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Snake safety
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
The weather is warming up and those of us cycling in the early morning or late afternoons are sooner or later going to see a snakie
Nice article about the facts and what you should do if you do see one here
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Had my first and not last encounter with a red belly black snake at winmalee today at lunchtime, there were a lot around last year, this year i suspect there will be a lot around, i accidentally ran over his tail, i could not avoid him, as it was at the last moment that i seen him, they are not the most rapid of snake, but they sure are beautiful creatures!!!
the black is so shiny & their coral pink side between the black & the red is so subtle-just a side note of when I was in the National Museum there was an article from the early 1800's noting that they thought the Red Bellied Black snake was non poisonous!
Thanks Flynny for the reminder - eeeek, snake season!
I've posted a number of times re snakes as I probably have more than 10 incidents each season. I train alone and find when you are alone and moving quickly they don't know you're coming.
Two rules:
1. Carry at least one compression bandage at all times when riding and at least a spare tube which can also be used.
2. Always ride for their head as they will always in my experience retreat back the way they came when startled. If you are anywhere near their tail when they toss themselves backwards then you may accidentally get fanged or, as I've had a few times, find them tangled in your cranks while you do circles trying to unclip!
One thing the literature always gets wrong is the bit about snakes always try to get out of your way. Brown snakes have a f$&k you nasty attitude and will always stand up & fight. They hate the world and want to attack anything that moves. Sorry I can't offer any words of wisdom other than don't ever come across one.
Brown snakes tend to be easily scared and when they scare they tend to strike out. Tthey are one snake which will come at you but only as a last resort and normally only enough to get you to back off
http://youtu.be/Ez8MB331xkI
the world could do with a few less dickheads than that!-a prime award recipient of a "Darwin Award"-you know where dickheads are killed off to protect us level headed humans.
Saw a 1.25m red-belly black at Golden Jubilee when we went a couple of weekends ago. Initially naz and my youngster thought it was dead and were contemplating picking it up... and laughed at me when I had a 2m stick in my hand. They stopped laughing when the snake moved when I touched it.
It seemed pretty relaxed, though. Wasn't in a hurry to be going anywhere.
We saw a Red-belly on Perimeter Track at Terry Hills on Sunday (11/9). Nice warm sunny day, but it wasn't moving very fast and didn't seem too concerned about us riding past.
Good post Fatboy, funny stuff.
:the world could do with a few less dickheads than that!:
People say that about mtbers too. He knew what he was doing and how far he could push it. Mind you if he had of tripped over.... Still the snake was more posing than anything else, it's got no interest in biting and waisting precious venom if it doesn't have to.
Timely reminder.
rode beside a 5ft brown this morning near 4wd folly red hill. He didnt strike and i didnt hang around. Might rethink solo rides. Be carefull out there.
Met a nice little copper head up at Scribblies the other evening. Avoided riding over him but he didn't budge even after I went past and came back to check he was ok... he had put his head under some leaves and was obviously scared but confortable that way even though he was still across the trail.
Lots of copperheads up there, but like the Red Bellys they are very docile, especially I think at the moment because it isn't that warm for them as yet.
Yeah was out and about today, had my wits about me, heard lots of movement but no sightings, methinks scribblies and blue gum will have high incidents and sightings this year!
Them copperheads at scribblies sure are nice looking Mark!
XX
I avoid the scribbly loop at Knapsack if I'm alone over summer. You just can't see what's on the track at times.
Saw a red belly feasting on a mouse this morning about 50 meters from where the RAAF base fence ends. I was coming back towards the base from the mushie farm. He was just to the right of the trail.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrelaps
DEOH or Richmond?
Macr
Who works at Williamtown.
Glenbrook.
That would be here.
http://www.nearmap.com/[email protected],150.6...
A good pdf on first aid can be found here
http://www.workingwithwildlife.com.au/downloads/...
Caught a nice diamond Python outside my house on the road after being tagged by a car. He was not so friendly as you could immagine, Im sure nobody would be after being run over. Managed to get it into a pillow case as good old reliable 'WIRES' were 3 hours away. The snake will recover well after some TLC. If it were venemous I would have not even attempted the rescue.
I came across a young red belly on the road last week on the bike, just after the car in front of me ran it over. (Warrimoo next to the station).
Had a brown snake rear up at me on the single track between Halycon and the football oval at Winmalee about 2 years ago. I thought he was going to keep going across the track, but he decided otherwise...
The old giant reign has never gone so fast backwards - one foot clipped in - the other hopping madly backwards!
And about a week later saw a banded snake (bandy-bandy?) at the football oval.
After that I even started seeing 'em on the road bike!
Have been advised by more than one snake guy that if you stay still they can't detect you and you blur back into the surrounds you become a non threat and there brainless heads revert to getting back with what they were doing. Making a big kerfuffle just upsets them and scares them more.
This results in all those instances where a snake will just slither across your feet without giving a damn.
Yep staying still is the best thing, kinda hard to do when one takes you by surprise and the fight or flight reaction kicks in though
If you stay still and the snake stays still then who moves first.
Snake will move soon enough... or you move, they will maybe startle and start rearing to say "piss off I'm scared of you!!!" but if you move off they won't chase you (the exception is the north queenslanders and PNG people who have to deal with Taipans who are agressive)
I must say the natural reaction is an "Oh fuck... arggggh" , but my 6yr old son who last summer had a copperhead slither across in front of him about 10cm from his feet just froze and watched in great interest as it disappeared off track. His addrenalin was running after but he did brilliantly by being educated on how snakes behave.
Still remember a close encounter with a snake when I was a kid in the 80s. I was fixing a puncture on my BMX in the backyard of my family's beach shack. Had the bike upside down and was working away on the rear wheel.
Suddenly I notice a juvenile tiger snake slithering between my feet. Sounds as though my body reacted the right way - I just froze and watched as it went on its merry way. Still gives me the shivers.
Saw quite a sizeable dead snake (red-belly I think) by the roadside on my commute to work last week. Run over by a car I presume. Things are definitely warming up.
Reading all this, it seems that this summer while riding, I might see my first snake after 6 years in Australia… but I wish I can not see one for an extra few years!