RE: [ST] Suicidal Squirrel

[peter.chittum@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

There was a great article in MCN a couple of months ago about the danger of deer, right around the time when Bob Nixon took on Bambi. They talked about the "prey" mentality. That what prey will often do when they think they are being preyed upon is get out of sight. So for a deer, it will try to dart behind the animal. What they don't realize is that the motorcycle extends several feet beyond the "head". So often, the deer ends up coliding with rider. My guess is it is similar with squirrels. STeve's victim hit the front wheel, but I'd guess it was trying to go between the wheels in an attempt to elude the "predator". 

I dunno, I'm vegetarian, partly because I really don't like the thought of killing animals. And if I couldn't get up the guts to kill it myself, I'm not willing to delegate that to someone else. However, as long as I choose to ride a bike, or even drive a car, no matter how careful I am, I may kill an animal and I have to accept that fact. 

I have to say, coming from close to the extreme end of not killing animals, I appreciate STeve's sense of humor. I don't know if he enjoyed running over the squirrel or not. I don't care, that's his business. The image of a squirrel "fondling his nuts" is just damn funny, in my book. 

Peter Chittum
'01 BRG ST
San Jose, CA, USA 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-st@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-st@xxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
> Andrew Tait
> Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 10:03 AM
> To: ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [ST] Suicidal Squirrel
> 
> 
> dangrass@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > This is sick. To kill an innocent animal is sad. Steve, by killing
> > this creature you screwed up, in a big way. What will you do
> > differently going forward to avoid similar incidents? Sorry, but
> > killing innocent creatures and then bragging about it 
> paints a pretty
> > sad picture of humanity. Here's an idea. Next time you see 
> a creature
> > by the side of the road, slow way down. That's what I do, and it
> > works.
> 
> I think they aim for the moving wheel.  Don't ask me why.  I nearly 
> hedged my old XJ on a couple of occassions avoiding wildlife 
> around the 
> back roads, and missed a huge rabbit by about half a millimeter a few 
> months ago doing about 20mph.  I'd braked from 60 when I saw 
> him, and he 
> STILL managed to scamper under the front wheel.  If I had 
> kept doing 60, 
> he might have stayed where he was, or he might have got under 
> the wheel. 
>   I suppose with these things we'll never know.
> 
> Trying to understand animals is impossible.  In the words of a long 
> forgotten acquaintance:
> 
> "They're just not human"
> 
> Andrew
> 
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