Turkey buzzard hits, kills motorcyclist

[Banjoboy]

That sucks.

RIP to the rider. So young..

On a ride at skaggs, a sparrow sized bird ran into me at speed. 5 minutes later, a turkey vulture darts into my friend's chest at speed. The impact knocked his entire upper torso back so that his hands could no longer reach the handlebars. I was right behind him to watch the entire event and still could not believe it. The turkey vulture was still flapping its wings in my friend's arms and blocking his vision. I'm glad he saved it. It was like the bird tried to attack him. Two dead birds in five minutes.

I dun hit one at about 70 mph on Dutcher Creek rd while go'in up to Skaggs. Hit my right arm ripping it off the bar, and chopping the throttle, whilst banked over in a right hander on the gas. I was real lucky he only got my arm, but it still sent me into a gnarly wobble!
This is why you should never speed boy & girls.

 

[ThumperX]

That sucks.

I dun hit one at about 70 mph on Dutcher Creek rd while go'in up to Skaggs. Hit my right arm ripping it off the bar, and chopping the throttle, whilst banked over in a right hander on the gas. I was real lucky he only got my arm, but it still sent me into a gnarly wobble!
This is why you should never speed boy & girls.

I still think this is what killed Ollie up on Scaggs a few years ago. flat on his back eyes open.

I was struck by one of these bowling balls exactly one year after being hit by a deer. I have a big yellow scratch down the back of my helmet. I ducked but it clipped the top of my visor and skirted down my back as I hunched over. Kept the bike up barely. I was only going about 35. I had just hit a squirrel and knew I was coming into more wildlife. This was on Pt. Reyes Peteluma Road. I struck another squirrel on the way home.

 

[louemc]

What really Chaps my Ass is, I contribute so much to the road kill, that helps the scavengers out...Makes their life easier, and then they don't have the decency to give me a break in return.

 

[GAJ]

Anyone who rides around here long enough will have their close calls with these critters.

RIP Rider.

 

[Vanilla_Gorilla]

I ran into one of those bastards on going west on Metcalf. I came around a turn and there were three of them munching on a dead squirrel in the opposite lane. I slowed down and two took off right away. The greedy one stuck around so I gassed it a bit to kind of fuck with it because, well, I'm a dick. Well, those things get moving about as fast as a coal locomotive and he headed directly in my path. Next thing I know I'm tucked and hunched over the right side of the bike. I got a wing to the visor and he collided with my left shoulder. I wasn't going too fast and when I pulled over my left mirror stalk was folded most of the way back. I turned around to go check the scene but all three were circling around waiting for me to get away from their lunch. That was weird, especially when everything went black from his big ass wing covering my visor. Probably would be a different story if he hit my head.

RIP rider. Sucks to hear of people going so young, especially when the only thing to blame is random circumstance.

 

[Gnarly Cranium]

I was struck by one of these bowling balls exactly one year after being hit by a deer. I have a big yellow scratch down the back of my helmet. I ducked but it clipped the top of my visor and skirted down my back as I hunched over. Kept the bike up barely. I was only going about 35. I had just hit a squirrel and knew I was coming into more wildlife. This was on Pt. Reyes Peteluma Road.

Same road where I saw the vultures dipping really low over me, there's probably air currents along those hills that they like.

 

[Asphaultnaut]

it's like them damned pigeons. They're plotting I tells ya!

 

[QuaiChangKane]

Same road where I saw the vultures dipping really low over me, there's probably air currents along those hills that they like.

No joke - from here:

http://www.natureali.org/TVfacts.htm

"Because of their light weight, turkey vultures can virtually float in the sky using the thermal currents (rising columns of air) to get around the skies. This technique uses very little energy as the vultures rarely need to flap their wings. Because vultures are so efficient at finding thermals, hawks will look for kettles of vultures and then fly over to take advantage of the rising air."



Do you think that the Kern County Audubon Society would mind if we set up a booth at this year's Turkey Vulture Festival and sold slow-roasted rotisserie Turkey Vulture legs? Maybe some smoked vulture jerky? Howzabout a high-count takes all buzzard bagging contest? I mean, an you actually believe that there's an organized festival for carrion birds? Especially with the ancillary carnage they cause on the roadway...

http://kern.audubon.org/tvfest.htm

Fucking winged rats. No, strike that - rats are actually smart...


Godspeed, young rider.


-Q!