How do you swerve around roadkill?

[loudnlow7484]

Ok, I rode dirtbikes as a kid, a moped when I was older, and got my first streetbike at 15..... and in all this time, I still haven't learned how to swerve quickly around s**t in the road. Every time I spot a dead raccoon at the last moment, I hit it. I try to turn, you know, countersteer, push left, go left, but the slow leaning and arcing action that brings isn't enough. How do you swerve quickly? If say, a dog runs in front of you, or a little kid kicks his ball in the road? Until now it's been..... *BRAKE*..... and slowly ride around it. But what if I don't have time for that? I figure I should get this skill down, for everybody's sake. Thanks in advance.

[irenekat]

dont. you have no choice but to run it over. better a dead raccoon than you eating the pavement, no?

[JDS]

So far in these situations I've seen the roadkill, etc quickly enough to do *something* about it. If it's at the last second I try to get my wheels out of the path of whatever is in the road.

I don't necessarily steer away from it, but I'll start a lean in the opposite direction (if there's room). For instance, if I spot something at the last second and need to move left to avoid it, I'll start a quick lean to the right. That moves my wheels to the left just enough to miss whatever is in my way.

To me this isn't so dangerous as long as I'm able to do it in a controlled fashion. If it gets too close for comfort I'll run it over and hope for the best.

[Dan Dubeau]

May sound simple, but just "look" around it. It's easier to look around something, than to look at it and try to swerve.

[ThAzKat]

I say if there are vehicles around you just power up to lift the front and go over it. I have had to do that unfortunately.

[tdrcomm]

May sound simple, but just "look" around it. It's easier to look around something, than to look at it and try to swerve.

+1 to that.

That sounds soooooo easy but you naturally fixate on a object that comes out of nowhere. If you can quickly break the gaze and look around it the swerve will be easier.

[loudnlow7484]

Thanks for the reply's...... and so fast! Pretty much what I'm getting is........ I'm not missing anything. There's just no good way to swerve quickly. It's a little unnerving, especially in rural Ohio such as I am. Oh well. Thanks again for the help.

[stevnmd]

May sound simple, but just "look" around it. It's easier to look around something, than to look at it and try to swerve.

+1 to that.

That sounds soooooo easy but you naturally fixate on a object that comes out of nowhere. If you can quickly break the gaze and look around it the swerve will be easier.

Yup. Quit looking at it! If you stare at it you're gonna run it over for sure...

[WildKat]

Its a similar concept to cornering.. where ur eyes go, ur bike will follow.

[Mr Nice Guy]

In the MSF class they taught us the technique where you countersteer away from the object quickly but smoothly to go around and then back the opposite way to get going on the same path again. Don't lean with the bike while you are doing it though like you would through the corner, stay upright and let the bike lean under you. It's more difficult to do on the Kat then the 250 nighthawk they had me on in the class but it is definately doable. I practice all the time if there is no traffic swerving around manhole covers, imaginary objects, or stains on the road. You know things that aren't gonna do anything if you don't make your "practice swerve". I find it's good to practice some of those basic skills from time to time. Keeps ya sharp and ready to perform them with out thinking should the time arise. Just start off small and slower about 15-20 MPH to start in an empty parking lot or something then work up to faster stuff on the road. Good luck and be safe.

[SweetLou]

Swerve?

I pick the somnabiatch up and take it home for dinner!!!!

You gona eat dem vittles?????

[Dan Dubeau]

Swerve?

I pick the somnabiatch up and take it home for dinner!!!!

You gona eat dem vittles?????

Ok granny. And all this time I had you pegged as Jethro

[lopeha]

I plan on installing some of those sonic alerting devices on my bike. They're cheap & they work. I run them on my big truck & have had deer, horses, dogs & other critters look right at the truck. That's all I'm wanting anyway. If they see it, they won't run out in front of it

[katman05]

You might be suffering from "Target fixation" If ya keep staring at it you'll hit it. Like Mr. Dan Dubeau said "Look around it" you'll go where you look. Same goes for going around a curve, look through it, and if ya do hit the somnabiatch do like SweetLou said, "Pick it up and take it home for dinner!!"

[trinc]

all the above comments are good advise ( well... maybe not the dinner thing ) and i'll add this: if you notice these things at the last minute you need to get your eyes focused farther up the road.

i couldn't really tell you what most things are that i pass - i see something in the road - it goes into my brain as a slight lane adjustment but i'm already looking past it and may notice something in my peripheral as i go by it but i'm surely not going to look down at it. unless i'm going really slow


tim