I Just stood there in wonderment...

[Amanda P]

I've read that they get a huge bundle of electrical cables, stand it on a couple of trestles and then drive Volvos and Saabs at it to test their elk resistance.

Elk are tall enough that the bonnet knocks their legs out of the way, but the body of the thing hits the windscreen. Rather a different proposition to hitting a deer, which will usually go down under the bumper.

Elk also do lurch out of roadside vegetation without warning (not unlike deer, but with more arrogance and a lot more mass). So the ability of your vehicle to swerve is critical to avoiding them. Wasn't it the little Audi that failed that test? - fell over or something.

 

[mr Mag00]

boab that sounds like a fallow herd they go round in large numbers when rutting, roe on the other hand tend to be in small numbers and dont stray very far

 

[Arch]

Elk also do lurch out of roadside vegetation without warning (not unlike deer, but with more arrogance and a lot more mass). So the ability of your vehicle to swerve is critical to avoiding them. Wasn't it the little Audi that failed that test? - fell over or something.

I think it was the baby Merc - famously tended to do a J turn (like a U turn, but stops abruptly on the way back...

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I fail to see how animals like these can be seen as 'Hazards'. The hazard is to them not car drivers. What is it with humans that we assume right of way over other species...sorry but the deer come first ..car drivers can take a long running jump as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Fnaar]

I fail to see how animals like these can be seen as 'Hazards'. The hazard is to them not car drivers. What is it with humans that we assume right of way over other species...sorry but the deer come first ..car drivers can take a long running jump as far as I'm concerned.

If they do this actually IN THE CAR, then they'll be the Dukes of Hazzard... dukes of... geddit? dukes of... oh never mind

 

[Amanda P]

<Considers writing an exposition of definitions of "risk" and "hazard".>

<Decides to go home instead.>

 

[Landslide]

<Decides to go home instead.>

Ride safe! Keep an eye out for wildebeest!

 

[barq]

...they are wonderful creatures, I could almost touch these, and they were walking slowly...not running. This herd seemed to be all female and young 'uns as I saw no big stags with antlers. It's amazing to think these animals are out there like this, and so close to urban humans who for th emost part have no idea they exist there.

Absolutely. Every time I see deer - which is basically any time there aren't large numbers of people around - I feel very lucky. Like you say, so many people have no idea these animals are all around us. I'm sure there are circumstances where they are annoying for farmers or whatever, but for me they are very special creatures.

 

[tdr1nka]

We saw lots of deer in Richmond Park when we had the London CC ride the other week.


I did have a huge squirrel run out in front of me today, narrowly missed!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

..yeah I can imagine a herd of squirrels could be a hazard

 

[Maizie]

Anyway, why don't you take some bread or something for your crow? You might make friends with it.

D'oh, what a brilliant idea! I will do that.

(I love corvids, they are just great birds. We have a magpie who visits our garden who always takes his bread to a plant-pot-saucer full of water to dunk it before he eats it [the saucer is there because our old cat used to drink from it - the new cat ignores it, but it stays there for our magpie!])

 

[Arch]

..yeah I can imagine a herd of squirrels could be a hazard

Depends if they get at your nuts....

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Depends if they get at your nuts....

...ouch...and what if they couldnt ever find them again?