Pheasants!

[stuartyboy]

Guys & gals...just a word or caution when riding in South/North Perthsire these coming weeks...Be extra careful.

A HUGE number of gaming pheasants were released accross the south & north of the county a few days ago. [Areas affected....Auchterarder, Kinrossshire, Bridge of Earn, Dunkeld - Blairgowrie]. The pheasants were released several weeks late so they haven't found breeding territory yet and are wandering all over the roads more than usual.

I don't mean one or two...I literally mean dozens of them in groups.

There was a smash at Hatchbank in front of SpecialMike. A cage driver came round a corner and ploughed into a bunch of them, losing control and colliding with a drystane wall. No one was hurt thankfully.

[Bluesteel]

There was a smash at Hatchbank in front of SpecialMike. A cage driver came round a corner and ploughed into a bunch of them, losing control and colliding with a drystane wall. No one was hurt thankfully.


Oooh, that doesn't sound to pheasant..

\\:D/

[northwind]

A cage driver came round a corner and ploughed into a bunch of them, losing control and colliding with a drystane wall. No one was hurt thankfully.

And this is why shotguns became the weapon of choice for hunting pheasants, BMWs can take out several at a time but the ammunition's a bit expensive.

Thanks for the heads up ;)

[Mogs]

One of them got Jamie in Devon on Saturday, even when dead they mess you up, could have been very nasty.

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=78691&page=22

[independentphoto]

Quedos took to chasing one on her SV on Sundays (yesterday) ride - two blokes lying on the grass by the road were laughing like loonies at that one!

At least the streets of downtown Glasgow should be free of the silly buggars for Sunday.:smt045

Thanks for the tip Stuart;)

Garry

[stuartyboy]

Thought I'd ask the Polis about the pheasant pluckers...

"In this country it is ILLEGAL to take evasive action due to the presence of a small animal on the road (small enough not to cause severe damage to your vehicle)
If you have an accident due to braking, or swerving due to a cat, dog, fox, bird or any other small animal, you can be prosecuted for dangerous driving. If anyone else is involved you are responsible for any dammage or injury they sustain."

So....this new bike test then. The swerve test is illegal then?

[-Ralph-]

Thought I'd ask the Polis about the pheasant pluckers...

"In this country it is ILLEGAL to take evasive action due to the presence of a small animal on the road (small enough not to cause severe damage to your vehicle)
If you have an accident due to braking, or swerving due to a cat, dog, fox, bird or any other small animal, you can be prosecuted for dangerous driving. If anyone else is involved you are responsible for any dammage or injury they sustain."

So....this new bike test then. The swerve test is illegal then?

Ask about the dog bit again!?! Not sure about the law on swerving to avoid one, but the law does treat them differently to other smaller animals. If you hit one you must stop, whereas if you splat a moggy you can just carry on.

Once again the law forgets that bikers exist and only considers the cosmetic damage that might occur to a cagers front bumper. I'd say a pheasant can cause "severe damage" to both bike and rider, and I'll be swerving to avoid one if I have to - they f' ing hurt!!

[jimmy4237]

I ran over 4 live ones at the same time on the A90 at Fordoun when they were crossing the road without looking. Well you can't swerve a 44 tonner artic loaded with gas cylinders and acid can you??? That's a total road closure for hours upon end if the truck overturns.

All I felt was a loud thump and saw a large cloud of feathers rise behind the back doors of the trailer. 4 squished birdies under the wheels of an artic:smt051

If you see a pheasant on the road and you try and avoid it causing an accident then plod can do you for it. Better to hit the bugger and stop in a layby to check for vehicle damage than damage another vehicle.

Hit a horse, deer, stag, sheep, dog or cow and you've to legally report it. Any other animal is fair game.Keep on driving if the vehicle is OK.

[Carsick]

I'd say on a bike most things can cause severe damage if you hit them, so that law doesn't apply.

[Bluewolf]

.

[Cam_73]

Just cause you ride a Honda doesn't mean............ OH PHEASANTS!

Sorry :p

[-Ralph-]

Hit a horse, deer, stag, sheep, dog or cow

So does this mean U R allowed to swerve for these in the eye of the law?

[stuartyboy]

Not sure about the law on swerving to avoid one, but the law does treat them differently to other smaller animals. If you hit one you must stop, whereas if you splat a moggy you can just carry on.

Quote from polis..."Yes...you are required by law to report it if you hit a dog. Doesn't mean you are allowed to swerve to avoid one - dog, cat, bird....its still illegal"

Interestingly....when we setting out yesterday we met John MacDonald, [ http://www.pro-scot.com/motorcycle_training/advanced ] in Perth (outside the polis station funnily enough). We got talking about the new test. He's having to get bigger premises because of it. I told him about the polis saying swerving is illegal. Lightbulb appears above his head ...."but that would make the swerve test illegal too then".

He disapproves of the swerve test. Told us that in the wet the swerve test is far too dangerous. A 125 in particular just "cowps"

I wonder "Theoritically"...could anyone sitting their test now object on the basis that its illegal.

Anyway...pheasants...now add crows and easter traffic. We did a 160 miler via Braemar yesterday...feckin nightmare. Polis, ambulances everywhere. Stopped at the Spittal hotel. Loads of bikers talking about the pheasants. Same story everywhere we went yesterday. Old farts hammering on the anchors in front of you to avoid hitting them or riding round a corner and if its not a pheasant running accross the road its a mob of crows pecking lumps out of a dead one.

Hopefully all the easter traffic will have reduced their numbers.