Topic: Likelihood of Collision with Deer

[70CB750]

Check it out:

[fendersrule]

I live in a 1 in 163 state. I can tell you that I know personally of people who have hit deers...happens every year. It's too much!

[70CB750]

I am with you, I scored 4 pointer on my bike few years ago.

[seanbarney41]

I do not like these odds!  I'm moving to Hawaii! 

[greenjeans]

I live in a 1 in 325 state.   I actually know a guy that was riding home one night and was hit by a deer hard enough to kill the deer.

The deer hit his cycle -

[Retro Rocket]

I am with you, I scored 4 pointer on my bike few years ago.

You should have got 10 points for that mate, thats quite a good shot...

[754]

I bet it did not feel great..

[Bailgang]

I'm in a 1 in 218 state, odds are probably higher because I'm in an agricultural area and deer are all over. They are really active during harvest time.

[azuredesign]

I am sorry, but I do not understand what the distribution means. For example, does 1 in 624 mean 1 out of 624 drivers of all vehicles at all times of the day and night? Or is it 1 of 624 motorcyclists between the hours of 5 and 8 am during summer months? How does one know? I hope that one can at least look at the states comparatively,  but if each state provided it's own data, how does one know that the criteria for reporting is the same for each state?

 Also, I am sure others have also considered that the statistics here are represented by an insurance company which may have a vested interest in over representing deer strikes to rationalize higher driver premiums.

Once again, sorry to bring this up. I am potentially very influenced by data such as this, as other drivers may irriate me but potential collisions with animals such as deer worry me. However, it's hard to be impressed by the data representation, without more information.

[dhall57]

North Carolina being a 1 in 111 state you see deer often and one main reason I don't do much night riding. Here a good one. Monday at work another employee called in saying in couldn't make it in to work because he had totaled his Honda Accord in a wreck. Found out he had hit a cow in the road. Yep a cow not a deer. It will interesting to find out the full story on this one

[Markcb750]

I traveled to a lower  risk state (NY) to check "I survived collision with deer" on my achievement unlocked file.

Too many deer here.  a pic from my back yard.

[70CB750]

I am with you, I scored 4 pointer on my bike few years ago.

You should have got 10 points for that mate, thats quite a good shot...

It was over before I realized what is happening.  More luck than anything, hit him with right knee and the tank and the headlight took most of the impact.

But motorcycle cop got killed riding through Manassas battlefield not that long ago, the deer herd there is extensive.

Azure:  I believe it means when you hit the road, your chance in hitting the deer is 1 in 624, just like lottery is 1 in 30 Mega or so.  But it still does not mean that it has to happen once in 624 rides, it is still random.  Of course the chance is higher if you drill it down and drive in areas known for deer crossing or around sun set or in the end of October when they are pussy crazy. 

[wardenerd]

Recently the state of Georgia received a letter from a citizen who was complaining that the state had put a deer crossing close to her house and she wanted to know why it was not put in a more rural location. Apparently the State had put up new warning signs for a deer crossing.

[Stev-o]

According to this chart, I am in a low risk state, but the area I live in is high risk.  I've already hit one in my car and truck, riding at dusk is always a concern.

[DH]

It's very common here. I always watch at night. The habitat is disappearing. People complain there are too many deer, lots of houses built in the heart of where the deer naturally live. Some areas have off season hunts to reduce the population. 
Reminds me of the Travis Tritt song "Country aint country no more".

[70CB750]

Deer are not stupid, they know where they cannot be hunted and I am positive they know when the hunting season starts and ends   - in our area they hang around subdivisions a lot.

[calj737]

That's because they enjoy munching on the Azaelas planted in subdivisions. And their habitat is being destroyed constantly. Plenty of food, water and shelter in those luxury neighborhoods.

The population in VA is at a devastating level compared to the habitat once available. Even where I live, in a mostly rural town, the deer are pervasive standing in the meadows, road sides, and agri fields. Even with harvest programs and farmer damage permits, you can not stem their population sufficiently. More cars and bikes will meet these little beauties as they attempt to cross the proverbial road.

As for deer season, I prefer salt, pepper and some tarragon after a gentle searing on the Grill.

[70CB750]

Fauquier county had extended antlerless season since 2008, but the numbers dropped and this year we finished in January like everybody else.  Loudoun, Prince William and Fairfax still have extended season, but Fauquier is rednecky enough to deal with deer effectively.

[Markcb750]

Deer are nearly blind, they see only motion and respond motion that threatens them.

I personalty think they are genetically programed to know they are faster than their traditional predictors, it is going to take many generations for them to understand a moving vehicle is a predator, perhaps longer than we will have this technology.... 

[calj737]

Dear are nearly blind, they see only motion and respond motion that threatens them.

I personalty think they are genetically programed to know they are faster than their traditional predictors, it is going to take many generations for them to understand a moving vehicle is a predator, perhaps longer than we will have this technology....

This not quite true, Mark. Deer have very good eyes, but they don't understand man made inventions as predators. They react with fear when they either smell something they associate with danger, something unknown to them, or from movement they detect when they have not identified it previously as "not dangerous".

The grave problem with "suburban" deer is that they are more accustomed to human scent in their everyday travels. So the alarm bells do not ring when they detect an approaching car or motorcycle. Further, deer run "from" danger and they do not expect it from a lateral source once they've identified it from behind them. Hence, the T-bones that occur. This is very true with all prey animals. They don't anticipate intersecting danger ever; it's only linear in its attack on them in nature.

I was hit broadside in the drivers door by a deer not quite 2 years ago, just outside Washington, DC along the GW Parkway. Saw the buck coming from the river, crossed 3 lanes of traffic before finally colliding with me in the final outside far lane. I was fortunate enough to navigate the accident without being smashed in the rear by the follow car, or take the deer over the hood. As it was, from mirror to handle, a perfect impact. Cost $3,300 to replace my door and mirror, but not even a scratch on my fender or passenger door.

The deer did not fare so well... 

[wowbagger]

The deer are pretty bad here but the ones you really need to watch out for are the moose.

[azuredesign]

Azure:  I believe it means when you hit the road, your chance in hitting the deer is 1 in 624, just like lottery is 1 in 30 Mega or so.  But it still does not mean that it has to happen once in 624 rides, it is still random.  Of course the chance is higher if you drill it down and drive in areas known for deer crossing or around sun set or in the end of October when they are pussy crazy.

Thanks for the explanation, 70 cb750.
It is open range here, in the Pyrenees. While the cows, goats, and sheep appear fairly used to the traffic passing by, the wild horses on the road can be a pain in the cul. As well the deer in the lower areas are always a problem.

[Markcb750]

Dear are nearly blind, they see only motion and respond motion that threatens them.

I personalty think they are genetically programed to know they are faster than their traditional predictors, it is going to take many generations for them to understand a moving vehicle is a predator, perhaps longer than we will have this technology....

This not quite true, Mark. Deer have very good eyes, but they don't understand man made inventions as predators. They react with fear when they either smell something they associate with danger, something unknown to them, or from movement they detect when they have not identified it previously as "not dangerous".

The grave problem with "suburban" deer is that they are more accustomed to human scent in their everyday travels. So the alarm bells do not ring when they detect an approaching car or motorcycle. Further, deer run "from" danger and they do not expect it from a lateral source once they've identified it from behind them. Hence, the T-bones that occur. This is very true with all prey animals. They don't anticipate intersecting danger ever; it's only linear in its attack on them in nature.

I was hit broadside in the drivers door by a deer not quite 2 years ago, just outside Washington, DC along the GW Parkway. Saw the buck coming from the river, crossed 3 lanes of traffic before finally colliding with me in the final outside far lane. I was fortunate enough to navigate the accident without being smashed in the rear by the follow car, or take the deer over the hood. As it was, from mirror to handle, a perfect impact. Cost $3,300 to replace my door and mirror, but not even a scratch on my fender or passenger door.

The deer did not fare so well... 

n

From an online article "the Science of deer vision"

" contrast to a human’s round pupil and concentrated cones on the optic fovea, a deer’s horizontal-slit pupil and retinal structure give them a “visual streak” with areas of concentrated cone cells. As the concentration of cone cells on the retina increases, so does the ability to see detail. Deer have much less concentration of cone cells than humans, which means they don’t see the same fine detail. Research out of the University of Georgia points to deer vision being in the range of 20/200, which means a deer should be able to see detail at 20 meters that a human eye can see at 200 meters. That’s the same as a legally blind person."

As for the rest of your comments OK, maybe...

The deer I hit picked itself up and ran into the woods like nothing happened.   So I am told as I was unconscious...

Markcb750
 from Japan this week

[Retro Rocket]

I am with you, I scored 4 pointer on my bike few years ago.

You should have got 10 points for that mate, thats quite a good shot...

It was over before I realized what is happening.  More luck than anything, hit him with right knee and the tank and the headlight took most of the impact.

But motorcycle cop got killed riding through Manassas battlefield not that long ago, the deer herd there is extensive.

Azure:  I believe it means when you hit the road, your chance in hitting the deer is 1 in 624, just like lottery is 1 in 30 Mega or so.  But it still does not mean that it has to happen once in 624 rides, it is still random.  Of course the chance is higher if you drill it down and drive in areas known for deer crossing or around sun set or in the end of October when they are pussy crazy.

Where my property is in central Queensland the Roos are just as dangerous, you would be surprised at just how big and strong the bloody things are... They make a mess of cars so i would hate to hit one on a bike....

[calj737]

Ah, Mark, we are discussing different things. Per the article you cited and to your point, absolutely, deer have less detail vision. But they do see and perceive movement exceptionally well, even at great distances. They also only see in "grey tones" and do not perceive color. This is part of why they don't see detail as well, as the article states.

An interesting point to make is that a deer, will stand pretty comfortably when a car approaches, or even passes by. But, the moment a human approaches on foot, or bicycle, off they go! You can even stop a car far enough away, and exit your vehicle, and they flee. Something about the human posture conveys predator to them, even though there are no other bi-pedal predators about.

I've had deer literally walk up to me while standing pressed into a bush simply because my outline was so obstructed, they could not discern my shape. Odor was of course on my side too. But try the same trick standing away from the tree, no way. They won't even enter a field from 300 meters away. I think they see pretty damn well, actually.

But I won't dispute the science, I'll just go on hiding from them ;^)