Rider hit by elephant @ trailseeker

[BaGearA]

Still safer than riding on the road

okay 

 

edit

 

nope screw that , you being hit by A car on the road is most likely down to the driver not paying attention or breaking the law 

 

You being eaten by A lion in A GAME RESERVE while riding there is Nature 

 

But if you signed the indemnity form " power to ya "

[Gen]

Even just A buffalo is one mother of dangerous animal

You've seen the size of a "even a buffalo"

 

Yep.. a very dangerous animal, the last animal I would want to come face to face with..mind you you won't come face to face with it.. it will stalk you and take you out before you realise what has happened.

[Gen]

The incredible thing about wildlife is how adaptable they are.. a event now and then and they are wary and move away from the people.. but if it starts happening too often they are no longer wary and incidents will happen more often.. organisers and cylists must at all time be respectful and not just assume they have a right to ride in a game park.. IMO

[MphatiPyga]

You should here the dangerous animal talk done at the Imfolozi Challenge every year, you can see the new riders of the event go pale!! Nothing like a spin in a big 5 reserve, still my favorite non race

[Zatopek]

 they chopper wasnt planned

 

it was there to evac a guy who had a heart attack

Told this story to my wife last night - her response: Is the heart attack guy in the chopper ok?

 

Valid question - does somebody know?

[CharlesZ]

So you probably know what to look at out for and what the best way is to react when A dangerous animal is spooked  , where  90% of the field at these events don't 

yes I know what to look at and use my senses but this was a freak accident that could have happened to me also. 

[CharlesZ]

You should here the dangerous animal talk done at the Imfolozi Challenge every year, you can see the new riders of the event go pale!! Nothing like a spin in a big 5 reserve, still my favorite non race

yip agree totally. Nothing like cycling in Big 5 territory

 

there is actually a few races/rides in SA that you cycle in Big 5 territory. I still wished I started a number of years ago the mtb safari's when a lodge owner approached me to start it and will have the lodge available for accommodation. 

 

but then again the guys from the areas next to Kruger like Phalaborwa, up in Muan experience this regulary on normal training rides on the standard road or district roads. 

[Squier]

Told this story to my wife last night - her response: Is the heart attack guy in the chopper ok?

 

Valid question - does somebody know?

 

Yes, I've heard that he is ok. Probably down to the fact that he was able to be airlifted out and got swift medical attention. Apparently he got a heart attack in the starting chute, even before setting off. 30 year old dude.

[leeubok]

Told this story to my wife last night - her response: Is the heart attack guy in the chopper ok?

 

Valid question - does somebody know?

Yeah we should actually be concerned about both riders. Wonder how they're doing? EDIT: good to hear heart attack guy is ok.

 

As for riding in areas with dangerous game.. I do it all the time, although we don't have lions here. If I wasn't willing to take the risk I'd have to stop cycling. I know of an ex vet in Kruger that used to cycle around Skukuza, on his own. That's a little hard core though, the problem with lions though is that if they see you going past, they see you as a fleeing animal and will chase you. 

 

The one reserve I used to work in had lions, and we used to cycle between the offices and houses. There was a long sharp hill going down from my house to the office. The one morning I was keen to ride to work, but decided against it for some reason. As I drove down that hill, there was a pride of lions lying in the middle of the road. If I had cycled that day I wouldn't have seen them until I was at full speed and halfway down the hill. I guess in a situation like that you probably have to keep going, maybe shout and scream and hope you can frighten them off! What a story to tell if you survive it though!

[Squier]

can we all agree that riding in A reseve with some SERIOUS game is a stupid idea in itself ?

 

Even just A buffalo is one mother of dangerous animal 

 

Wouldn't neccesarily agree. That there are risks is not debateable, but it is well managed for the most part. This was a freak accident.

 

As the cliche goes, this is Africa. Most races have a risk factor to it. Whether it's Trans Baviaans going through the Baviaanskloof where large game roam freely, Sani2c going through the Umko valley where Black Mambas are very common or any other ride going through any part of the country where anything from a spider, snake, dog or malevolent human can be found, there are risks involved.

 

The organisers do not leave this up to chance and they do try and ensure that big game aren't on the racing route, however, this can only be managed to a certain extent, as was seen over the weekend. Like I said, this was a freak accident. Wild animals aren't out to get you.

 

Personally, I remember three instances where I had close calls with mother nature. I was chased by an ostrich once in the Gariep Dam Nature Reserve. Luckily he lost interest before he got too close. Then, I was once chased by a donkey in the Waterberg. We weren't actually sure whether we were being chased or he was just following us but I've seen videos of donkeys trying to "mount" their "victims" so wasn't going to stick around to find out. Lastly, was when a mate was stung by wasp in the face at the old Teak Place trails in the Cradle. He swelled up like the Michelen man and we had to rush him to the emergency room.

 

Yes, these sort of incidents are rare but they do happen.

[Knersboy]

Wouldn't neccesarily agree. That there are risks is not debateable, but it is well managed for the most part. This was a freak accident.

 

As the cliche goes, this is Africa. Most races have a risk factor to it. Whether it's Trans Baviaans going through the Baviaanskloof where large game roam freely, Sani2c going through the Umko valley where Black Mambas are very common or any other ride going through any part of the country where anything from a spider, snake, dog or malevolent human can be found, there are risks involved.

 

The organisers do not leave this up to chance and they do try and ensure that big game aren't on the racing route, however, this can only be managed to a certain extent, as was seen over the weekend. Like I said, this was a freak accident. Wild animals aren't out to get you.

 

Personally, I remember three instances where I had close calls with mother nature. I was chased by an ostrich once in the Gariep Dam Nature Reserve. Luckily he lost interest before he got too close. Then, I was once chased by a donkey in the Waterberg. We weren't actually sure whether we were being chased or he was just following us but I've seen videos of donkeys trying to "mount" their "victims" so wasn't going to stick around to find out. Lastly, was when a mate was stung by wasp in the face at the old Teak Place trails in the Cradle. He swelled up like the Michelen man and we had to rush him to the emergency room.

 

Yes, these sort of incidents are rare but they do happen.

I ride often in a reserve, no buffalo, lion, rhino etc but definitely leopard. Saw a brown hyena on a ride once, just chilling on the trail. I stopped about 10m from it, we checked each other out and he hit the road. It was one of my best riding experiences ever. That and chasing a springbok down a steep single track (springbok won). Sometimes zebras can be a bit arsey. My aim is to see a leopard. These are minimal risks to me, and well worth it.

[BaGearA]

I ride often in a reserve, no buffalo, lion, rhino etc but definitely leopard. Saw a brown hyena on a ride once, just chilling on the trail. I stopped about 10m from it, we checked each other out and he hit the road. It was one of my best riding experiences ever. That and chasing a springbok down a steep single track (springbok won). Sometimes zebras can be a bit arsey. My aim is to see a leopard. These are minimal risks to me, and well worth it.

Brown or spotted ? The former is tiny and I doubt would come close to A human and the latter is quite an animal ( also heard they have one of the hardest jaws in the animal kingdom ) 

 

A leopard I would be very weary of 

[Patchelicious]

Still better than being hit by an unladen European sallow.

[Knersboy]

Still better than being hit by an unladen European sallow.

Depends on its airspeed though. Those migratory coconuts on the other hand are a killer.

[Knersboy]

Brown or spotted ? The former is tiny and I doubt would come close to A human and the latter is quite an animal ( also heard they have one of the hardest jaws in the animal kingdom ) 

 

A leopard I would be very weary of

 

Brown, the long haired kind. They ain’t so tiny though (bigger than an aardwolf) but they are beautiful.

[SwissVan]

Heal up soon. Sounds hectic!

Thanks for sharing that article

We joke on the thread but that article brings it into reality.

 

Fantastic story for his braai fire and grandkids tho...