Author Topic: Motorcycle vs. deer  (Read 3569 times)

Offline JoeRau

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Motorcycle vs. deer
« on: September 01, 2015, 10:40:45 AM »
I saw the pictures of a deer that was hit the other day on one of the forums I frequent.  The group rides a little faster than I am comfortable with, so I don't go to many of their rides.  They don't try to push me, but I don't want to hold them up. I do often use their routes (some really nice ones too!) to go on my own pace and times that fit my odd schedule.  Back to the deer incident- That one turned out very well.  Rider is fine, bike needs some work.  Even my dad hit a deer a few years ago on his Versys.  He kept it on 2 wheels with no injuries (to him) and only minor damage to the bike.   Most times bike vs. deer do not go so well.

Some of you know already, but I work in a 911 center in SE MN.  I take all kinds of emergency and non emergency calls- then dispatch law enforcement, fire & ambulance.  I commute through rural farm country almost exclusively on my motorcycle (Kawi C14) April - October.  Working 6AM to 5:30PM puts me riding in low light.  I see a lot of animals out there- both wild & loose domestic.  I installed Denali DM1 auxiliary driving lights to help with both night time lighting and daytime visibility.  I know not everyone will find them appealing, but I love them.

Today on my way to work it was quite foggy.  I chose to take the US Hwy (4 lane for 2/3 of the trip) rather than the county roads I normally take.  I don't know why. 

First call I take today was a motorcycle vs deer on the same road I chose not to ride in on.  The report I got is the rider was injured, but sounds like he should be ok.  Bike (wing) slid quite a ways down the road.  The deer (dead on impact) was claimed by a nearby landowner. 

I saw this guy nearly every day on my way home from work.  We usually met going opposite directions right near the scene of the crash.  I don't know the guy or his riding abilities.  I can't say if he where going too fast or other rider errors.  Maybe this was just a plain old "accident". 

I don't intend this to come across as judgmental, lecturing, or persuasive in any way.  Only to share a story.  This just sits in the back of my head maybe that could have been me had I chose to take my normal route to work.  I'm not going to change what I do.  I'll still ride, tour, and commute.  I'll continue to use that route most of the time both on the bike and in my truck.  I will be a bit more cautious in the low light, and rural areas.  I've hit plenty of deer before, but all with 4 (or more) wheels.  I hope to keep it that way.
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Offline Rhino

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Re: Motorcycle vs. deer
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2015, 12:04:01 PM »
I commute in early dawn light here in Texas with lots of deer. It's something I very much worry about. I try to be alert to the problem and looking for the critters on the side of the road but when you do it day in and day out it's hard to keep the level of awareness needed. I sure hope it doesn't catch up to me. Thanks for posting and giving me the kick in the butt to stay frosty alert to the danger.

Offline JoeRau

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Re: Motorcycle vs. deer
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2015, 12:36:20 PM »
Rhino
That was my reason for the post.  Awareness.  I just wanted to do it in a kind manor. 
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Offline Strawboss

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Re: Motorcycle vs. deer
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2015, 02:34:06 PM »
Thanks, my mind was wandering this AM and I almost hit one too, standing in the middle of the road. 1st day back to work after more than 2 weeks off, not used to driving that early, 6:30AM, woke me up though!
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Offline just gone

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Re: Motorcycle vs. deer
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2015, 06:01:26 PM »
I'll be glad when FLIR gets below $1000.00



I'm glad everyone is OK.
 I've often thought about leaving on a long trip at one or two in the morning to help me get out of the state before the heat hits, but the deer that are still out on the side of the road at 6 AM are way too many, so no.

Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: Motorcycle vs. deer
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2015, 07:12:58 PM »
You would have had to have been at that exact same spot at that exact same moment.  Even then, you might have just been a witness to the wing hitting the deer, or because you were both there the deer decided not to cross.

I think many people go down because of how they react to the impact other than frothy impact itself. Hope I never have find out first hand.
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Offline Rhino

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Re: Motorcycle vs. deer
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2015, 07:49:05 AM »
In high school I was coming home from a dance, my girlfriend was driving (now my wife of 39 years) and I was dozing in the passenger seat when she slammed on the brakes and the car screeches to a stop. There in the middle of the road on a black night was a black anges bull. 1 ton of beef. I have no idea how she saw it. And it didn't move an inch. We still has family property there and I occasionally ride that same rode on the bike. I always slow down at that same spot and shudder to think what would happen if I hit something like that.