To have cycled into a cat

[Rhododendron]

Background: I'm new to cycling and not very good at it yet.

I was cycling along, fairly slowly, when a cat ran into the road ahead of me. Since it would be so much more manoeuvrable than me, I carried on, assuming it would avoid me. But it ran straight under my front wheel!

I don't think it was (hope not, anyway!) particularly hurt since it carried on running and disappeared through a gate. (I stopped.)

Was I BU? Should I have tried to avoid it?

Bit confused since I thought cats were rather more sensible than that? DH (experienced cyclist) says he's never needed to avoid a cat.

There was a bit of white in it.

And some red

you should probably have braked in case it didn't move, then maybe just put your foot down on the ground and done a bit of an emergency stop. even my 7 year old can stop when travelling at speed - to avoid a fellow child or something when playing out. have seen her do it plenty. don't ride in traffic until you're sure of yourself - and don't ride on the pavement if you're feeling unsafe, you could hurt someone.

Well hopefully you had your car windows shut when the bees flew into you anyway. You sound a little unlucky

Did you run over its body or legs ?

oh it'll be fine. Cats have lots of lives. Unlike cyclists. So you may have squished it a bit.

And ignore the brain-dead like Fakebook. Keep on biking and develop all of your roadcraft skills. It's really beneficial to cycle.

Who was it who ran over a pheasant during a driving lesson?

Hopefully the cat will fine. If you just bumped it lightly hopefully it was more of a shock (for both of you!) than an actual hurt. Don't give up on cycling! Maybe some quiet estates for the moment if possible, and maybe go with your DH?

You're going to go to hell where you will be run over by big cats on bikes for evermore.

Alternatively..you did your best at the time, hope kitty is OK.

"The cat carried on running without pausing so I don't think it was very hurt"

I don't think you should even try to console yourself with that thought, OP.

I've known a cat run at full speed for several hundred yards, after being run over. Several of us hunted for it, eventually finding it collapsed in undergrowth, some distance from the road. It died from internal bleeding while the vet was examining it, about 25 - 30 minutes later.

It does sound from your posts as if you should not be riding/driving anything on a public route, at your level of inexperience. It doesn't sound as if you in any way even tried to safely prevent the accident.

Of course YABU! For the sake of yourself and others please stay off the roads if you're unable to come to a safe, controlled stop for hazards. It sounds like you need a lot of training before you go back on the roads.

Poor cat. You should have stopped to check on it, it could easily suffered internal bleeding after a trauma like that. Shame on those happy to blatantly squidge an innocent creature. Very disturbing tendency.

Don't assume the cat was unhurt because it ran off. It's what they do, if they can. By not alerting the owner they won't know to take it to the vet to check for internal injuries.
This should be obvious surely.

CorusKate she could have breaked gently! Safe person and unhurt cat would have resulted.

Pans, my cat certainly didn't have nine lives nor was it fine after a bit of a squishing. It was dead. What a silly thing to say.

you sound like an idiot op of course you should have braked!

I fell off my bike avoiding a pigeon. it didn't fly away so I swerved and fell off. I hate pigeons as well but a cat?? no words.

"I don't think it was (hope not, anyway!) particularly hurt since it carried on running"

Our cat managed to run after being hit by a car.

I think most of us are incredulous that you didn't just brake.

It's an automatic reaction for most cyclists!

Are you sure this isn't another reverse ?

ArchyFox you mean the op is the cat in question?

OP - please don't get on a bike again till you've learnt to look ahead, plan and brake when needed. You will have an accident if you carry on in the drippy daydream mode you describe below.

Bloody hell its only a cat, the cyclist was going slowly, and it ran off afterwards! If you have a cat and live near a road there is always a chance it will dive under someones wheels. If your cat is for some reason the world's most loved specialist preciousist pet ever then don't let it out.

Drivers are not supposed to brave or swerve for small animals, it creates more hazards for everyone else on the road.

if someone ran over my 3kg cat with a bike it'd probably kill her.

I think there is a big difference between a car braking for an animal and a cyclist. If you are in a car the animal gets squashed and that is that. If you are on a bike and you hit an animal, even as small as a squirrel, it can get stuck in your wheels, or just the collision could cause you to fall off your bike, so it is in the cyclists interest to try to avoid a collision for their own safety.

Next time OP, if you see a child do this, please break instead. Children aren't as agile as cats. You will hurt one. In fact the cat is probably now dead. This child may die too. You would be responsible for this. Yes, you. I suggest maybe investing in a tricycle. With stabilisers.

My god.

Oh and some friendly road advice, they all do it here so is the norm it seems for you cycling types, at pedestrian crossing, speed up, especially if you're near a school or there are actual people in said pedestrian crossing. Speed up really fast and swear as you terrify the living day lights out if them. Aggression an arrogance is key here.

This thread makes me laugh!