Near Miss of the Day 136: Deer Miss of the Day

I was once rolling along in a group of about a dozen cyclists when a similar sized herd of deer burst through the hedgerow. It was an awful lot messier than that motorcycle display team trick but we managed to pull it off. None of the cyclists hit the deck but I can remember watching the hooves of the deer that rolled on its back in front of me flash across at handlebar height - the deer was close enough that I could smell it.

Mine was a fox that dashed out as I was riding back from work in the dark, just far enough in front for me not to hit it

Great vid

On a couple of occasions I've very almost been knocked off by bastard muntjacs attempting kamakazi ambushes  from the hedgerow. A 'miss may be as good as a mile' but it doesn't feel like that at the time. 

I saw a sign at the side of the road last week offering eight legs of venison for ten pounds.

Was that too dear I wonder?

I've had a couple....

One large cat (black of course) managed to run across road going between my front & rear wheels - and avoid my pedals whilst I was travelling at about 20 mph.

Another which just fails to qualify as near miss:

Pigeon sat on road. 

He's going to fly off when I get close. 

I get very close and he still hasn't flown. 

If we both go same way, this could be messy.

I know I'll steer straight at him, then it won't matter which way he g.....

700x 25C are very blunt instruments but WILL disect a pigeon.

The squirrell I came across a couple of years ago wasn't so lucky .  Ran straight through the front wheel and got pretty mangled, poor thing.

The nearest animal encounter I've had was on the Bristol to Bath railway path, when a squirrel waited until I was right next to it before running out of the hedge and quite literally bouncing off my foot.

Did someone say squirrel?

You just can't trust those woodland critters.

Probably didn't see him because it was blind, one of those no eye deer.

The nearest animal encounter I've has was on 14% unlit downgrade on a rural road north of Edinburgh.  Two eyes were lit up by my helmet light.  The animal then proceeded to jump out of the ditch straight into the side of my bike (it looked like a cat when more fully illuminated).  Somehow it managed to squeeze between my two wheels and under my bottom bracket (missing the 175mm cranks :-0).  I never felt any bump but I did hear a squeal though :-o As I said it was a steep unlit hill and by the time I retraced my path I could find no trace of the animal so I presume it made it

Nearest animal miss I had was a welsh Border collie that presumably thought I was a sheep and ran out of a farmyard at me when I was descending at a good speed.  Luckily it was a bright dog and jumped out of the way again!

Also, after a long, gruelling and hot climb I looked up to see two red kites circling close overhead.  Clearly they didn't think I had long to go...

Standard around here. Personal favourite to date was a buzzard, flew alongside for a bit and then cut across in front of me. Gorgeous thing. 

For those of you who visit the New Forest be particularly cautious around dusk/dawn - stuff is on the move then and can appear from nowhere - squirrels, rabbits, and deer are the ones you particularly need to watch out for. Ponies, donkeys and cattle are all generally more interested in grass than running about.