Tried that once. Just made him more angry.Nate wrote:i wave my hand above my head when i'm in the area... works 100% of the time & they dont swoop when i'm doing that.
Magpies
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Re: Magpies
Postby Procat » Wed Aug 31, 2016 11:43 am
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Re: Magpies
Postby uart » Wed Aug 31, 2016 11:48 am
^This.g-boaf wrote: Keep your head down, ride smoothly, hold your line so you don't crash into anything or anyone.
TBH I think the fear about them taking an eye or an ear is a bit overblown. They always swoop you from behind and for me the worst that ever happens is one trying to peck at the bits of my hair sticking up through the slots in my helmet.
Also, waving an arm above your head does work to some extent. I doesn't always stop the attack completely (unless you continually wave it for the entire encounter), but they're not stupid and once they see an arm up there it definitely makes them more cautious. Once I know one is starting to swoop I like to wave my arm once or twice while the bird can see it and the subsequent attack is usually less aggressive, often involving only clapping of wings and no actual contact.
Not necessarily practical I know, but one other thing that might work is to ride with someone who's physically a lot bigger than yourself. There's been one particularly aggressive maggie in Clyde st Newcastle (Hamilton) this season, but when my wife and I ride together it seems to focus 100% of it's attention on me and completely ignore her. She thinks that it's something to do with the colour of our helmets, but I'm almost certain that it just sees me as the biggest threat that needs chasing off, me being physically larger.
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Re: Magpies
Postby silentC » Wed Aug 31, 2016 12:05 pm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-10-14/m ... ack/541618TBH I think the fear about them taking an eye or an ear is a bit overblown.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensl ... 1klwd.html
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslo ... b1ecd5211e
You might also want to take a look here: http://www.magpiealert.com/MagpieAttackInjuries.php
Our Cemetery Bird has drawn blood from ears and he knocked one guy's glasses off his face. We don't know if it was going for his eye but he might have been lucky because he copped a scratch on the temple just near the corner of his eye.
You'll also find plenty of photos on here or bloodied ears. They can be nasty little buggers.
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Re: Magpies
Postby uart » Wed Aug 31, 2016 1:03 pm
Dam, I knew someone was going to counter my anecdotes with actual facts.silentC wrote: You might also want to take a look here ...
It's true though, I did know of several cases where very young children were badly injured by them. They are much more vulnerable.
Now as for me, with my 10cm thick Neanderthal skull, and riding the drops with the back of my head the only viable target. I'm still happy to pretty much ignore them and take my chances.
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Re: Magpies
Postby silentC » Wed Aug 31, 2016 1:33 pm
I think you'd be unlucky to sustain eye damage, especially if you wear good glasses, but the little buggers WILL go for the eye if they decide you're a big enough threat.
The two people put in hospital that I know of have fallen off after hitting a tree root. That's something that can happen with or without the bird chasing you.
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Re: Magpies
Postby RonK » Wed Aug 31, 2016 3:25 pm
Oh - you think so?uart wrote:TBH I think the fear about them taking an eye or an ear is a bit overblown.
Others know better.
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Re: Magpies
Postby baabaa » Wed Aug 31, 2016 4:01 pm
If they really start to get you down, just rig up your stationary bike trainer under the hills hoist and take it out on something like this...
http://www.pinatacenter.com/bomb-angry-birds-pinata
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Re: Magpies
Postby silentC » Wed Aug 31, 2016 4:19 pm
I'm telling ya, the selfie stick works! The only time I have ever been swooped with it was when I packed it away too soon and the little sod took his chance to give me a kick up the backside as I went out the door.really not a lot you can do
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Re: Magpies
Postby outnabike » Wed Aug 31, 2016 5:03 pm
Well said Ron, I have been left a bleeding wreck with said maggie hanging off me ear. Some of our members are in fairy land till it happens to them.....You blokes reckon a tap on the helmet is all they do? Do a search of their attacks please.RonK wrote:Oh - you think so?uart wrote:TBH I think the fear about them taking an eye or an ear is a bit overblown.
Others know better.
I am thinking of getting a base ball helmet for Maggie time. I reckon the cops wont know the difference. I did consider a couple of rat traps on the sides, but they might do to much damage to my fingers....
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Re: Magpies
Postby silentC » Wed Aug 31, 2016 5:36 pm
The second one is the shadow of the cemetery bird. The first one is a nasty little bugger also but I don't ride that way.
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Re: Magpies
Postby uart » Thu Sep 01, 2016 12:18 pm
Ok, it looks like I've been a bit too blase about what damage those pesky birds can do, and I've probably been over estimating how much my helmet protects me.RonK wrote: Oh - you think so?
Others know better.
Ha! Another case of mandatory helmet laws leading to increased risk taking, and ultimately putting me at greater risk of injury.
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Re: Magpies
Postby djw47 » Thu Sep 01, 2016 12:29 pm
I'll take my chances with the magpies over looking like a dick any day of the weekwombatK wrote:Well, try just one cable tiedjw47 wrote:I'd rather have a flock of them attack me and leave me a bleeding corpse than be seen with cable ties sticking out of my lid.
It's a judgement call whether losing a part of an ear or a whole eye looks more cool than a cable-ties look, but I can vouch for the efficacy of just one cable tie of 30 cm length mounted on each side of the helmet just behind the ear.
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Re: Magpies
Postby Nate » Thu Sep 01, 2016 1:11 pm
i'm not talking about a red rear flashing thing - i'm talking a blinding xenon flash..Spaniel wrote: A flashing rear helmet light didn't stop me being absolutely smashed by the M7 psycho magpie a few years back.
something like:
and yep arm waving = much be done for the whole length of the swoopy goodness!
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Re: Magpies
Postby Spaniel » Thu Sep 01, 2016 5:03 pm
A blinding Xenon flashing thingy might work against your average magpie, but I suspect not against the M7 psycho magpie. We need kryptonite against that bird.Nate wrote:i'm not talking about a red rear flashing thing - i'm talking a blinding xenon flash..Spaniel wrote: A flashing rear helmet light didn't stop me being absolutely smashed by the M7 psycho magpie a few years back.
something like:
and yep arm waving = much be done for the whole length of the swoopy goodness!
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Re: Magpies
Postby silentC » Thu Sep 01, 2016 5:23 pm
That will make you popular with other commuters!i'm talking a blinding xenon flash
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Re: Magpies
Postby jasonc » Mon Sep 05, 2016 7:19 pm
This one is on the western fwy bike way outbound just after witten Rd. This one is going to rack up some hits
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Re: Magpies
Postby StevOz » Mon Sep 05, 2016 7:48 pm
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Re: Magpies
Postby koshari » Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:10 pm
Not in my experience. You can stop and keep and eye on em for as long as you like but once you turn your had away and move on the bird will resume the attacking.StevOz wrote:They are only doing this by instinct, really just stop, stand your ground, you may lose a minute or 3 on your journey, though the interaction is simply just worth it.
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Re: Magpies
Postby RonK » Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:20 pm
Yes, quite so.koshari wrote:Not in my experience. You can stop and keep and eye on em for as long as you like but once you turn your had away and move on the bird will resume the attacking.StevOz wrote:They are only doing this by instinct, really just stop, stand your ground, you may lose a minute or 3 on your journey, though the interaction is simply just worth it.
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Re: Magpies
Postby StevOz » Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:39 pm
First and then lessened attack second encounter, third time has always worked for me with a slow down and stop, then next year around they just by don't bother, well I've known one the year after that did, then only the once then never again.RonK wrote:Yes, quite so.koshari wrote:Not in my experience. You can stop and keep and eye on em for as long as you like but once you turn your had away and move on the bird will resume the attacking.StevOz wrote:They are only doing this by instinct, really just stop, stand your ground, you may lose a minute or 3 on your journey, though the interaction is simply just worth it.
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Re: Magpies
Postby TheShadow » Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:53 pm
I have been getting a little lax with doing this but after seeing that photo of that guy's eye damage, I think I'll resume my former vigilance! It never occurred to me one might land on my helmet and try to get under my glasses. I've been hit on the glasses with a loud snap; they definitely go for the eyes. I wouldn't like to go near them on a bike without protective glasses.
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Re: Magpies
Postby g-boaf » Mon Sep 05, 2016 9:29 pm
Obviously this doesn't work on all magpies. Because the magpie continues to attack or come at you while you are stopped and watching it. I knew just the magpie for you to try your theory on. But fortunately for everyone else, I think it was destroyed.StevOz wrote:They are only doing this by instinct, really just stop, stand your ground, you may lose a minute or 3 on your journey, though the interaction is simply just worth it.
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Re: Magpies
Postby li2099 » Wed Sep 07, 2016 2:46 pm
https://vimeo.com/181735122
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Re: Magpies
Postby fat and old » Wed Sep 07, 2016 5:19 pm
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Re: Magpies
Postby madmacca » Wed Sep 07, 2016 5:26 pm
I don't know whether that works on magpies or not, but that jersey will sure scare off the wheelsuckers.RonK wrote:
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