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Black Snake
So I was taking one of my regular rides down the Cascades yesterday afternoon and at the bottom of one of the short steep descents a 1 metre black snake was crossing the trail ahead of me. I saw him early and had plenty of time to ease up and let him go about his business. But I was wondering how common are snakes on the Beaches? Does anyone here avoid riding solo on weekdays for this reason? It kind of freaked me out.
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Quite common are black snakes. They're timid and will depart if you give them room. They only get antsy if cornered.
Brown snakes are completely different. Aggressive. If you see one, back away promptly but don't make any sudden moves. They own the trail. Find an alternate route.
Thanks Hawkeye - will keep well clear of the brownies. What if you were flying with no time to take an alternate route (5 seconds earlier and this would've been the case for me)… is it best to try to bunny hop it, or ditch the bike and take a fall as far away as possible? Bearing in mind it stretched across the whole width of the trail, so would've been unable to pick a different line.
Option 1: wear shinpads
Option 2: carry a crepe bandage, a fully charged mobile phone, and know the first aid drill for snake bite.
Then if bitten, get out of danger, apply first aid, DO NOT MOVE, call and wait for help to arrive.
I run with option 2. Shinpads are an incom0lete solution and are hot to wear.
Good advice Hawkeye... I had this happen to me and used my animal instincts which was to ride on... The snake never moved as I flew past... Not saying this is the right thing to do... Once the adrenalin starts you really don't have a conscious thought about your actions... Same applies to the snake... It will use its instincts... Hopefully both are trying to avoid each other, which is usually the case
Ps. The snake was only a diamond python nothing serious though it was a good 2 metres long...
I'll go with Option 2, cheers Hawkeye, though as you say Andy hopefully instincts would take over and it won't be needed.
First one of the season. Next the first Butcher Bird attack for the season too
Must say early this year but then again it has been warm. Get used to snakes - Manly Dam is a breeding ground. Stopped my bike once and put my foot down on something squidgy - baby brown, Black Flash picked up a snake in his tread and flicked it at my head and heading to the rock steps at Wakehurst went over the biggest red belly I have ever seen sliding between the rocks beneath me. Everytime we both went our separate ways ( me screaming like a school girl)
Ride faster - sometimes I look down at the trail at T/hills Perim/Long and nearly every second stick looks like a snake so ride at a decent clip and hope your faster than they are.
On my second middle stage lap of the 100M fling last year, just after the KOM there was a massive black snake going absolute bananas along the fire trail, snaking (hey thats what its called...?) aggressively all over the fire trail. Normally I'd stop and give it a wide berth, but as I was already doing a pretty good job of killing myself by myself on the bike.. I really didn't pay the snake the attention it deserved.. the point of this story (other than to say how I done the 100M fling last year) is that this particular black snake wasn't all that passive and nothing like the other few black snakes that I have nearly run over around Manly Dam and Red Hill over the last few years.
You also can get lucky, I had a fight with a small eastern brown snake once.. it hit me me but failed to actually bite me, apparently they also dry bite more than not.
I always wonder what I would do if I was bitten on a ride, and I have to say that I agree with the idea of staying as calm as possible in position and calling for help.
Was waiting for that to come up.... My bad. Come on who hasn't had a brown snake flicked up at their head while riding... Happens all the time doesn't it...?
Agreed with having at least a basic level of first aid proficiency. Australian snakes often dry bite as a reflex. But with plenty of venomous snakes around, chances are if you're bitten, and bitten properly, you may well be feeling unwell very soon. Add to the fact your heart rate is most likely already past 150 (coz ur doing a strava hotlap), then staying calm and limiting your movement, will help bring your hr down. Ring for assistance!
As Hawkeye said, carry the right first aid gear, and know how to use it.
There's plenty of medicos on this site that can offer "anonomous" advice if necessary...
Otherwise, avoid being bitten, show respect to snakes...
And in giant nuts case, wear a bigger helmet, coz its only a matter of time before you're wearing a cold brown scarf...
Then there are spiders, bull ants, butcher birds and dick smiths vegemite coloured wallabies...
@giant… big tick for me for being the first guy to mention a snake here this season… ha! So in summary I need to be a bit better prepared, ride harder and stop being a Wendy (I might need to get some "anonymous" advice for that one Black Flash).
Next on my 'to do' list: The feisty butchers bird.
Pack a tennis racquet
And as for big ticks, we have lots of those too. Although... the recommended first aid treatment is not as well agreed.
The best way to deal with spiders is to send your kiwi mate to the front on the first ride of the morning. Well that's what I used to do.
For some reason he went back to New Zealand
Compression bandage next to/ around the bite then extending up the limb towards the heart and, chill out and call 000. The reason to not wipe the venom is the venom on the skin can be swabed for snake identification.
If you don't have the time to stop, always ride at the snakes head. I've had enough snake incidents (40+) to confidently say they will always retreat by throwing their head up over their body to slide back the way they came. If you ride over them or near the tail you risk having their dangerous end flapping around in your cranks while you try desperately to unclip. I've had that experience twice.
As someone else said the Brown won't retreat. It will always lift itself up in the air like a cobra and is in kill mode. They will chase you but if you always ride in the big dog then that won't matter
I always carry a compression bandage and a spare tube which can be used in emergency as an extra compression bandage.
ohh yea .... I once bunny hopped a brown snake at mt Stromlo.
I used to see Red Belly Black snakes in & around Manly Dam 30 years ago roaming around on a BMX. But I gotta say, Perhaps I've been lucky in the last 4 years. I've come across nothing.
But then I did'nt get attacked by the butcher bird unlil last season either. LOL. It probably made up for all the times t left me alone.
Browns will retreat. They are not aggressive so much as nervous, and display the nervousness by lashing out when provoked.
check out this vids, you'll notice the snakes first reaction is to flea, then posture then get a bit more serious but always with the intent to get out of the situation
http://youtu.be/Ez8MB331xkI
Best thing to do is freeze on the spot and let them go their way.
Most on bike encounters happen too fast to react much any way so just hope for the best knowing the snake doesn't mean you any harm
current first aid techniques can be found here
http://www.stjohn.org.au/images/stjohn/informati...
and some identification and basic info here
http://www.anaesthesia.med.usyd.edu.au/resources...
interesting to read.....most snake bites deaths happen when someone was trying kil or move a brown snake.
Statistics say that 82% live at least 7 hrs after the bite. small percentage die in under 3 hrs.
something like 3000 snakev bites happen per year.
my old man got bitten once by brown snake on the Turon river near Hill End. but it was a dry bite.
That's a very good point re. aiming for the head if you have no other choice.
I heard about a guy in the outback going back a fair few years who drove over a snake and it's tail got wrapped around his axel and the head flicked up and bit him on the arm through his open window. I guess if you've got to take them out, hit them head on! …And peg it.
That Brown vid is truly frightening - how quick is it on the attack!
LOL.... sounds like a tall story pommys get told.
have a think about that one.
around the axle of a car. right?
a certain length of the snake must be there to actually get cought around the axle. then there must be enough lenth left for it to get spun about & reach as far as the window. where the guy has his arm. even if the arm is hanging downwards. How long is this snake?
I'm calling BS on that one ( but respectfully) . But entertainment value....12/10 LOL.
I'll telll that story next time i meet a Pommy who's just arrived.
The inland taipan is 2.5m - that would have to be long enough, but I do agree it does sound totally far fetched. I'm sure I read the story on a billboard in Kings Cross Station… I think it was an ad for the Royal Flying Doctors Service, but could be remembering it all wrong...
PS. I am a pom… chances are someone fed me the line in a bar after a few too many… pretty hazy memories of that time. LOL!
Car axles are safely contained in the diff housing. Hard to get spun up in...
yea Classic. too funny.
just so know. I'm a Kraut. I was fed al those strories too when I first arrived 35 years ago. I was petrified of Sharks funnel webb spiders & snakes.
innocence & lack f knowlege . recepie for great times for those who know better
I've been riding the Dam for a year or so but other than the Gibbs Street Buthcher I've not seen any wild life. So last week riding with my 10yo a large goanna makes a dash across the track and I run over the poor devils neck, think he was Ok as he climbed a tree and was promptly attacked by a bird (he was having a very bad day).
Then this week I'm flying towards the higher of the small climbs after the school and run over a 1.5 meter black snake. It is amazing how fast you can tackle one of those drainage ditches along there with your anckes around your ears. Not sure if I've done it any harm but it got off the track ok.
Warm weather along with fox baiting seems to be doing wonders for the wildlife.
Be seen more snakes in the last two weeks than at any other time combined during my 16 years in this country:
RNP
Brown snake across the walking track to Garie beach (about 3m long and as thick as my wrist - and I ain't exactly skinny)
Tiger snake on the way back (similar size to his mate above).
Blue Mountains
Eastern small eyed snake
Red Hill (was tarting up a trail).
Nearly sat on lovely 2m diamond python. Fascinating to watch!
Can't believe I didn't see any at Menai on Saturday!