Close call

[BCRider]

Just about nailed a deer this morning. I live about 25 miles from work and 20 miles of that is a great country road I get to ride everyday. I am always vigilant when it comes to deer as I have had a few close calls over the 20 years I have been driving this road. This morning a fawn ran right out in front of me as I was doing about 60 mph. My first reaction was to hit the brakes which definitly helped. It was so close that I lost sight of the rear of the animal behind my fairing and mirror.

I was once told that a rider should not attempt any evasive action when a animal runs out in front of them as you may wipe your self out. Any thoughts? If I hadn't braked I would have nailed it.

PS I have a deer whistle mounted on the bike from the previous owner. Didn't help much today.

[big-t]

This morning a fawn ran right out in front of me as I was doing about 60 mph.

 

 

I have a deer whistle mounted on the bike from the previous owner. Didn't help much today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He was probably not old enough to know about deer whistles

 

 

 

 

 

Glad you escaped

[lazywizard]

While I have crossed paths with deer, never have I had an evasive situation apply. I have heard two schools of thought on evasive action. 1. Deer are prey, they seek the fastest FORWARD way out so steer to the hind end. 2. Deer are dumber than rocks, you can't predict their movement so good luck.

[jackflash]

I carry a 7mm Mag. on my bike for situations just like this. Gotta be quick on the draw though.....

[Pete Darby]

If you are going to hit the deer then hit it upright and head on, not while trying to avoid it. The same thing applies to stuff in the road or holes. But that doesn't mean that you can't try to miss something; just that you shouldn't be doing evasive moves at the time of impact. I would say that the braking worked and I would have done the same thing.

[Carnadero]

2. Deer are dumber than rocks, you can't predict their movement so good luck.

This is most likely the case.

[MadDuck]

I've never hit one yet, many oppurtunities.

 

Rule one, drive the speed limit or less when in deer country.

 

Rule two, keep the motorcycle vertical but bake hard. You can steer around one deer but they are herd animals so there are always others. By braking as hard as you can you will be going slower when you hit and the reulting accident will be much more survivable.

 

Buy a harley, loud pipes save lives, bmws have no intimidation affect but the ABS can eliminate 95% of collisions. A 1200 RT will perform a small stoppie and leave little skid marks when realy stopping hard from 45 mph. The deer and my seat were the same color that night.

[Merch]

Agree with both the rules, and just validated the stoppie and skid marks last evening. Not because of a deer, but because of a young 'lady' on a cell phone who decided to 'lock em up' in preperation of a last minute turn.

 

I am now SUCH a believer in BMW's antilock brakes on the RT. If you haven't tried them out yet, go do it under controlled conditions. Just be prepared to scrape your eyeballs off your visor and pop them back in your head. She's gonna STOP!

[Lawman]

My 05 RT also leaves short skid marks both front and back..I was under the impression these brakes were not suppose to lock up.. ...My 03 RT did not lock up..Anybody know what gives?

[flat_twin]

My 05 RT also leaves short skid marks both front and back..I was under the impression these brakes were not suppose to lock up.. ...My 03 RT did not lock up..Anybody know what gives?

 

 

It's possible to get 3 skid marks during emergency braking

[baggerchris]

Every night when I come home from work, I pass a fellow going in the opposite direction who looks to me like he is trying a method which might work. He has an older japanese bike and he has three big truck horns mounted to the front of the fairing. I have not heard the horns yet, but I'll bet they will wake the dead.

[Blue Beemer Dude]

Every night when I come home from work, I pass a fellow going in the opposite direction who looks to me like he is trying a method which might work. He has an older japanese bike and he has three big truck horns mounted to the front of the fairing. I have not heard the horns yet, but I'll bet they will wake the dead.

 

Yeah, but I don't think they'll work for deer or cell phone users. Here's what's going on in their heads:

 

Deer:

 

Hmmmm. I think I'll cross this large dark area here. Looks like food over there. Here I go. Dum, de dum, de dum. La, la... WHAT? WHAT'S THAT NOISE!? Uh oh. I better run. No, wait, I should go back. No stop, uh, maybe I should go toward the light. Yeah, that's the ticket, head for the bright light. Oh! It's coming at me! Good. I'll just stop here in the middle of the dark area and wait for it. Sure is loud though. OUCH! Damn, that hurt! What was that? Oh man, I think something just decapitated me. Where's the rest of me? Where's the rest of him?

 

cell phone user (typically in SUV):

 

And so then I said "like no dude" and he's all like "yeah woman" and I'm like that's not going to work for me and he's all like you're just not cool and I'm all like hey get out of my face and WHAT? WHAT'S THAT NOISE!? Uh oh. I better run. No, wait, I should go back. No stop, uh, maybe I should go toward the light. Yeah, that's the ticket, head for the bright light. Oh! It's coming at me! Good. I'll just stop here in the middle of the dark area and wait for it. Sure is loud though. OUCH! Damn, that hurt! What was that? Oh man, I think something just decapitated me. Where's the rest of me? Where's the rest of him? Hey, I gotta call you back.

 

 

 

Michael

 

(not a fan of cell phone users nor deer)

[Laney]

Yeah, but I don't think they'll work for deer or cell phone users. Here's what's going on in their heads: ...

 

That was funny!

 

 

I do think you're giving the cell phone users a little too much credit - I'm not sure they think as sharply as the deer do...

[Mike]

I was once told that a rider should not attempt any evasive action when a animal runs out in front of them as you may wipe your self out. Any thoughts?

 

Yeah. The first thing that comes to mind is the old pilot's adage, "Never stop flying the plane." I think the same concept applies to motorcycles.

 

First, I'd acknowledge that there are circumstances where deer suddenly run in front of you, leaving virtually no time to react. Secondly, I recognize that they often react unpredictably.

 

Nonetheless, I can't understand why, if you have the ability to assert control of the situation, you wouldn't try to do so. The first thought that comes to mind is to brake as vigorously as possible. If nothing else, you'd want to minimize your impact speed. Secondly, actually simultaneously, I'd try to head for the location where the deer just was. Yes, they're agile and can double back almost instantly, but you have a better chance of avoiding the collision or at least reducing it to a glancing blow (all this while remembering, of course, that there are usually others nearby).

 

Much more skilled riders than I have been taken out by deer. I've been lucky so far. But I'd rather try to bring my meager skills to bear to avoid or minimize the collision, rather than leaving things entirely to reactions of one of God's dumbest creatures.

[lawnchairboy]

[Paul Mihalka]

MadDuck: "Rule one, drive the speed limit or less when in deer country". Can't do. My daily commute is dense deer country 25 miles each way. My fun Sunday rides are Western Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia. All of it packed deer country. I do have two deer kills with the bike

[Carnadero]

I do have two deer kills with the bike

Aerostich has little animal-shaped stickers that you can apply to your bike...

[AdventurePoser]

Yeah. The first thing that comes to mind is the old pilot's adage, "Never stop flying the plane." I think the same concept applies to motorcycles.

 

The best advice of all, IMHO. NSD.

 

Steve in So Cal

[Calvin (no socks)]

If the "Deer Whistle" is mounted backwards will it call deer to you?

[BFish]

If the "Deer Whistle" is mounted backwards will it call deer to you?

 

only on the LT when in reverse.