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Should you swerve to avoid small animals?

4K views 38 replies 37 participants last post by  Slowpoke 
#1 ·
If I am on a straight stretch I might. If I am in a curve of any kind, it better be a quick squirrel, rat or whatever. I will not change my line to miss them and possibly put myself, my passenger or my bike in danger. I just hope they are as quick as they thought they were.
Deer are a whole other thing. Alot of folks that have been hit say they never saw them. If you do see them, do you try to avoid them, or do you let them avoid you. I think their reflexes are probably alot quicker then ours. If you both are trying to avoid each other, isn't the risk high you will guess wrong and run into each other? Wouldn't you be better off to keep it straight up, brace for impact, get off the throttle and pray they miss you?
 
#2 ·
Instinct and self preservation will make you do whatever is necessary for you to not hit a large animal, ie; deer. Unless you practice this several times per year, I'm sure that you'll do the damdest to avoid them, ie; braking or swerving, which depends on the situation.

Small critters.......well, there have been some members on this board that have stated that they had suffered an accident trying to avoid those small furry ones. I for one will not go out of my way to try to avoid them. If a small input on the handlebar is necessary to avoid them, then that's what I'll do, but I will not suffer the consequences of hurting myself or a dear one to avoid them.
 
#3 ·
Instinct and self preservation will make you do whatever is necessary for you to not hit a large animal, ie; deer. Unless you practice this several times per year, I'm sure that you'll do the damdest to avoid them, ie; braking or swerving, which depends on the situation.

Small critters.......well, there have been some members on this board that have stated that they had suffered an accident trying to avoid those small furry ones. I for one will not go out of my way to try to avoid them. If a small input on the handlebar is necessary to avoid them, then that's what I'll do, but I will not suffer the consequences of hurting myself or a dear one to avoid them.
+1
 
#4 ·
If you can safely avoid them, then of course avoid them. If a collision is imminent, then hitting them as square as possible seems best. Shooting off a 200 foot cliff instead is probably a poor choice if you have one.
 
#5 ·
When an animal, large or small, gets in the way, the first thing I want to do is slow the bike; then keep the bike in a straight position and brace for impact. If the animal moves, thats a good thing; if not, I want to try to keep the bike upright.
 
#7 ·
hit then straight on, and you will be fine

never hit anything at an angle, or swerve, unless its big
:agree: If it is small then straight up and go. If it is big, who really knows. I would have to agree the straighter and slower you are the better chance you have of staying up or not driving into a tree or anything else.
 
#8 ·
Had one of these experiences a few weeks ago. I was in a hard lean in a corner when a small furry something ran across the road right in front of me.

Long story short, I tried to avoid it and am now waiting to pick up my new Wing from the dealer this week.

I say, if there small, hit 'em. I know I won't make the same mistake twice!

STAY SAFE!!
 
#9 ·
Most animals have quicker reactions humans. Let them flinch.
Slow down as much as can be done safely.
There are tons of variables.
Small animals... you do not want to be on the brakes as you create a grease spot, a little gas doesnt hurt.
Big animals try to avoid.
IMHO :doorag:
(I had to drive thru an large appliance box on a freeway at speed in heavy traffic once upon a time. Hit it head on. Results... bent front fender, obliterated box, heart rate 200)
 
#10 ·
Swerve

On my trip to Big Bend last week, we came upon several groups/gaggles, whatever you call a bunch of buzzards, eating on dead animals on the road. I was in the lead headed east and on the north side of the shoulder was about ten buzzards. They started flying in all directions as we approached with two of them coming straight across the road in front of us. I slowed and kept trying to figure out if one of them was going to climb, dive or whatever is in their ugly heads. The buzzard couldn't decide either and just stayed at the same level while trying to fly. I ended up turning very slightly as I lay down on the tank and closed my eyes for the soon to be very gross impact. The rider behind me said he thought one of the wings touched me on my back and the only thing we can figure is that the bow wave of air over the windscreen was just enough to cause him to miss an actual solid impact. They said he also defecated but it went over the bike as we couldn't find any on the paint. Now..in my pants :eek:4:
 
#11 ·
Any time this situation comes up.....I RAISE the SHEILDS !!!!
and yell as loud as I can.....RAMMING SPEED !!!

Good Morning, ..............................Don
 
#12 ·
When you have plenty of time to react it is easy to decide avoid or not.

When something darts out in front of you with no warning, be it large or small reactions take over and swerving is a reaction.

One might be able to practice not swerving but I don't know how. JMHO
 
#13 ·
I have had plenty of furry critters dart out in front of me....my opinion...
nothing a hose and water wont clean up.

Squirrels seem to be the ones most often.... I will plow them over ..and stay the course... a 900 lb bike and a 260 lb rider will no be lifted off the
ground by a 2 lb rodent...that is "squishable".

Hope the critter has insurance ! :shock:
 
#14 ·
When an animal, large or small, gets in the way, the first thing I want to do is slow the bike; then keep the bike in a straight position and brace for impact. If the animal moves, thats a good thing; if not, I want to try to keep the bike upright.
That's what I did not long ago. No time to think, just react. My wife was a passenger, son in law and daughter on 2nd bike behind us, and another 'Wing with 2 good friends bringing up the rear. A dog of about 75 to 80 pounds runs out after a car and heading straight up the road at us. I have 3 choices....scrub off as much speed as fast as possible and stay straight, swerve left into oncoming traffic, or swing right toward shoulder with a ditch and pretty big jagged rocks. I stayed straight, braking hard with both wheels. Immediately before impact, I released the brakes trying to maintain a straight stability. I hit the dog, by the Grace of GOD kept it upright, and those behind me missed the dog. The dog died. My lower chrome cowl was ruined. It was all reaction and instinct, no time to think. Thankfully no one hurt. MSF instruction worked very well for me.:bow:
 
#15 ·
If its taller than the foot pegs try to miss it, if its shorter than the foot pegs then hit it. The same thing goes in the or in a truck, if its taller than the hood try to miss it, if its shorter than the hood hit it.
 
#17 ·
Small animals

I hit a squirrel once all I heard was crunch bike didn't care. A friend hit a deer and spent a lot of time in the hospital he wasn't going very fast wife wasn't hurt. Harley had a lot of damage. I think it is how you hit them on the outcome. I would think if you are in a curve you would loose traction for a second.


Sonney
 
#18 ·
Instinct and self preservation will make you do whatever is necessary for you to not hit a large animal, ie; deer. Unless you practice this several times per year, I'm sure that you'll do the damdest to avoid them, ie; braking or swerving, which depends on the situation.
After a relatively exhaustive study of animal/motorcycle collisions that resulted in the death of the motorcyclist, I came to the conclusion that hitting an animal very rarely results in the death of the rider. It is the impact that occurs after the animal strike, typically into a solid object while trying to avoid the animal.

I decided that if the time ever came, I would just smack into it. Well, last year while on a rally, I came across a deer right in the middle of the I-91 in Massachusetts around 0530 while traveling at an elevated speed. I could not help but try and avoid that sucker. I went left, he went left, I went right, he went right. I practically chased him all the way back into the woods on my Goldwing. So much for having the ability to just smack into the sucker...Lucky for me, he avoided contact, as I was really just along for the ride...I still like the odds of a half-ton of motorcycle and rider going fifty miles per hour against a 110 lb deer, but I don't have the skill to actual pull that off...
 
#19 ·
I will not swerve to avoid a small animal as in my opinion taking evasive action will put you in more danger than just taking the little critter out. I have hit a rabbit before which resulted in a dead rabbit and no damage to my Wing or myself. Squirrils are the worse as you never know what they will do so I just keep it straight and hope they make the right choice.

August of 07 My Girlfriend and I decided to take a ride at dusk to cool off on a hot summer evening. I chose the main highways and avoided the back roads as the deer here are everywhere. About 20 miles from home on US-23 headed North my GF yelled deer and I just caught a glimpse before I felt the impact. It caught us a glancing blow on the right rear. It hit my leg and her leg with just bruises resulting. The impact was severe and it move the bike from side of the lane to the other but we did not go down(I really don't know how I kept it up) I pulled over and made sure she was ok and then checked the Wing. The right side saddlebag was scratched up, the truck was a mess as was the speaker pod. The deer was laying on the shoulder with broken legs. I reported the accident to the nearest State Police post, and turned it over to progressive. I had the bike back a week later from D's Honda out of Alpena, MI where I bought it. Those guys were great and it looked like new. About 2500 worth of damage.

I had no time to react before impact and that was probably a blessing as swerving in that situation would have probably caused me to go down, or get hit by oncoming traffic. It's a crap shoot as what to do. All depends on the situation and your time to react. We were very lucky. Take care and be safe. I try to avoid riding at dusk in this area.

Fred

07 Blue Wing
 
#20 ·
On my trip to Big Bend last week. . . . I ended up turning very slightly as I lay down on the tank and closed my eyes for the soon to be very gross impact. . . .
Very same thing happened to me on the way back from Southwest Texas (Big Bend area) a couple years ago, except mine kept lowering his altitude as I got closer to him. By the time we met, he was a the same level as my head and just brushed me as I laid on the tank of my BMW.
 
#21 ·
I always figured to take the critters straight on and as stable as possible to keep the bike up. My concern is if leaned over in a curve, you hit a squirrel or around here rabbit won't the front wheel wash out and put you down anyhow?

:22yikes:

I have hit rabbits and other critters running at speed on the highway with no real problem. The curve thing worries me a bit....
 
#24 ·
If I'm leaned over, probably not.

If I'm going straight, no avoidance manuever, unless it's the size of, say, a Jack Russell Terrier or bigger. Even then I may just lock my arms and prepare myself.
 
#26 ·
One guy recently totaled his two week old Wing trying to avoid hitting a small furry critter while in a turn. No way would I do that. He was lucky to walk away without serious injury. I like rabbits also but if Bugs Bunny pops up in my path while negotiating a turn, he gets squashed.
 
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