Perils of the English countryside

[skicat]

I've never seen a wild boar, but I have come across several pub bores in the countryside. They can induce anything from a mild headache to a full-on coma.

[Mick F]

You just had to bring up Hairy Ian, didn't you.

[skicat]

You just had to bring up Hairy Ian, didn't you.

Tell me more, please

[iviehoff]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27588210

What I don't like about this article is the implication that bulls are less dangerous than cows. They don't actually say that, but get rather close to it. There are many fewer bulls and laws regulating when they can be in places with access to a public right of way, and people in frequent contact with bulls take special precautions. I expect many of the deaths are farm worker deaths, but they don't say how many.

As implied above, the most dangerous animal in the countryside is homo sapiens.

[Bicycler]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27588210

What I don't like about this article is the implication that bulls are less dangerous than cows. They don't actually say that, but get rather close to it. There are many fewer bulls and laws regulating when they can be in places with access to a public right of way, and people in frequent contact with bulls take special precautions. I expect many of the deaths are farm worker deaths, but they don't say how many.

I've read articles which imply that lorries are less dangerous than cars using similar logic. Nevertheless, I think it is good to raise awareness of how dangerous cows can be. Most of the time there isn't a problem but every now and then they can become intimidating. I've had a couple of hairy incidents in my years of hiking and I've developed a strong dislike (dare I say a slight fear...) of them as a result. But, yes, it's still scarier when your footpath crosses a field with a bull in it

[jezer]

At least it's not as bad in the UK as it appears to be in Australia. I saw a vid on uTube recently (sorry, don't know how to do links), that showed huge spiders, an enormous snake eating an alligator, and a snake coming up through the toilet and wrapping itself around the bowl, just waiting to pounce as you sat down

[Mick F]

You just had to bring up Hairy Ian, didn't you.

Tell me more, please

Oh no.
I'd better not.

[mrjemm]

A few local paths and trails go through fields where cows and bulls are kept at times, and I find them both quite unnerving, but the bulls are downright intimidating at times.

Still dogs that worry me most though.

[pete75]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27588210

What I don't like about this article is the implication that bulls are less dangerous than cows. They don't actually say that, but get rather close to it. There are many fewer bulls and laws regulating when they can be in places with access to a public right of way, and people in frequent contact with bulls take special precautions. I expect many of the deaths are farm worker deaths, but they don't say how many.

I've read articles which imply that lorries are less dangerous than cars using similar logic. Nevertheless, I think it is good to raise awareness of how dangerous cows can be. Most of the time there isn't a problem but every now and then they can become intimidating. I've had a couple of hairy incidents in my years of hiking and I've developed a strong dislike (dare I say a slight fear...) of them as a result. But, yes, it's still scarier when your footpath crosses a field with a bull in it

Really?? My reading of that article is that many don't realise that cows can be dangerous and kill not that they are more dangerous than bulls.
Bullocks can be dangerous too, particularly to folk with dogs, but there' no mention of them.

I've read articles which say you're more likely to be killed by a car than a lorry, which is true there being many more cars on the road. I suppose some may infer that lorries are less dangerous from this.

[Ben@Forest]

There is specific HSE advice about bulls and cows - including the facts that:

Bulls of recognised dairy breeds (eg Ayrshire, Friesian, Holstein, Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey, Jersey and Kerry) are in all circumstances banned from being at large in fields crossed by public rights of way. Do not keep them in fields with public rights of way, statutory or other types of permitted access.

Beef bulls are banned from fields or enclosures with footpaths unless accompanied by cows or heifers. This does not include open fells or unenclosed moorland.

Somebody mentioned farm workers possibly comprising a number of the fatalities/serious injuries every year but I think that the largest group will be those with dogs (which could of course include some farm workers). Having any dog in a field with bulls, cows and or cows and calves is an inherent risk.

[Bicycler]

Somebody mentioned farm workers possibly comprising a number of the fatalities/serious injuries every year but I think that the largest group will be those with dogs (which could of course include some farm workers). Having any dog in a field with bulls, cows and or cows and calves is an inherent risk.

Almost all of the advice I have ever found regarding dealing with cows concentrates on handling dogs and avoiding cows with calves. I don't own a dog and yet I have still experienced some unnerving behaviour from cows even without the presence of calves. My own walking has tended to be a bit atypical because for a long while I was a Ramblers footpath secretary and did lots of solo walks inspecting paths which were often seldom used by the public. I noticed that cows on more frequently used paths never seemed as agitated by someone's presence as some could be on the lesser used paths. I never had the same problem when walking in groups as I did when alone either.

[mercalia]

At least it's not as bad in the UK as it appears to be in Australia. I saw a vid on uTube recently (sorry, don't know how to do links), that showed huge spiders, an enormous snake eating an alligator, and a snake coming up through the toilet and wrapping itself around the bowl, just waiting to pounce as you sat down

atleast better theses days than for cycle tourists in prehistoric times

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17544885


http://designyoutrust.com/2012/04/monstrous-48-foot-snake-related-to-boa-constrictors-brought-back-to-life/

[reohn2]

You just had to bring up Hairy Ian, didn't you.

Not hairy(but could've been ) but....*-''Story alert''-* This is totally true:-
A couple of years back one Sunday afternoon,I was showing Mrs R2 and a friend the nice view from a quiet churchyard that I often use as picnic stop when out that way.We left the bikes near the lychgate and went in only to stop rather abuptly as we were met with not the view I'd anticipated,there on one of the elevated gravestones sat a man thankfully with his back to us ,totally starkers .For a moment we just stood there until our friend shouted ''get back under that stone'' and we made a run for it .
It was at least a mile or two before we could even pedal properly for laughing .
The church is St Bartholomew,Barrow near Chester:- http://www.stbartholomewbarrow.co.uk/ph ... hurch.html it's the flat tabulated stone on the right in the picture.It's now always referred to as St Bart's the revealed
Perhaps it was an ancient ritual we stumbled on

[Ayesha]

You just had to bring up Hairy Ian, didn't you.

Not hairy(but could've been ) but....*-''Story alert''-* This is totally true:-
A couple of years back one Sunday afternoon,I was showing Mrs R2 and a friend the nice view from a quiet churchyard that I often use as picnic stop when out that way.We left the bikes near the lychgate and went in only to stop rather abuptly as we were met with not the view I'd anticipated,there on one of the elevated gravestones sat a man thankfully with his back to us ,totally starkers .For a moment we just stood there until our friend shouted ''get back under that stone'' and we made a run for it .
It was at least a mile or two before we could even pedal properly for laughing .
The church is St Bartholomew,Barrow near Chester:- http://www.stbartholomewbarrow.co.uk/ph ... hurch.html it's the flat tabulated stone on the right in the picture.It's now always referred to as St Bart's the revealed
Perhaps it was an ancient ritual we stumbled on

I've seen him.
He was trying to strangle a one-eyed pink snake.

[TimP]

List of creatures and beings to be wary of.

1/ As I forementioned; Sasquatch.
2/ The Mothman.
3/ Skinwalkers.
4/ Greys.
5/ The mowing devil ( crop circles ).
6/ Black eyed demons.
7/ Reptiloids
8/ Banshees.
9/ Hob Goblins.
10/ The puncture fairy.

Just to creep you all;
Any cyclist you might meet could be a Shapeshifter.
Therefore, on this premise, it is not a good idea to stop and help a lone cyclist along a quiet country lane.

With the amount of sci fi, urban legend and other conspiracy programmes etc. you are into how do you find any time to go out cycling? (Oh, byt the way, you missed the bogeyman and bridge trolls)