Early spring = Magpies!

[Alias]

I picked up my brand new Giant TCR C2 (06) the other day and I was so excited to get out and start chewing up the roads. I was shocked when 5 minutes out on my new bike, a magpie came out of, seemingly, no where and started having a red hot go at my helmet. I must have looked a sight riding along waving my hands in the air trying to fend off the stupid thing. It was only a 20k ride and when i got home, my girlfriend asked me how was the new bike? I said i wasn't paying attention i was busy trying to out ride a bloody magpie!
Not to be underminded, i tried again today, only it was a longer ride on a different route. I think every magpie on the 50k loop had a crack at me today, and some of them aren't too gentle in their approach.

I'm now starting to think that i'm not going to ride by myself because it's too hard trying to defend yourself and not ride in to the path of traffic. I know the Victorian weather is currently a bit unseasonal and spring has come a little early but those birds are ferocious!

Has anybody got any tips about what colours to avoid, or how cable ties do i need in my helmet before the wind resistence is too great?

 

[Scotttri]

Gee what to say I'm a Collingwood supporter , but hate the little birds. An old wives tail is to draw eyes on the back of your helmet, but other than that I dont know. If you turn around and fight back they will generally leave you alone, but the local ranger might disaprove. personally i'd shoot them, but hey i'm in the middle of nowhere ( shooting being a last resort if relocation doesn't work) I had a friend lose an eye to one.

 

[pixelmill]

Yep - had a red hot go at me on the road to La Perouse tonight. Came at me three or four times - luckily I heard the swoop in the first go and waved my hands.

Still - it's just nesting behavior.....

 

[Alias]

I live in a rural area and it wouldn't be hard to shoot them but thats not going to solve the ongoing issue. Anywhere from 10-50 km/h, they're always going to be a problem. You put them with the local log trucks and you've got yourself a dire situation.
Today i was in a really comfortable rhythm, hooking along, watching my ride line next to a busy road and then it felt like someone threw a book at my head. I felt the full weight of the bird crash into my helmet. So then i started watching for this insane bird hovering around my head but always behind me, i forgot all about the traffic whizzing past me at three times my speed.
Why do we even have them? They don't do anything but breed, would the "guild league of bird lovers" be devastated if magpie numbers were smashed in to oblivion? Or does King Eddie have his finger in that pie aswell?

 

[fauxpas]

I must have looked a sight riding along waving my hands in the air trying to fend off the stupid thing.

Mwhahahaha...

Didn't that happen to one of the Goodies?

 

[Scotttri]

I live in a rural area and it wouldn't be hard to shoot them but thats not going to solve the ongoing issue. Anywhere from 10-50 km/h, they're always going to be a problem. You put them with the local log trucks and you've got yourself a dire situation.
Today i was in a really comfortable rhythm, hooking along, watching my ride line next to a busy road and then it felt like someone threw a book at my head. I felt the full weight of the bird crash into my helmet. So then i started watching for this insane bird hovering around my head but always behind me, i forgot all about the traffic whizzing past me at three times my speed.
Why do we even have them? They don't do anything but breed, would the "guild league of bird lovers" be devastated if magpie numbers were smashed in to oblivion? Or does King Eddie have his finger in that pie aswell?

Probably Eddie's got his finger in everything else....hehe!!