road, had horrible visions of it there with a broken leg. It did manage to get up eventually and seemed OK when it ran off, we guessed just winded and probably scared witless. Bike ok, so carried on nursing a sore knee and ankle. It's not just the cars, watch out for the wildlife

If they were Fallow Deer then there are usually more than two.
On Ashdown Forest there is sign giving the number of deer road kills, and the figure is around 250/year. Yet there are people who are quite happy to drive at 60mph on the A22 and plough into half a ton or more. On the rest of the Forest the speed limit is 40mph, but collisions still occur.

Often ride my motorbike through there and always stay at 40mph and very alert.

Very wise. Most roads on the Forest have a 40mph limit and a long stretch of the A22 now has a 50mph limit. I was driving along in the dark one night wary that I'd noticed deer on the road edge. MGIF BT Van overtook me only to immediately brake sharply as there was a herd in the road in front.

Note it's always "on" or "over" Ashdown Forest never "in" or "through".