High speed deer collision.

[highpockets]

Hey guys. Just wanted to share some information and pictures of what happens when you hit a deer at high speed.

I was about two miles into my commute this morning when a deer made the poor decision to run in front of me. I was going down one of the steep hills. The last time I looked at my speedometer I was doing 36. At that speed I tend to not focus on it as I need to be watching the road. A buck came off the hill out of cover and before I had time to think WHAM!

I Remember hitting the deer but don't even remember hitting the road. I came to laying on the pavement with a couple of good Samaritans help me out. They wouldn't let me move until the ambulance came. Mind you I live in a rural area. I'm thankful no one ran over me in the interim.

Anyway, I wanted to post some pictures. Warning, they are somewhat graphic. There are also some areas that modesty prevents showing.

May this serve as a reminder and warning. Things can happen.

On a personal note; I have no broken bones. I do have a concussion. More disconcerting though, the MRI revealed a small unrelated cyst on my brain.

 

[highpockets]

More attachments. I also pulled the data from map my ride.

 

[indianajo]

Glad you survived. Congratulations, your injuries seem light considering the speed. Heal well.
I'm usually sore for a month after I hit the road over 25 mph.
I also go down hills at 30+ mph where deer cross. The speed was no lower when I pedaled myself. That is one reason I wear a helmet with a chin guard - a Fox Rampage.
Safety glasses might also be required. Fog up pretty badly in this humidity, though.

 

[JRA]

Well you made out better than Chris Froome. Heal well and fast and thanks for the reminder that it can happen at anytime.

 

[highpockets]

Glad you survived. Congratulations, your injuries seem light considering the speed. Heal well.
I'm usually sore for a month after I hit the road over 25 mph.
I also go down hills at 30+ mph where deer cross. The speed was no lower when I pedaled myself. That is one reason I wear a helmet with a chin guard - a Fox Rampage.
Safety glasses might also be required. Fog up pretty badly in this humidity, though.

The helmet I was using was literally the cheapest one I could find on Amazon. I purchased a blue one for my wife the same day but the white and orange was two dollars cheaper. My son says I would get a penny of of a urinal!
Anyway, I already ordered a new one. It has more coverage and mips.

My CCS is a mess. I usually do my own mechanic work but it's going straight to the bike shop.

 

[The duke]

Wow, this might be a blessing in disguise, allowing for the early detection of the cyst! I'm glad you're ok....relative to what could have happened.

 

[AlanDB]

I do wish you a speedy healing, and hope the cyst ends up being treatable, making the outcome of your accident a positive in the long run.

I know it is tempting on downhill to gain speed, but IMO 36 MPH is just too fast on a bike. although hitting a deer would be bad at 28 MPH … or 20 MPH or 15 MPH. So your speed maybe isn't a contributing factor for your injuries in this instance. This is not a criticism, just my opinion. In my younger days, I would probably have done the same thing with speed. I once had my ebike up to 26 on downhill (paved street) and hit a patch of gravel. I saved it, but it scared the S**T out of me. I decided then and there that at age 72 I don't need a crash, so I won't be trying that again!

Best wishes to you and I hope you are able to be back on your bike soon. Be careful out there!

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I'm just glad you are more or less in one piece.

I fear the day that will happen to me. The valley I live in has an enormous deer population.

 

[highpockets]

Wow, this might be a blessing in disguise, allowing for the early detection of the cyst! I'm glad you're ok....relative to what could have happened.

I thought the same thing. My paternal grandmother died form brain cancer. One of my uncle's had a brain tumor the size of an egg removed several years ago and he's still going strong.

 

[highpockets]

I do wish you a speedy healing, and hope the cyst ends up being treatable, making the outcome of your accident a positive in the long run.

I know it is tempting on downhill to gain speed, but IMO 36 MPH is just too fast on a bike. although hitting a deer would be bad at 28 MPH … or 20 MPH or 15 MPH. So your speed maybe isn't a contributing factor for your injuries in this instance. This is not a criticism, just my opinion. In my younger days, I would probably have done the same thing with speed. I once had my ebike up to 26 on downhill (paved street) and hit a patch of gravel. I saved it, but it scared the S**T out of me. I decided then and there that at age 72 I don't need a crash, so I won't be trying that again!

Best wishes to you and I hope you are able to be back on your bike soon. Be careful out there!

I have to agree with you. This has already made me rethink my biking habits. I started doing my commute on the ebike to both save money and be healthy. Both those went out the window yesterday.

 

[highpockets]

I'm just glad you are more or less in one piece.

I fear the day that will happen to me. The valley I live in has an enormous deer population.

I had thought about this before. It was mostly a passing thought though. Up till now I have mostly been worried about crazy drivers.

 

[com4n6]

Glad you are ok! Hope all works well with the cyst!

 

[Solom01]

Speedy recovery. Just wondering, what happened to the deer?

 

[Jaxx]

Hey guys. Just wanted to share some information and pictures of what happens when you hit a deer at high speed.

I was about two miles into my commute this morning when a deer made the poor decision to run in front of me. I was going down one of the steep hills. The last time I looked at my speedometer I was doing 36. At that speed I tend to not focus on it as I need to be watching the road. A buck came off the hill out of cover and before I had time to think WHAM!

I Remember hitting the deer but don't even remember hitting the road. I came to laying on the pavement with a couple of good Samaritans help me out. They wouldn't let me move until the ambulance came. Mind you I live in a rural area. I'm thankful no one ran over me in the interim.

Anyway, I wanted to post some pictures. Warning, they are somewhat graphic. There are also some areas that modesty prevents showing.

May this serve as a reminder and warning. Things can happen.

On a personal note; I have no broken bones. I do have a concussion. More disconcerting though, the MRI revealed a small unrelated cyst on my brain.

May not sound like it? But you was let off fairly easy. Ten years ago, local promising 16 year old from around these parts was out on a training ride. Desending down a short but steep valley road I often use, a deer ran out, sided him. Poor kid died on the spot. Usually nod as I pass by.

 

[Scott Adams]

Hope you recover quickly.

I have had a buck jump immediately in front of me at speed from out of a dense woods. Their ability to jump is awe inspiring.

I ride around a large number of deer, encountered more than 50 on a single sunset ride last month.

On an afternoon ride the next day I saw 1, so time of day is important for deer awareness.

Also, deer are not used to fast moving silent vehicles, this means we get to see them up close, but if possible, we need to keep their welfare in mind as well.

 

[highpockets]

Speedy recovery. Just wondering, what happened to the deer?

Don't know. Part of me hopes he's hurting worse than me.
My wife and I were joking he's probably drinking out of my lost Contigo and 'high fiving' his buddies.

 

[harryS]

My wife and I saw five deer on the local bike path tonight. Three in one group and two in another. All of them going to the creek to get a drink. We're poking along at 10-12 mph around dusk. I once had one bounding beside me looking for a hole in the woods to jump in. My only fear was maybe some deer ticks jump off and hitch a ride on us.

 

[Marci jo]

Hey guys. Just wanted to share some information and pictures of what happens when you hit a deer at high speed.

I was about two miles into my commute this morning when a deer made the poor decision to run in front of me. I was going down one of the steep hills. The last time I looked at my speedometer I was doing 36. At that speed I tend to not focus on it as I need to be watching the road. A buck came off the hill out of cover and before I had time to think WHAM!

I Remember hitting the deer but don't even remember hitting the road. I came to laying on the pavement with a couple of good Samaritans help me out. They wouldn't let me move until the ambulance came. Mind you I live in a rural area. I'm thankful no one ran over me in the interim.

Anyway, I wanted to post some pictures. Warning, they are somewhat graphic. There are also some areas that modesty prevents showing.

May this serve as a reminder and warning. Things can happen.

On a personal note; I have no broken bones. I do have a concussion. More disconcerting though, the MRI revealed a small unrelated cyst on my brain.

Thank you for sharing your story. And lived to tell about it. Helmets! That smashed helmet could have been your head. I cringe when I see the occasional rider without one.
Heal fast!

 

[Greg Foulke]

Very glad you are on the mend. I have to manuever around deer on my morning commute. It's a 19 Mile one-way ride to work, but about 12 miles of it is along a dedicated river trail. seen them on the path in the morning always reminds me that one could start out in front of me at any time, which is quite scary.

 

[ebikemom]

Thanks for sharing this. Methinks this goes to show that just because we *can* go very fast on a bicycle, doesn't mean that it's a good idea. We have to consider our reaction time and the stopping capability of the bicycle. I'd been thinking about these things, and though it feels glorious to speed down a hill the reality is that I can't stop quickly enough to avoid an obstacle such as a car that suddenly backs out, or a kid who runs in the street, if I'm going that fast. And, when I'm cycling, I'm not in a hurry--I've allowed enough time for my commute, for example.

Since reading your story, I am braking more on hills.

Thank you for sharing your sobering story. It's a great teaching point for all of us.