I hit a deer today...

[Ducatamount]

300lb doe? Good Lord! That's like mutant sized.
I'm not buying that whole dawn/dusk scenario. I was taken out about lunch time (noon), I was the middle of three bikes (40mph), she came out of the woods on the side of the road like she was shot out of a cannon and hit me in my front, left turn signal. At impact, her body turned the length of the bike and knocked me off. There were some of her organs lying in the road that I have to assume came out her ass as there were no visible open wounds. I ended up with some separated ribs (painful) and a little shocky.
Deer are dumb about vehicles, I've seen one run across an open field towards the road and a line of traveling cars, run into the rear quarter of a car, bounce off and run back across the field the same direction from which she came.
When I see them standing by the side of the road I slow down and head in their direction to get them to move before I reach them instead of as I get there and they try to shoot in front of you.

[duc_fan]

Glad you are okay.  

We have a zillion deer out here.  It's more unusual to *not* see at least one on my way to and from work.  They're in the fields or on the shoulder of the road almost every time I drive that road.  I have to slow, stop, or otherwise maneuver around them (in the road) at least once a week.

For me on the bike, this just means absolutely no 9/10's or 10/10's riding.  No knees down in the corners.  I gotta have enough room to slow, stop, or otherwise go around who-knows-what in the middle of the road.  Came around one of the tighter bends 2 weeks ago on the bike, 3 does crossing a tight left-hand bend.  One was on the left shoulder, the other two were in my lane, toward the right shoulder.  I slowed... the two on the right continued off the road.  The one on the left was clearly scared sh!tless by the sound of my bike (exacerbated by my throttle-blip downshift as I slowed)... it cowered down next to the guardrail on the left as I passed.  I love my Remus Ti pipes.

I haven't bothered with deer whistles on the bike, because they obviously react to the sound of the pipes... they tend to get outta the way in a hurry when I come rolling through.

The much quieter Subaru, OTOH, I probably need to put deer whistles on.  Had a number of close calls in that car... including one young'n that jumped into the front corner and bounced off.

[Speedbag]

I'm not buying that whole dawn/dusk scenario.

Well, they can surprise you ANY time of day....saw one bolt across the road the other day on the way home at 3:00 in the afternoon, broad daylight.

Around here, dusk and dawn are extra dicey.

[Ducatamount]

Yeah, perhaps I didn't word that quite right. I definitely agree that they are most active at dawn and dusk but you have to have your guard up at any time of day or night for all types o' critters. I killed a bird with my shin yesterday. 

[duc_fan]

Yeah.  Deer can be out at any time of day.  But midday, it's usually only 1 or 2.  Around sunset?  Can be upwards of a dozen (2-3 small herds).

[Doe-Foe]

Several people at my workplace knew (or knew of) this guy.
Because there was a witness, more details than usual were told.
This is from the summer of 2012.
I rode this road 5 minutes before I hit my deer in 2011.



Amazing thing is, several people said this guy had hit deer 3 or 4 times before. But he never wore a helmet so eventually the odds got him. And it was a Harley.

[duc_fan]

"the odds got him"

That's the one thing that scares me with riding Centerville Highway on a regular basis.  Deer almost every day.  There were 7 out last night (two groups in different areas... mama + 2 fawns, then a herd of 4 adults).  Had to slow for the second group, as one of them was crossing the road.

Also had to come nearly to a stop in the morning for a flock of turkey crossing the road.  Stupid birds get hit on Centerville Hwy all the time.    I haven't hit one yet, but we've only lived out here for a year.

I wear full gear, but you all know as well as I do that can only protect you from certain injuries... sometimes the sh*t hits the fan blades just so, and it makes a *major* mess.

I dunno... could be paranoid and just commute in the truck all the time.  Deer or turkey won't matter... if it steps out in front of that truck, it's gonna be roadkill, and I will continue home safely.  But, life is short.  I maintain that it doesn't matter if you're riding a motorcycle, driving a Volvo, or ensconced in an M1 Abrams... when your time is up, it's up.  Might as well enjoy the ride.

[MendoDave]

Several people at my workplace knew (or knew of) this guy.
Because there was a witness, more details than usual were told.
This is from the summer of 2012.
I rode this road 5 minutes before I hit my deer in 2011.



Amazing thing is, several people said this guy had hit deer 3 or 4 times before. But he never wore a helmet so eventually the odds got him. And it was a Harley.

One big bugsplat or rock to the face and you would think people would want to wear helmets. My visor is covered with bugs right now and it seems like the biggest one is always right between the eyes. I'm sure it doesn't just happen to me either. I just don't get it.
Besides motorcycle helmets look cool and not make you look like a dork.