Baboon 'protocol'

[Simon123]

I generally keep riding, but if there are little ones I will try and go very wide around them. I'm no baboon expert - just seems like the safe thing to do to not get attacked by an angry mother!

This,  and no issues in 25+ years of cycling through troops of baboons.

[Disylizzy]

This must be a "Cape Baboon"  lol...... 

 

If I encounter them, I just slow down a bit, and go "tieng tieng" on my bell. They are then aware of you, and mostly move of the road / trail.

 

So if no bell and I yell "tieng tieng", will that suffice as well?

[Dirt Tracker]

I just ride right past them. Here around Tokai they just stare and don't really move. Elsewhere on the Garden Route (Harkerville etc) you come across massive troops of them and they make an unholy racket and run off. 

 

When I was on a school trip as kid at Cape Point one of the girls in the class was accosted by a baboon who wanted her ice cream. That girl wasn't letting that icey going for anyone and faced off with the hairy thief. That thing went for her and took a chunk out of her upper arm like a spoon through butter with those fangs that bend back. 

 

Needless to say. I don't ride with ice creams. 

[Wannabe]

Ja, but in an Afrikaans accent, not 'Merican.   

[Stoffel76]

Generally, if you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone...  I always make sure they know I'm there so that they don't get a surprise as I roll passed...

 

Although there was one time, coming down some single track at Tokai, that there was a large male sitting on a rock on the very edge of the trail and he had a massive, fresh gash across his face from a fight he's obviously just lost (or if he won, I'd hate to see the other guy! lol).  He looked a little grumpy... So I stopped and turned around!

[ichnusa]

I have no issues, but I know they treat my wife with contempt... I would be cautious as a female rider 

[ichnusa]

Hahahaha post of the day!

agree

[porqui]

.

Has anyone actually been chased by a baboon ??

 

 

Here in Tokai I pass within a meter of them.

I do tend to avoid the alpha male and any collared ones.

 

I find it quite easy to read the mood of the troops (3 of them in Tokai) but would be more wary in areas that I don't know.

[Dirt Tracker]

I have no issues, but I know they treat my wife with contempt... I would be cautious as a female rider 

 

They do that quite a lot. When we're cray fishing in Cape Point if the kids and wives are on the beach while we're collecting on the kayaks the come down and pay no attention to them trying to get them away and they just try to get into backs of the double cabs. As soon as a one of us is there they scram.  

[Tatt]

.

Has anyone actually been chased by a baboon ??

 

 

Here in Tokai I pass within a meter of them.

I do tend to avoid the alpha male and any collared ones.

 

I find it quite easy to read the mood of the troops (3 of them in Tokai) but would be more wary in areas that I don't know.

 

One of my work colleagues has an interesting tale about this... He got between mom and baby, and the head of the troop gave chase. Even with legging it on the bike, he almost got caught, and it was only the intervention of a motorist that saved his butt..

 

He might be on this forum and be able to give the full story..

 

Tom

[MTBeer]

They won't do anything unless provoked. Just maintain a reasonable speed as you pass them and don't stop.

 

They might heckle you if they see you're wearing short socks and rock a saddlebag, but don't retaliate. 

It's rude to call Patchelicious a baboon.

[IH8MUD]

Whatever you do, don't ride between mother baboons and their babies... This may result in a fair bit of screaming,  and the dominant male will try and nail you... 

 

In short, use common sense when riding near them, or for that matter any wildlife..

 

Tom

   

[Ozzie NL]

I've encountered lots of baboons, but only once one gave chase whilst climbing up jonkers. I just popped a back flip, and decapitated the bastard with my rear wheel. No big deal.

Aah so you're the guy from tuffy garbage bags who carried his mate across the desert on one leg  

[Blokman]

I sometimes come across them in Suikerbosrand on solo rides. I give a few coughs to make them aware and then try to do the blank look ahead.

Once at Rietvlei I came across some Zebra. There were a few foals and mothers very close. I stopped and made that sucking noise that grandparents do with babies and puppies. Then in my head I saw the headline: "Moutainbiker Bitten on Nose By Zebra."

I pushed off qiuetly.

[Sidersky]

Used to come across small monkeys often at places like Northern Farms. They are totally not fussed and even sit in the middle of the road as you ride through them.

 

But the first time I came across baboons was a few years back in Knysna. Week day, on leave, not another rider or person in sight, crested a rise and a huge troop was ambling across the road up ahead. I kakked myself. The fella I assumed was the big chief was massive. When he saw me, he sat on his bum in the middle of the road to sit and stare at me. I’m convinced his head would have been nearly face height with me if I had ridden past him. I had no idea what to do. Go all the way back? Wait? Barrel head long towards him? (Not likely)

 

Eventually, what was probably 5 or 10 minutes later but felt like hours, a couple of riders came up behind, clearly locals, who just flew towards them full tilt without hesitation. I got going as quickly as I could to follow behind them... The baboons just scattered.

 

Saw more baboons more recently on a Breedts ride, with no issues, but my mate and I nearly got knocked off our bikes like skittles by a family of warthog….

[Knersboy]

Where I ride I encounter baboons almost every ride. I just gaan aan, maybe ring my bell just for fun. They always get out of the way.

 

Sometimes there are two troops having a war, then I stop and watch, they don’t care about me they only have eyes for the enemy then.

 

Last resort that I have never had to use, spray then with the water bottle.