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Close call

3K views 23 replies 21 participants last post by  roadpizza 
#1 ·
Ran just shy of 600 miles this weekend...from north-central Ohio down into the Shenandoah Valley and back. On WV 16 just north of Ellenboro this afternoon I got to experience first-hand something I've always thought about when riding in the mountains...a deer collision. A doe jumped off an embankment and crashed full-on into my right saddlebag as I went by. It cracked the fiberglass lid but luckily that's all. The bike barely even wavered...in fact I've hit potholes that upset it more.

Still...a fraction of a second slower up that road and I would have hit it square with the front wheel. Definitely makes you think.
 

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#4 ·
I looked for it for that very reason but couldn't find it. I would have cut the back straps out of that sucker in a heartbeat. Just on general principles.
 
#8 ·
Glad you are ok. I was riding out in elk county PA. on rt. 120. Starting to head home yesterday morning I had two very close encounters with deer jumping out in front of me. Fortunately no contact but it certainly woke me up and got my attention.:eek:
 
#9 ·
Big body deer ran across road about 20 feet in front of me and the truck behind me had to stop quickly. You have to watch out for the 2nd or 3rd deer as well! I don't ride much after dark around here...
 
#10 ·
Glad to hear the deer's timing was off and only gave you an adrenaline rush instead of a trip to the hospital. I hit a large doe about 18 months ago at 55 mph, luckily I was in my 4x4 Tundra not on my bike. $5,300. in damage to the Tundra was a whole lot less painful than if I'd been on a bike. When you hit one at that speed without ever having a chance to hit the brakes, not even the backstraps are worth saving!
 
#11 ·
glad u came out of this without harm. ride safe my friend.
 
#13 ·
Glad your OK! Here in Michigan the deer are like cattle, you can see herds of them grazing in the fields just about anytime of the day. You never know when one will run out in front of you :eek:
 
#15 ·
The couple of actual studies I've read over the years basically said that you'd be just as well off "whistling Dixie".
 
#19 ·
We took 3 bikes to Sturgis in 2007, only returned with 2 when my buddy hit a deer. $8K in damage to his 06 Screamin' Eagle E/G, and a trip to the hospital for road rash.

Ironically, we had just stopped for a break moments earlier, and he was going to ditch his helmet. His wife insisted they leave them on, as she wanted to use the intercom. Both of their helmets were pretty messed up after the collision.

Coulda been much worse had he won the helmet argument...
 
#22 ·
Great article on deer countermeasure devices:

http://www.thevog.net/forum/rights-...y-really-work-an-in-depth-report-by-fred-rau/

In my particular circumstance I don't think anything would have worked. That deer jumped off of an embankment that was at least 10 feet high right into the side of my bike. I'm lucky it didn't land in my lap. I would guess that deer was already on the run from something and when they are in full giddy-up mode they aren't about to stop for a whistle.

I did the time-speed-distance calculation....about 1/10th of a second slower and that sucker would have been right under the front wheel. Yuck.
 
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