Be Careful out there - cow/motorcyclist fatality accident

I'm not sure how common this is in the rest of country... but it is concern here in ranch country.   I have personally had my own close encounter with a cow nearly 25 years ago.    As always, be aware and ride safe.

http://cjonline.com/...ed-accident-cow

I remember riding in California in an open range, didn't really understand it until I came across a herd of cows in the road South of Lake Tahoe, that was a first for me.

Only encountered cows on the road once, during a ride through the night (start at 7PM and end at 7AM).
But at least it was clearly marked on the route that cows could be on the road......

While just out of Glacier National Park with my friend leading, a cow and her calf cut across the road.  My friend had a choice to cut in front of the cow or dive to the UTTER end between mama and the calf.  He literally slid past the cow's butt and just in front of the calf's nose.  That was a close one for sure.

I hit a cow because I did not slow down enough and he made a left turn in front of me without signaling. Like any animal on the road, they are unpredictable and may be frightened by you. That accident scuffed up my own and my bike's fairing. Thank goodness for my body armor.

I'd now like to take this time, Ladys and Gentleman....... To remind everyone that when stopping for nature's animals, that there could be an unaware driver behind you. Lot's of things to think about, but this one needs to be added to our "What-to-Do" list.

Following in Monk's theme, one more thing to keep an eye out for when riding in open range country: that nice, fresh slick 'cow pie' they always seem to leave ON the road.  Often your attention is on the cows, just off the road, and you might miss what they just left for you, to run through.

It can be an issue in Colorado.  A rider crested a hill at speed and on the other side was a dozen cows taking up both lanes.  She didn't survive.  Was talking to a truck driver (18 wheeler) not long ago while we both waited... me for my bike to be serviced, he to pick up a load at an adjacent business.  He had a shiny new rig.  He hit a black angus at night on a highway.  Now that would be tough to see in time.  Totaled his truck.  Would note this was in Oklahoma, but could easily have been Colorado.

I always slow down for blind corners and hills when in 'open range' country.  Last summer after vacationing in Ashland, Oregon I decided to ride home on US 97 instead of I-5.  Somewhere along the route I passed an 'open range' sign at the base of which was a kitchen stove with the oven door open.  I was still chuckling a couple of miles later when I realized I should have stopped and taken a picture :rolleyes:
Wow, just searched "open range Oregon" in Google Images.  Guess what came up?

[image: Posted Image]

Kansas is not an Open Range state so it would be unexpected to find a cow in the middle of a higway in Kansas.  (Farmers outnumber the Ranchers around here and the Farmers won that battle in 1929)

Having said that I've had my own experience with a cow in the middle of the road that could have just as easily ended as badly as the accident mentioned above.  And I can think of at least two other occasions where I've passed a cow on the wrong side of the fence.  I hate to guess the number of times I've seen a yearling calf out bawling for its mommy.

A cow's brain knows only eat, drink, reproduce.   They don't have the sense of a deer to know that the oncoming vehicle is a danger and won't even budge.

Be careful out there, on my last trip to Utah for WSBK.

[image: Posted Image]