its that time of the year again!

[craigb]

just wondering what other people use to stop those damn magpies swooping? im looking at glueing on some of those little plastic eyes that you can get from a craft shop or im willing to consider other options anyone got some ideas?

[bighitter]

funny you should post this thread. I just the other day got attacked by a magpie and it bit a big chunk of foam from back of my new giro atmos helmet and scratched it all up pretty bad.
Ive had a few magpies swoop at me but this is the first time theyve actually got me :eek:

[AUDIOZ]

Bugger the magpies... its the tiger snakes that are now waking up hungry and pissed off that bother me... and the Yarra Trails are infested with the suckers.

[topher]

Damn right audioz countless times have i been slamming it through there just to shit myself and go around those bloody things! They lie in the middle aswell and usually have a go at your foot or you bike! Magpies dont kill you tiger snakes can!

[craigb]

ok so while on the road i should A) stick googly eyes to my helmet B) carry a tennis racket (little bit difficult) C) carry an air riffle (not only good for magpies but also smartass cardrivers) or D) any other ideas? personaly i like c but i think i might get busted with it slung over my shoulder. when was the last time you guys herd about someone dieing from a snake bite? you are more likely to get hit by a car and killed. ill admit i hate snakes but its there home we are riding in and it adds to the excitment of riding

[Cheazy]

pfff magpies shmagpies, any cricket/baseball bat or tennis racket and the signal from a friend hiding a short distance away will do.

[AUDIOZ]

I hit 3 tigers last summer - two of them had a real good crack at me as I went over them - thank fully they missed.

Its not a matter of who died last from a snake bite - its just that I dont want to be the next candidate! :D

[I-AM-TEH-FASTEST-11]

a compound bow does the job pretty good

[craigb]

im sure a bow would work but we are talking about riding in reidential streets. so unfortunatly killing the bastards isnt an option. unless someone can get me a pistol with a silencer on it? hmmmmm pistol with silencer

[topher]

i agree with audioz i dont want to be the next candidate! You will notice when you turn and star at them they stay there distance! So make sure they are big arse eyes, try and get some no fear eyes i think they are? or maybe just the biggest eyes you can get from a craftshop.This DOES work so your problems will go away but personally even though i have the same thing i still look back when im riding through magpie areas!

[Binaural]

im sure a bow would work but we are talking about riding in reidential streets. so unfortunatly killing the bastards isnt an option. unless someone can get me a pistol with a silencer on it? hmmmmm pistol with silencer

Compound bow? Pfffffff.

[scratchy]

Queensland road safety had good stickers that were cats eyes over 1" across. The were made out of 3m reflective material, so they double as big don't run over me phool markers.

I'll dig around and see if I can find them...

[mcoccia]

Bugger the magpies... its the tiger snakes that are now waking up hungry and pissed off that bother me... and the Yarra Trails are infested with the suckers.

I nearly ran over my first snake for the season today on the Yarra Trails. I'd never even seen a snake outside a zoo until I started riding about 18 months ago.

[mpdowling]

Compound bow? Pfffffff.

yep thats exactely what we need Binaural:D

just strap it to your back and have a man, manning the tourute. youle be sweet

somehow i can just see this turning into some huge multi milunair *spelling* movie.

arnie verses the magpies.(insert arnies terminater voice ) hahaha

marty

[craigb]

cheers scratchy. as for the cannon my mates oldman makes cannons that shoot beercans half full of sand!

[AUDIOZ]

Just a little more on tiger snakes seeing as its that time of year...

I got quite worried about it last year after hitting a few and did a bit of research on these suckers - and a little advice.

If you see a tiger snake and its flatening its head - that means its getting pissed off and ready to strike. So be VERY careful.

Contrary to popular beleif tiger snakes actually have very poor eye sight and dont see in thermals. They are however very good at detecting movement. If you stand still and dont move a tiger snake wil quickly become disinterested in you.

Also contray to popular beleif tiger snakes dont chase people - its just going the same way you are - change direction.

Throw a snake bandage in your camel back - it weighs bugger all and is good insurance and carry a mobile phone.

If you do hit one when riding - keep pedling. Dont try and come to a sudden stop as you may end up right on top of it. I found they strike at what hit them - usually and hopefully the wheels.

If you see one on the path - ride around it. They dont like it when you try to get them to move.:D

As bad as tiger snakes are along the Yarra - Id still rather deal with them than bears:p

[topher]

Audioz ive had one bad experience with a tiger snake and im shit myself when i see them. It took a lunge at me and almost got my shoe, and i wasnt going slow either i was really hammering it around the single track no time it was just there, you had this experience too?

Also when you go into the more densly vegitated bites do you find there are more snakes there or more out in open sections?

[AUDIOZ]

Audioz ive had one bad experience with a tiger snake and im shit myself when i see them. It took a lunge at me and almost got my shoe, and i wasnt going slow either i was really hammering it around the single track no time it was just there, you had this experience too?

Also when you go into the more densly vegitated bites do you find there are more snakes there or more out in open sections?


Two of the 3 I hit last year had a real good lunge at me as I rode over them on single track - in both cases they went for the wheel and thnakfully missed me and avoided getting tangled up in the spokes. The other one I hit just didnt react other than to slither off into the grass. By nature their an agrresive snake with a bad attitude, and hitting him with a bike definately pisses em off.

I dont think there is a hard and fast rule as to where you are likely to encounter them. Last year I reckon I saw more than a dozen in my daily riding along the Yarra Trails- and that was all over the place - sometimes lying in the sun on the path, sometimes moving across or along the path etc.. Apprarently their favourite food is frogs - which is why they love it along the Yarra. Lots of long grass, water and frogs.

Like you I just shit myself and do everything I can to get out of their way and its always in the back of my mind in spring / summer that there just might be one around the next bend. Part of the problem is you are usually right on top of them before you realise it as they are so dam hard to spot and its just to late to avoid them.

I thought seriously about leg armour - but decided it wasnt worth it - their more liekly to hit around the ankle anyway.

Not much we can do about it really except be on the look out and try and avoid them.
:confused:

[Bike_freak]

Just curios, if you the snake were to bite you, what would happen, and whats the best method on staying alive??

I don't come accross many tiger snakes, but brown snakes and red belly black snakes are very common around here.

Last week my friend asked me if I heard a dog yelp.. that was just me screaming at a massive brown snake.

As for magpies, they are freaky too, if you see the shadow of one swooping at you, pedal.

[topher]

hmm well, personally id try and get some distance between myself and the snake, then jump off the bike apply a snake bandage and call 000, and tell them exactly where i was. that sort of thing. Usually i ride with a group so that would make it easier.

[99_FGT]

The first time I got swooped by a magpie, he did nearly kill me - apart form scaring the absoute s#!+ out of me, he also made me swerve into the lane next to me - luckily the car driver saw what was about to happen!! Scratchy, those eyes are exactly what I am after, other than that I might try and find some old TLD flaming eyes.
I also now have a chunk out of my near new Limar helmet...
Al..