So we're out for the weekend for tour around all the great motorcycling roads around here, strangely enough I finally got a full set of leathers, we had only gone 50k's and not out of the traffic yet. I'm on the GS in front and the gf is on the S40 behind and a articulated lorry behind her. As a small truck is about to pass me on the other side of the road, I see in slow motion a huge, what I thought was a plank of wood but later found out it was an an aluminium plank that builders use for scaffolding, so that's 2" x 9" by 10 foot, float off the truck like a piece of cardboard heading directly towards my head sideways.
One lane only in each direction and a gully by the side of the road. It came down and landed about half a second in front of me and didn't bounce much, I went over it and the wheel wobbled worryingly but I remember to keep my arms relaxed. The gf saw all this and was amazed I didn't go down then realising that she can't brake had to go over it too, her front wheel went airborne but she also came down OK.
We pulled over when we could to inspect the wheels then 5 minutes later the lorry pulled in behind us saying he saw the whole thing and pulled over to get the plank off the road.
On the way home this morning a kangaroo hopped in front of the bike while I was going 100kph, I mean like right in front. I'm like wtf, why? do they watch for traffic and try to commit suicide? That's all my luck used up for the rest of my life I reckon.
If roos are anything like deer, they see you coming closer and run across the road when you get close to try to escape. I saw a vid of a biker who hit a deer and managed to stay upright. Did not end well for the deer - not something to look for if you are even slightly squeamish!
The "last minute run" is a predatory avoidance thing.
Imagine, say, if you were a lion and you knew where the deer/roo/sheep/etc was and were running right for it. If the prey just started running as soon as it saw you you'd just track it and eventually catch it. But if the prey last minute jumped away in a different direction, you'd have to slow down or stop, change direction, then repursue, and potentially stumble in the process, giving the prey a better chance to lose/avoid you.
Now turn that technique against a vehicle going WAY faster than a lion, and not actually going AT the prey but along a close path and you get what we get: deer jumping out from the shoulder in front of cars/motorcycles/trucks and causing all kinds of problems.
Anyway, glad to hear you and the GF are ok. In the past few weeks I've seem similar, but with yard waste. Trimmed bushes flying out of trailers and such. Not fun.
Glad that both you and your gf are alright, and that you both had the presence of mind to stay calm and ride over that obstacle.
Your guardian angels were definitely working hard that morning.
Fingers crossed for the rest of us on the road!
Glad to hear you and your gf stayed upright and didn't get hurt.
Where I live, deer are so populous that they are more of a nuisance than anything else (getting struck by cars, messing up gardens/lawns, etc.). So, I feel for you on the "jumps right out in front of you" deal. I have had many instances of hard braking because a deer decided to stare at me and wait until I'm within 50 feet to try and cross the road. Luckily I haven't hit any yet but it happens more often than I'd like.
That's great information on the reasoning behind prey animals jumping in front of vehicles.
Quote from: user11235813 on May 16, 2018, 05:47:56 PM
That's great information on the reasoning behind prey animals jumping in front of vehicles.
Still, the one that I don't get is when you see, like, a squirrel get 3/4 of the way across the road, and rather than finish that last 1/4 when there's perceived danger they double back and get squashed for their effort.
I mean, I used to play a lot of paintball, if I leave cover to make a move and I start getting shot at I go for the nearest cover AHEAD of me. Sometimes I'm not fast enough, sometimes that cover is awkward and I get hit regardless, sometimes that cover is unexpectedly occupied and that's a whole other can of worms, but I guarantee 100% if I tried to turn around and go back to where I came from I'd be shot up so bad you'd think I was Hitler from that scene in Inglorious Bastards.
Superb movie, must watch it again, have you seen Deathproof? Hobo With A Shotgun is pretty funny, and don't forget Kung Fury while you're at it. Sorry to derail my own thread.
I try to pull an Inglorious Basterds scene on people every once in a while. When someone asks me where I am from, I say Huntersville. Then then say no where are you really from ... I say well in Huntersville, everyone talks like me, my brother he talks like me etc etc etc ...
Awesome movie.
Cool.
Buddha.