This time of year Aussie cyclists are used to bracing themselves against dive bombing magpies protecting nest sites.
Now, a couple of rogue emus have joined the fray, filmed chasing two cyclists in Canberra yesterday. Chris Wilson, who captured the incident, was pursued by one of the birds, before he filmed it going after a second cyclist, Kevin Wells.
Wells can be seen pedalling away as the enormous bird briefly pursues him, making a noise with its throat to hammer the point home.
Video: Cyclists chased by ostrich
“There were two [emus],” wrote Wilson on Facebook. “I stopped to get a photo and this one started running at me, making a thumping noise with its threat [throat] and extending its neck really high to intimidate me ... it worked.”
“Then I stopped and filmed this guy trying to get through. I had to edit out my chuckle at the end because I thought you all may consider me cruel.”
An adult emu can grow to 2m in height, and weigh up to 45kg. Its top speed is 50kph. Luckily this one, on Paddy’s River Road, on the edge of Pierces Creek Forest, made a cursory chase of Wells before giving up.
“Must admit I did not really think much more of it and continued my ride,” said Wells.
Although he was cool about the interaction itself, he did name his 91km Sunday ride Emu stop chasing me!!! in honour of the enormous, irate bird.
VIDEO: Terrifying scenes as Aussie cyclist dive-bombed 13 times by magpie
Wilson defended the emu’s behaviour as natural instinct and reminded Aussie cyclists to be respectful of the birds and admire them from a distance.
“I don't think this emu is a menace at all. I've seen emus in captivity, but it was a thrill to be able to see how this one reacted with its natural instincts,” he said. “I encroached on it's terriroty to try and get a photo and it reacted like a celebrity getting hounded by the paparazzi. Fair enough too. You can safely watch these birds, just give them a respectful distance.”
According to Australia Zoo, between April and November is breeding season for emus, so it’s possible the bird was acting to protect a nest site or its young. Females are known to make a booming noise during breeding season.
“you have to change the environmental cues to tell drivers what speed they should be safely driving at. And the problem with simply changing to...
As a Marxist/Leninist/Fascist/Neo-contrapuntalist, I wish to complain at your cancel culture.
But it rather depends on identifiying the suspect, and how would they do that?
No worries. In NFBUK world shared paths will be banned, so that goes away and you are back in the road .
He's not on the board as a representative of Shell.
Here is the headline and introduction which pretty much sums up the article....
google maps / my sat nav sat nav told me to come this way
"why should I be forced to cycle at 20mph when 25mph gets me there faster?"...
Or a Birdy. Though much rarer....
And today's self-appointed rapid reaction forum busybody is? ...