(Near) Suicidal Sheep

[sloppy joe]

as I was exiting a favourite rh bend on way back from Manchester over Saddleworth Moor this evening, crazed sheep leaped from banked left hand verge, skidded to a halt about 2/3 of the way into my side of road, approx 30 yards in front of me.

No chance of stopping, but horrible moment of 'will it stay put, so I tighten line and go round on right, or will it suddenly carry on, so I should try and go left'.

Eye contact with with sheep. Picked right. Sheep stayed put. Very narrowly avoided having to explain to some farmer that I had killed said sheep. And avoided some lovely bruises and scratched up bike at the very least.

Said many many many many many prayers of thanks, once heart had returned from my mouth back to its proper place.

Note to self - ALWAYS keep an eye on the verges in the countryside for banzai wildlife. A lesson nearly learned the hard way.

[simesb]

Lucky escape! Sheep are dangerous creatures, and more dangerous when their lambs are on the opposite side of the road.

Very narrowly avoided having to explain to some farmer that I had killed said sheep. And avoided some lovely bruises and scratched up bike at the very least.

You could have asked nice Mr Farmer why his fences weren't maintained properly instead :D

[Bluepete]

I always keep bungee's with me, just in case I hit anything edible I can carry home!...

Squirrel is tasty!

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk24/conker51/th_Squirrelkiller.jpg (http://s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk24/conker51/?action=view&current=Squirrelkiller.flv)

Pete ;)

[sloppy joe]

You could have asked nice Mr Farmer why his fences weren't maintained properly instead :grin:

Aye, true. Its a stretch of road where there are often sheep along the verges, and I frequently wonder whether the farmers bother maintaining fences.

I usually spot them, keep an eye on them and slow down if one looks like it wants to end its life. But in this case I was so focussed on the bend, that until the sheep was in the road, I had not seen it. As well as thanking my guardian angel, I was kicking myself for not having spotted the little bugger earlier. As before, lesson learned.

With regards to bungees, my bag was bungeed to the back, so if contact had occurred, and the bike was still rideable, then yes, perhaps lamb curry would have been for tea tonight. Although I am not insured for a pillion...

[muddi]

I always watch the sheep - more so their babies when going over the moors. The moors I live by are all open so the sheep wander around but are known to suddenly just wander across the road and dont really care about the traffic.

Must say though I really wouldn't be on the look out for one leaping out from the embankment at me lol. :eek:

Glad you didn't hit it - they make an awful mess and are bloody hard objects to hit and do a lot of damage! glad your ok and your heart rate went back to normal - now go buy yourself a new pair of underpants hehe :smt044

[sloppy joe]

Undercrackers already in the wash! Cheers. :-)

[ChrisSV]

I have the same, but with full grown cows, the farmer doesnt maintain his fence, and the cows regularyly get out and just either stand in the road or wander out infront of you. Has resulted in a few panic moments, from myself and a lot of accidents and dead cows from others.
However a jumping sheep is something new.

[sloppy joe]

Coincidentally my mate's wife hit a sheep round there about a month ago. Minced the sheep, did about £2k damage to their car.

Still thanking my lucky stars.

[xXBADGERXx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYdheuyu3KQ

Here`s mine

[sloppy joe]

Yoinks. Close.

[xXBADGERXx]

It certainly woke me up .

[sloppy joe]

But it was only a tiny pony, you would hardly have noticed......

Guess we are both blessed with an animal avoiding guardian angel. Still keep thinking about my near miss (**** only just unclenched two days later), as you say, it wakes you up.

Just noticed your location, reminds me that Black Album due for rotation into playlist on the ipod.

[muddi]

That made me laugh Badger - thats the sort of thing I would do - look at the cute thing while big horrible thing ambushes me!


Wildlife hates me too - luckily for me, only small wildlife - had a bird hit my bike - my 125 when I first started taking it out. Since then had to duck a few times as pigeons thought it would be fun to play target with my head!

Oh had a squirrel ran out in front of me, luckily i saw it seconds before so let off throttle - but it ran across the road from my side, stopped inches from front wheel of on coming car then decided to head back towards me!!
Ohh feck!!

My sister was riding behind her - said she couldn't stop laughing!! cheers sis, I was screaming at it to get out of the bloody way lol.

Ohh and then a hedgehog thought it would be a good idea to stop on a country lane right before a sharp left hander in the middle of my ride line, quick swerve round the right of it made the corner more interesting lol.

And one night had a bunny dash out in front of me half way round a corner!! That woke me up!!!

Bleeding wildlife.... :smt076

Just glad its been no bigger than them though!!! :D