Late night ride

[Wingman]

I ride home from work every night at around 11:00. Last night was just like all the other mid summer nights in SW Georgia, things were just barely starting to cool off and I was having my usual evening reflection of the days events as the blacktop passed beneath me. The first thing I saw was a flash of movement in the far left ditch, the Valk was already in full on front brake and rear brake drag mode by the time I fully realized that this was a full grown doe, and was coming across the road in front of me... by the time I got to her she was falling into the right hand ditch, losing her footing and I missed her by a full bike length; although I could have slapped her on the flank as I passed!

I was fortunate in that I had adequate reaction time, that the bike braked straight and true and she didn't change her direction. When I got home I covered my beloved Valkyrie and I won't ride for a week or two. As best as I can tell, I did everything right, but I've had run-ins with deer before and now and at least for a bit; my nerve is gone.

[elraque]

Get back on the Valk as soon as you're ready. Your fat lady will wait for you.

[..]

Dashing around forest roads on my KLR also gives me close encounters with the darn things. Shoot them all.

[valkmc]

Dashing around forest roads on my KLR gives me close encounters with the darn things. Shoot them all.

I do my part each year and boy do they taste good on the grill.

[czuch]

Did some "road huntin" in my 88 jag. Now its a motor doner.
Drove it home with splatty the deer in the trunk .
A  friend came over  and we made sausage. Very tasty sausage.
Forest rats. Taste like venison. Tasty venison,,,,,,,with beeeeeeer.

[Thunderbolt]

They are quick and seldom change their minds once commited.

[B]

I hear ya ... I see my share with my late shifts and our wonderful Michigan Deer population.  Sometimes I think its a sixth sense ... something doesn't seem right ... you slow down ... and the damn doe is wandering down the middle of the road in the shadows.

You all be careful heading to IZX ... we definitely have the 'big road-rats' up here.

[Walküre]

When I got home I covered my beloved Valkyrie and I won't ride for a week or two. As best as I can tell, I did everything right, but I've had run-ins with deer before and now and at least for a bit; my nerve is gone.

Wingman - I hear ya, loud and clear! I haven't been that close on a bike, but plenty close - maybe 10 feet from it when I passed, several times. I work 2nd shift, and I'm off Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and have had those hours for over 12 years, now. I rode a Wing, up until 3 years ago, then my wife's skirtster 1200 for another year after that. But, since I found I was ONLY riding to work and back, about 25 miles of corn fields, and NEVER finding anyone else to ride with on my days off or mornings, I ended up selling my Wing, since I saw deer almost weekly, the entire riding season. Just recently got back on two wheels, with the purchase of the Valk. I've been riding it almost daily, and have seen deer several times, but I seem to have gotten into the habit, of finding a car, and hanging back from it, all the way home. The first time I saw a deer, it was in the cage's headlights, the 2nd time, the cage braked first, giving me warning. I think I'll continue this. Some nights, there just aren't any cars, and I slow down a bit, because then, I'm in no hurry at all. It's MOST fun, of course, when the car is a ways ahead of me, and I get to open the old girl up a bit, to catch up...

Hope all goes well, when you hop back on. keep us informed...

R

[fudgie]

We hit a full grown possum one night. Kit let out a little scream but we couldnt react. If it wasnt for hearing the bones break we would have never known we hit them. We also have alot of deer but mostly in the fall. Corns head high now so anything is hard to see. Close calls happen. I don't let them worry us anymore. It something we have to deal with if we take the chance of riding every day.

[Wingman]

Walküre: I like your idea of finding a car to run interference for me, there's not much traffic on my current route, but there is a 4 lane that runs parallel, maybe I will just run that one at night; thanks.

Fudgie: Close calls do happen, but I have hit a deer once already and stayed on the rubber side, its sort of like thinking I've used all of my deer luck! I just got a bit rattled by this one, coming so close. Its all about choices.. I could drive my diesel and the deer is a speed bump, I can hit it with my bike and my ability to function can be removed in seconds. Maybe worth the risk, maybe not, but it is certainly a choice that only the individual (me in this case) can make.

My old friend Terry: so good to hear from you and I'm happy with the outcome too!  As far as deer not changing direction; a couple of weeks ago, I was driving into the 1/4 mile dedicated driveway to MillerCoors and I watched a deer going across the drive in front of me (I was in my car) and she slipped down on the pavement twice before she crossed the road. Not much threat, the speed limit on this little stretch is 35 mph, but it took her longer when she was startled by my car and fell. I'm glad the deer waited until her arrival at the right hand ditch before stumbling, or the outcome would have been different!

B: I think you are right about the 6th sense. I believe it saves most of us more often then not. I will take a small break, because of the same 6th sense. It's too hot to ride anyway! 

[Wingman]

Get back on the Valk as soon as you're ready. Your fat lady will wait for you.

Thanks, I believe you. I've had mine since 2001 and have always found that to be true.

Everyone look a bit closer on these summer nights. 9-12 is when they move in this intense heat. They aren't concerned for your safety when they do move!

[Wingman]

Dashing around forest roads on my KLR also gives me close encounters with the darn things. Shoot them all.

I'm going to try to shoot them all again this year, Paul. So far, I've seen more deer from the saddle than from a tree stand!

[..]

Walküre: I like your idea of finding a car to run interference for me, there's not much traffic on my current route, but there is a 4 lane that runs parallel, maybe I will just run that one at night; thanks.

Fudgie: Close calls do happen, but I have hit a deer once already and stayed on the rubber side, its sort of like thinking I've used all of my deer luck! I just got a bit rattled by this one, coming so close. Its all about choices.. I could drive my diesel and the deer is a speed bump, I can hit it with my bike and my ability to function can be removed in seconds. Maybe worth the risk, maybe not, but it is certainly a choice that only the individual (me in this case) can make.

My old friend Terry: so good to hear from you and I'm happy with the outcome too!  As far as deer not changing direction; a couple of weeks ago, I was driving into the 1/4 mile dedicated driveway to MillerCoors and I watched a deer going across the drive in front of me (I was in my car) and she slipped down on the pavement twice before she crossed the road. Not much threat, the speed limit on this little stretch is 35 mph, but it took her longer when she was startled by my car and fell. I'm glad the deer waited until her arrival at the right hand ditch before stumbling, or the outcome would have been different!

B: I think you are right about the 6th sense. I believe it saves most of us more often then not. I will take a small break, because of the same 6th sense. It's too hot to ride anyway! 

Having a car iun front of you could simply mean the stupid creature will cross after the car. Don't take anything for granted. How many videos have you seen of deer slipping through the gap between vehicles?

[therapist]

This is why I no longer ride at night.  Well, that, and my age related, lousy night vision.  I miss those late night runs on a hot summer night, used to ride just to cool off because I couldn't sleep.

[Walküre]

Having a car iun front of you could simply mean the stupid creature will cross after the car. Don't take anything for granted. How many videos have you seen of deer slipping through the gap between vehicles?

I don't think anyone insinuated that it was 100% safe. Personally, I have found that it has helped on two occasions, to be aware of deer, before I probably would have otherwise. In 22 years, I have hit one deer (in a cage), had VERY close calls probably 5 times (3 in a cage, twice on a bike), but I have been hit by errant drivers 3 times in cars, once totaling my cage, the other's causing serious damage. I have had countless "close calls" on both bike and car, probably in the twenty-something range, from other drivers, both cars AND bikes. After looking at the figures, and odds, I think I'll take my chances with the deer! And anything I can do, to make it just a little bit safer, I'll do. Again, just my personal experience, but it HAS been effective.

I will say, on at least one of my cage accidents, had I been on a bike, I would most probably have been able to avoid it.

On a side note, I heard once, that if you see the deer, that you should speed up fully. Now, I know about that advice and dogs, throws the dogs timing off, plus you can outrun the dog, but has anyone else heard of this, with deer? I'm wondering if the person I heard it from just extended the dog philosophy, to deer, or there's any substance to this? Anyone??

Also had some Wing friends, that hit a bear cub! Very slight damage, stopped to check the cub, then thought about mama bear being probably very close - high-tailed out of there pretty darn quick!

R

[Gryphon Rider]

I hit a deer at night 18 years ago with my GS850L.  I kept it up and was uninjured, but the bike had damage.  I only ride at night in the country if I absolutely have to, and then I never speed.  I've also added retroreflective ribbon to my leathers so that I'm not an invisible black lump on the highway if I do crash at night.

[Gryphon Rider]

On a side note, I heard once, that if you see the deer, that you should speed up fully. Now, I know about that advice and dogs, throws the dogs timing off, plus you can outrun the dog, but has anyone else heard of this, with deer? I'm wondering if the person I heard it from just extended the dog philosophy, to deer, or there's any substance to this? Anyone??
R

Would you rather hit a deer going fast, or slow?  I ALWAYS slow down if I see a deer anywhere near the road, and assume there are more that I can't see yet.  I consider the advise you heard to be poor advise when it comes to deer OR dogs.  With dogs that are chasing you, gear down, slow down, then accelerate when it gets close to throw it off track.

[Daniel Meyer]

I repost this in the interests of rider education...

Not me...

http://lifeisaroad.com/deerkilling.html

[Wingman]

I burned out a tank of fuel on a daylight ride today. No jitters; I do think I will change my night time route to the 4 lane, the deer still cross, but it might give me another few milliseconds to avoid. Thanks for the support all! 

[Spirited-6]

I repost this in the interests of rider education...

Not me...

http://lifeisaroad.com/deerkilling.html

I remember one with a Gold Wing that was like this one also. The deer was ground up and inpailed in front of Wing. Riders were OK.

[fudgie]

Good to hear your back out there!