I hit a deer on Saturday

[Reldeed]

OK... I'm not sure where the appropriate place to post this... it will probably end up in the endless pointless post section but I can't help but share this!

Saturday night, I thought I would head out for a photo tag. This photo tagging is going on, on another site ST.net for the Michigan area. Anyway...

I found the tag and was headed to find another tag at around 11:00 PM. I was riding from Owosso, MI to Clare, MI on Hwy 21 going West. Doing about 60 on this 55MPH road with 2 cars behind me, a doe steps out on the road. I thought I could get around it to the right but the deer turned around 2 or 3 times... In fact, there was really NOTHING I could do to avoid hitting this deer.

Let me say that this is the second time that THIS BIKE has saved me. (and itself)

I got on the brakes as hard as I could; the ABS was going nuts. By the time I hit the deer I was going around 15 MPH. I hit the hind quarters of the deer and sent it tumbling head over heels into the ditch. The Bike didn't waver AT ALL! I pulled the bike to the side of the road. Luckily the 2 cars behind me were paying attention because neither of them rear ended me.

When I got off of the bike, I was expecting to see a missing front fender or cracked headlights. I found NOTHING... NOTHING wrong with the bike. :clapping: I started Jumping up and down hooping, hollering, woo hoo'ing, anything I could in celebration of what just happened.

The guy that was right behind me got out of his car to see if I was ok. He told me that the deer rolled about 20 yards in to the ditch then got up and ran off. He probably thought I was crazy the way I was carrying on but who cares! I wouldn't want to hit a deer in my car let alone my motorcycle.

I have to say that I owe it all to the way this bike responded to me as I tried to avoid this accident. Yes... in the end I did hit the deer BUT, Besides the deer probably being sore for the next week or so, NOTHING happened to me or the bike! :yahoo:

Where do I get the "hit a deer" graphic? :yahoo:

 

[nwrider1]

Amazing! Glad you came out of this one OK. I've never hit a deer, came close on a number of occasions. However, I did hit a cow once and didn't come out quite as well as you. Deer sure are unpredictable cusses. The only thing I've found that helps is air horns like the Stebil -- it usually startles them into diffinitive action.

 

[Wee Willy]

Where do I get the "hit a deer" graphic? :yahoo:

Steal a copy from DCarver...

Fortune has smiled on you, Reldeed...go have a beer to celebrate. My treat.

Cheers,

W2

 

[Bugnatr]

Nice to read you and bike are oK. Dang, the forest rat lived. I clipped one on my KLR a few years back, just no fun.

 

[Jim Heinz]

I hit a deer August one year ago. 11AM crystal clear morning. In the less than one second I had to react I managed to slow down from 60mph to 50mph (according to estimated impact speed per officer). This 14pt buck came bounding from the left and I think there may have been 2 does following him--actually it was all a blur. I came to rest stomach down 4 feet off the road to the right with my head towards the road. My first thought was I hope I can still make it to work. Then I realized my left wrist was totally screwed. Lifting my head and looking to the left I could see a debris field between me and the dead buck. Two cars passed before they all started stopping. I found out later my bike continued on without me cross the ditch and up the side hill and over a farmers fence. The FJR 2003 was totaled (bent frame). Body damage: left wrist reconstructed with rod and crossbar; left ankle talas cracked; left shoulder strain. The most curious thing was that I was in dress clothes and there was not a single scuff mark on me! I figure that my body went into the big buck and he carried me most of the way through the impact. After 9 months of physical therapy on hand and shoulder I bought another FJR 2003 this last August. My answer to certain family members outrage: "Get over it".

 

[Bounce]

Glad you didn't fare worse.

The only thing I can see that CAN be done in these cases is to slow down in known deer country.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I noticed that you stopped in Owosso...was that to play "sheep tag"?

Anyway, I'm glad your "deer tagging incident" was much less exciting than it could have been.

 

[marauder]

That's cool how you came out...touching but not breaking. I am still healing from my July 10th encounter that broke several bones including the most nagging one, my right thumb. Seems that since I was two finger braking at the point of impact my thumb could not support the impact and ripped backwards. Friends tell me years before full recovery. Hindsight I should have braked sooner when I first saw the deer but I thought I could get past it when it panicked and ran in front of me.

Glad to read that you did things right!

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

And WOW!

Glad you got over on that one, with some Angelic mojo for sure.

Deer stories rarely turn out good, this may be the first with no serious injury.

I guess suppose there will never be a plan of escape for a deer in the road, other than stopping hard-fast-and safe.

Shout out for the cagers behind you who were paying attention not to pile in behind ya.

 

[cptngym]

Hit a deer a couple of years back on my Katana. Bike lived, deer dead, shoulder reconstruction surgery and a major pin and 7 screws added. Since the FJR have had several close calls. ABS saved my A** many times Glad you healed up. Forest rats must die, but not by motorcycles, hurts to much.

 

[fjrboomer]

Congrats on surviving a deer encounter. I have always been told to get on the brakes at the first sighting of a deer for exactly the reason you mentioned. They are very unpredictable and will respond like they were trying to escape a predator. Thus they are just as likely to turn back into you as not in attempt to confuse their predator and provide a better chance at getting away.

 

[dustyrains]

Glad you didn't fare worse.
The only thing I can see that CAN be done in these cases is to slow down in known deer country.

Or maybe this.

 

[dcarver]

I too would be dancing the jig with no damage or injury.. You are one lucky pup!

Enjoy the day, learn the lessons, it may not be same outcome next time?

 

[Reldeed]

Thanks all... I've been doing the happy dance since the whole incident. People at work told me that I should have bought a lottery ticket.

All I know right now is that without this bike and it's ABS I would have either had to lay the bike down or lock up the bike. Instead, I was able to bring the bike to a safe enough speed to knock a rat off of the road and walked away from it. :yahoo:

Anyone have the deer whistles on their bike? I am seriously considering that. That whole thermal video camera seems cool and all but, this deer just appeared from the right hand side of the road. If they aren't already there...

Dcarver... sorry to hear about your smash... I just dont' think my wife really understands how bad this could have been. I've been and will continue to dance the jig for weeks about this!

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Amazing! Congrats on winning the luckiest biker of the month award! :yahoo:

Hard to believe there was no road rash or skinned knees with your just wearing street clothes. Maybe one lesson might be to buy some decent gear?

Buy that lotto ticket.

 

[Bounce]

I have kangaroo whistles in my tank bag that a friend sent to me from australia. they are as effective at keeping away kangaroos as are the deer whistles i don't bring with me.

 

[Reldeed]

Hard to believe there was no road rash or skinned knees with your just wearing street clothes. Maybe one lesson might be to buy some decent gear?

eh? I always wear pants and jacket with full armor and boots. Where did you see that I was wearing Street Clothes?

 

[08FJR4ME]

Amazing! Congrats on winning the luckiest biker of the month award! :yahoo:
Hard to believe there was no road rash or skinned knees with your just wearing street clothes. Maybe one lesson might be to buy some decent gear?

Buy that lotto ticket.

Post #5, not you Reldeed.

Shiny needs another coffee.

 

[Checkswrecks]

I have kangaroo whistles in my tank bag that a friend sent to me from australia. they are as effective at keeping away kangaroos as are the deer whistles i don't bring with me.

I hear that if you keep one of those 'Roo whistles in the fridge, you won't get elephant footprints in the butter, too.