Attack roos

#1
In my experience, I noticed, what appears to be, a distinct behaviour of roos at night. Been wondering about it for a while now and decided a little research can only be beneficial. If I may please, a quick poll based on the actual experiences of the LD riding community.

During night time riding, those 'attacking roos' which come out of nowhere like missiles in the night, trying to get themselves killed:
From which side did they come? From the left or from the right?.
 

Philmor

Premier Member
#3
My experience in previous years was that most rogue Roos came from “left to right” - hence, where safe, I would travel close to or just to the RHS of the white line.
But having hit 2 Roos in 2017, both of these blighters came at pace from the bushes on the RHS. :eek:

So does that mean that the next one is going to come from left field? :confused:
 

Fatman

Well-Known Member
#5
Had them come from both side for us, but only hit 1 which came from the left in daylight, it came in 1 hop at top speed from the scrub with not much damage.

I wont bang on about the RooTED system but Lynne and I have noticed many more Roos move away from the bike when I have it switched on than before I fitted it. I find that around 80 - 90kmh in Roo areas can be ridden at with more confidence than I use to. Still wont stop all of them especially those rogue ones coming in like a missile..

Have a read here William.

https://forum.ironbutt.org/index.php?threads/go-and-get-a-rooted.1347/#post-17592

http://farriders.com/forum15/index.php?topic=11822.msg162915#msg162915
 
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Skidoo

Premier Member
#6
Both sides and I had one that actually 'dropped in on me' near Molong.

It should be noted that some have excellent targeting systems, one knocked me off a 125cc bike at very low speed. As I slowed, it adjusted its lead and still got a hit!

Edit typo
 
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#8
Frans, I just did one which could pass as an 'Inland 50CC" if there was IBA endorsement for that, but great fun anyway.

I count four 'missiles' over the last few years, most of which I actually hit, just no way to avoid. Strangely they all came from the right. Got me thinking about the kudus back in Africa. They jump away from their own shadow caused by the lights right into the front of the lights....I noted Fatman's second pair of lights angled out at approx. 45°. To me that would almost definately sort kudus. Something likewise going on with the roos...
 

Grey Gentry

Premier Member
#9
Daylight left and right. Night time right mainly.... but not always.

Travellers (is what I call them) are usually going to or from their (open grassland) feeding grounds. They'd do it around dusk and dawn, from and to their daylight (usually dense scrub) resting place.

I've used outward facing lights and do find them very useful.
 

Rusjel

Premier Member
#10
I have had a number,of near misses with the ones that came left or right without stopping, just continue on their merry way without looking or caring. There are dumb arse Roos, just like, well, you get my drift.

Also having shared the roads with goats ( and on one occasion exactly the same bit of road) it's a stark reminder that the dumbest goat out there is smarter than the smartest roo.
 

Vlad

Premier Member
#12
Both sides.
I’ve never come close to hitting a goat, touch wood, don’t think I’ve seen a dead one.
Close with Emu and wombats and cows just stand in the middle of the road which is cool unless they’re black and it’s night.:(
 
#14
I have had a number,of near misses with the ones that came left or right without stopping, just continue on their merry way without looking or caring. There are dumb arse Roos, just like, well, you get my drift.

Also having shared the roads with goats ( and on one occasion exactly the same bit of road) it's a stark reminder that the dumbest goat out there is smarter than the smartest roo.
Yip, rarely saw goats which were stupid enough to get itself killed, especially not in Australia. But really remote rural goats, anywhere, which are not used to vehicles or bikes, however tend to be 'dumb'. One have to watch as you approach. If heads are down grazing, then often - but definately not always - smaller risk of them suddenly running into the road....heads up.. watching your approach?...be careful!!!
 

IBA-Tiger

Well-Known Member
#15
IBA-Tiger, you have 'Animal Alert' whistles on your bike?
William,
I have the 'passive' whistles on the bike. Does seem to make a difference, but I've had three 'roo hits......
My four-wheel conveyance, used to and from our remote rural farm, had 25 'roo hits in five years, some big buggers too, and after fitting the passive whistlers, the occurrence dropped to 2 only in the subsequent 5 years. Very subjective, and damn near impossible to scientifically study. There are too many variables, the atmospherics (drought/rain) in particular, as 'roo numbers wax and wane accordingly.
And my three 'bike hits were all well and truly in daytime!
 

Rusjel

Premier Member
#16
My personal observation is that Canberra, the Snowy mountains and the Southern Highlands seem to be the number one locales for daytime roo activity.

WA and SA they seem to stay off the road until after dark.

Have,others found this and if so, why do you reckon?
 

IBA-Tiger

Well-Known Member
#17
Daytime: Little Topar, Hermidale (both NSW Western Plains) and Coolah, just west of the Great Divide.
See above for drought/rainfall.
 
#18
William,
I have the 'passive' whistles on the bike. Does seem to make a difference, but I've had three 'roo hits......
My four-wheel conveyance, used to and from our remote rural farm, had 25 'roo hits in five years, some big buggers too, and after fitting the passive whistlers, the occurrence dropped to 2 only in the subsequent 5 years. Very subjective, and damn near impossible to scientifically study. There are too many variables, the atmospherics (drought/rain) in particular, as 'roo numbers wax and wane accordingly.
And my three 'bike hits were all well and truly in daytime!
Tiger,
Many years back I used those same whistles on bike.The african wildlife generally reacted to it as one liked them to. Eg. Guinea fowl and pigeons in the grass next to the road at dusk and dawn would hear the whistles and look up and towards the approaching bike and embark on the safe escape thing. Warthog and small game would do the same. The bird's natural focus are up towards the sky where many of their predator enemies come from, hence not watching where approaching bikes are coming from until it is right on top of them, then they fly up in panick often right in front of bike or vehicle. Sometimes doing serious damage.

To me it appeared as if the Australian bird life reacted similarly to the whistles BUT the effect that I witnessed on roos shocked me out of my mind. In my experience it was as if the roos, with the approaching bike become increasingly shocked and disorientated, panick and start hopping at high speed in random directions, some towards the bike instead of away. Needless to say I very quickly removed them from the bike and discarded them but I am happy if they work for you.
 
#19
My personal observation is that Canberra, the Snowy mountains and the Southern Highlands seem to be the number one locales for daytime roo activity.

WA and SA they seem to stay off the road until after dark.

Have,others found this and if so, why do you reckon?
SA seem to understand a something about roos. I noticed that the shoulders on most of their rural roads where rain water runnoff dropped on the asphalt by the lightest passing shower cause that quick lush green growth which attrack the roos to the road, have been cleared i.e. no green growth for 2 or 3 meters either side, presumably by weedspraying and grading and compacting. It works...no food, no roos...