Tips for dealing with geese

[craigf289]

Hi guys,

I have just started cycling to work along bridgewater canal from Manchester to Altrincham in order to get a bit more exercise (and avoid the horrible tram journey). does anyone have any helpful tips for getting passed the geese. Didn't really think of them as a threat until the past few weeks and have noticed that these are vicious little ***ts. Is a bit of bread thrown into the canal a good idea? I don't mind the ones that are by the side of the canal that don't hiss or try and snap at my ankles, just the overly aggressive ones.

Cheers in advance guys

 

[Supersuperleeds]

They are very protective when they have goslings and it is that time of year, you just need to avoid them for a few weeks

 

[Cycleops]

Geese can be worse than aggressive dogs. Just avoid!

 

[ayceejay]

According to an old friend the length of the neck denotes seniority so to get them to back off you need to extend an arm which will be longer than the gooses neck and they will cower in fear. Let us know how you get on

 

[ayceejay]

Wouldn't a leg be better then?

No, I think both legs should be on the pedals as they might be needed just in case this trick doesn't work.

 

[cyberknight]

I think a big roasting tin, bacon and foil work a treat .

 

[theclaud]

Bacon, on goose?

@rich p's poncey culinary threads are thataway>>>>>

 

[theclaud]

According to an old friend the length of the neck denotes seniority so to get them to back off you need to extend an arm which will be longer than the gooses neck and they will cower in fear. Let us know how you get on

Unwise. Someone might think he's a UKIP candidate and push him in the canal.

 

[Tin Pot]

You're scared of geese?

Commiserations.

I'm scared of parrotfish. Creepy feckin' things.

 

[theclaud]

You're scared of geese?

Commiserations.

I'm scared of parrotfish. Creepy feckin' things.

Do you meet many on your commute?

 

[BrumJim]

Hi guys,

Is a bit of bread thrown into the canal a good idea?
Cheers in advance guys

Works every time like a dream.

 

[Tin Pot]

Do you meet many on your commute?

Geese or parrotfish?

 

[theclaud]

Geese or parrotfish?

Parrotfish.

 

[Tin Pot]

Parrotfish.

Christ, no!

That would really shoot me up.

 

[Profpointy]

Whilst a dog will menace you from a metre or so (*), and if he comes closer, probably means business, a goose will menace you from much closer - but it's all bluster - just shoo them away, or just slowly keep moving towards them and they'll back down. Basically it's the trick the Masai do when stealing prey from lions :-). Holding your nerve is tricky when the thing's beak is at bollock height and getting closer.
Or just bribe them with bread. Geese are pretty cool really.

And geese pecks don't hurt much - swans on the other hand have serrated saw-like beaks which draw blood - ungrateful buggers when giving them bread too !

* and the menace-distance used by dogs varies in different countries. In UK it's maybe two metres or so, but in Morocco it's 10m plus - perhaps because it's the done thing to chuck stones at aggressive dogs. And "throwing like a girl" is cultural too - I've seen a Moroccan 9 year old girl hit a dog bothering their calf with a throw that an England cricketer would be proud of - well, rather better than that probably.