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Close Call

mat 60

mat 60

Senior Member
Sunday was a great day and a friend Will and I headed out on our bikes ..Will was riding behind me when just as I reached the top of a hill and after I quickly Scan the road for cars I happen to notice momma duck and all her baby's behind her ..I had to break hard and move to the far right not to hit them..For a secent I thought all is good when my friend goes by clipping my mirror with his..He said he had all he could do not to hit me hard...............I dont no what I could have done besides just ruining them over and I just didn't want to do that......Id like to learn something from this so I ask you ......What would you have done different?
 
Without sounding heartless more people get killed/hurt avoind small animals on the road. Ducks have lots of babies for a reason. So at least SOMe of them can survive and carry on the species. You very nearly took out yourself and your partner to save a ducks life. Really.
 
Mat,
If your friend was at the 2 second following rule and traveling posted speed limit, and not having target fixation while paying attention he should have been able to get slowed down and not collide with you. With him just clipping your mirror he really did not need much room to completely miss you. I suspect that once you passed the ducks you were starting to go back to the left to get in your lane of travel and that is why you were not seriously clobbered. What I would recommend for future reference, when cresting a hill move from left of lane to center one, and advise that if your senses are giving you the danger signal to follow through with the warning. Also be sure to have brakes covered and use hand signals to alert following bike to slow done. :s
 
Couple of things come to mind Mat. One is the following distance that your friend was keeping. Another is the speed you were traveling and your friends closing speed. And last the line of sight distance for you and your friend. If your speed was too fast for the line of sight distance and your friends closing speed, and following distance, was too fast and to short to react to your avoidance maneuver it was a perfect setup for a rear end collision. The ducks could just as easily been a nail filled board or concrete block or brick, or something else that could unseat you from the bike. We all tend to ride at a speed we are comfortable at for the conditions and if we are familiar with the roads the speed will probably go up. We all have done it but it is still unwise to crest a hill or round a curve at a speed to fast to react to something unseen. Good job on avoiding the ducks and I'm real glad it was only a mirror. Ride Safe
 
Glad nothing serious happened Mat. ALL great advice. The way I think about the small animals is....if something happens to me by way of them, I won't be around to take care of any other friends OR animals. Have to take care of yourself, so you can take care of others. Sounds crazy I know......but, that's ME ! :lero
 
Matt, I'm glad you have a heart and tried to avoid taking out the ducks. I love animals to death, but even I think that it probably would have been better to take out a duck or two. It's one thing to be going down a wide open road that's straight and flat, but making a move like that going over a hill is spelling disaster. I'm sure it surprised you a bit to see them and that led to your reaction. Your friend evidently did a great job of avoiding a major accident. All that being said, I might have reacted just like you. I'm glad you're both okay, and I'm glad you posted this here for us to all think about it...........
 
Mat I think you made the right move, one can never predict what lies over a crest or hill, so we all need to be prepared at all times and keep a safe trailing distance as well:s
 
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