Has the pigeon community received such bad news that they feel they have to throw themselves in front of my truck? Now i guess we’ve all had the odd bird now and again over the years (feathered variety) but this week i’ve had four plus a pile of near misses. 2 of them came darting out from the trees on the left and into the windscreen. One bounced off, the other sorta slid up and got tangled in the sun visor and was looking at me with his head at a very odd angle. I pulled down the inside visor to keep him out of sight and he was still there 2 hours later when i was due to stop for a break. I wasn’t looking forward to pulling him out but as i slowed down and the wind resistance fell, he slid out back down the windscreen. Another one then came across the motorway from the right around grille height, looked at me, panicked and turned right in an attempt to out-run me. Well, unless you can get up to 56 fairly sharpish mate you’re gonna be in trouble. Ah well, feathers everywhere again. The last one was brilliant, again he approached from the right on the motorway, a bit higher this time, he seen me, realised he wasn’t gonna make it so started flapping like hell trying to gain some altitude. Our eyes met and i could read his face. It simply said ‘■■■■■■■■’. I was willing him on and cheered when he just cleared the cab, but what’s this? Boomf! Oh yeah, i’m pulling an Irlams trailer and they’re a bit taller than the others. A glance in the mirror saw him perform a graceful arc before crash landing in a tangle of broken wings and feathers. Unlucky son. I felt quite bad after all the effort he put in.
So is it just me, or have any of you noticed a difference lately? Particularly early morning.
avnt worked for near 2 months but on 1 day i hit 2 pigeons, had a renault premium for the day driving along heard a bang an jus seen feathers so carrys on 10 mins later 1 bounced out the window that hard, i had blood on the windscreen but the part were the wipers dont dont, had it there all day
the 1st pigeon that i didnt see hit above the windscreen were the cab is for its high roof, put it a big dent in the cab, fitted pulled it out with a suction pad luckily !
Spooky - had 2 in the last 3 weeks, both on M1 Wakefield way - both sort of slid across the windscreen, and fluttered down the right hand side of the truck - no idea how they fared.
I have been driving trucks for 15 years and never hit a pigeon----until Tuesday of this week when one flew out of the bushes on the M62, it flew under the windscreen and all I saw was a mass of feathers behind me. (must be something in the air)…
Ive noticed this too, especially on my way to work early morning, have encountered numerous pigeons just wondering in the road and for some reason they just dont seem to move til its too late
One time i was coming down the road one early morning, saw a magpie in the road picking the carcass of a dead pigeon that had been hit by another car, poor thing saw me but it was too late, and it ended up lying mangled and dead beside the pigeon they were scavenging from.
Couple of months ago there was one very lucky Blackbird on the M20 slip road (as you come off the M25 from the river crossing) saw it fly right into the side of a BMW that had just passed me (with a loud thud), it bounced off into my lane, rolled, got up and flew off again just missing the front of my truck
Yeah I know what u mean
Had one hit the windscreen Wednesday looked like I’d had a pillow fight pmsl
and as for the buggers that turn around mid flight I missed it but the coach passin didnt miss it
Hit one this week and a couple of near misses. Maybe they all think that we’re the same height as cars?
Even had a couple of bigger birds like sparrow hawks a bit too close!!
DaiDap:
Has the pigeon community received such bad news that they feel they have to throw themselves in front of my truck?
Coo !!
Had pigeon do the kamikazee dive at a training truck I was driving.
Day 1 of C course - 2 trainees in truck - me demo driving
Country road 40 mph - tall tree just off to the left.
Pigeon dives off tree and stright into the n/s of the screen - BANG/CRACK !!
Trainee in passenger seat tries to push seat back - it won’t go back any more
At same time my commentry went - “collision with bird on screen, now looking for safe stopping place” - I was surprised at how calm I was.
We found a safe stopping place and wiped off the entrails (YUK) that were slithering slowly down the n/s screen.
O/S screen ok so I drive it to windscreen people to get a new one.
The one about the pheasant is better if you want that as well…
had one hit my mirror not long back! woke me up!! left its dinner all over my window!!!
had a crow decide to play chicken the other week at bramham! it lost! found it the next day under the wheel of a clio on my trailer! horrid thing!
Had pigeon do the kamikazee dive at a training truck I was driving.
Day 1 of C course - 2 trainees in truck - me demo driving
Country road 40 mph - tall tree just off to the left.
Pigeon dives off tree and stright into the n/s of the screen - BANG/CRACK !!
Trainee in passenger seat tries to push seat back - it won’t go back any more
At same time my commentry went - “collision with bird on screen, now looking for safe stopping place” - I was surprised at how calm I was.
We found a safe stopping place and wiped off the entrails (YUK) that were slithering slowly down the n/s screen.
O/S screen ok so I drive it to windscreen people to get a new one.
The one about the pheasant is better if you want that as well…
C’mon Rog, tell the truth, you hit the tree didn’t you? The poor bloody pigeon was just sat there minding his own.
How many free lessons did you offer the trainees to keep shtum?
DaiDap:
Has the pigeon community received such bad news that they feel they have to throw themselves in front of my truck? Now i guess we’ve all had the odd bird now and again over the years (feathered variety) but this week i’ve had four plus a pile of near misses. 2 of them came darting out from the trees on the left and into the windscreen. One bounced off, the other sorta slid up and got tangled in the sun visor and was looking at me with his head at a very odd angle. I pulled down the inside visor to keep him out of sight and he was still there 2 hours later when i was due to stop for a break. I wasn’t looking forward to pulling him out but as i slowed down and the wind resistance fell, he slid out back down the windscreen. Another one then came across the motorway from the right around grille height, looked at me, panicked and turned right in an attempt to out-run me. Well, unless you can get up to 56 fairly sharpish mate you’re gonna be in trouble. Ah well, feathers everywhere again. The last one was brilliant, again he approached from the right on the motorway, a bit higher this time, he seen me, realised he wasn’t gonna make it so started flapping like hell trying to gain some altitude. Our eyes met and i could read his face. It simply said ‘■■■■■■■■’. I was willing him on and cheered when he just cleared the cab, but what’s this? Boomf! Oh yeah, i’m pulling an Irlams trailer and they’re a bit taller than the others. A glance in the mirror saw him perform a graceful arc before crash landing in a tangle of broken wings and feathers. Unlucky son. I felt quite bad after all the effort he put in.
So is it just me, or have any of you noticed a difference lately? Particularly early morning.
rofl pmsl…
ah god thats the funniest post ive read on here for ages… especally when i hear your welsh accent reading it out.
Grayham:
Ive noticed this too, especially on my way to work early morning, have encountered numerous pigeons just wondering in the road and for some reason they just dont seem to move til its too late :?
One time i was coming down the road one early morning, saw a magpie in the road picking the carcass of a dead pigeon that had been hit by another car, poor thing saw me but it was too late, and it ended up lying mangled and dead beside the pigeon they were scavenging from.
Couple of months ago there was one very lucky Blackbird on the M20 slip road (as you come off the M25 from the river crossing) saw it fly right into the side of a BMW that had just passed me (with a loud thud), it bounced off into my lane, rolled, got up and flew off again just missing the front of my truck
They did this on the telly on QI. Apparently pigeons see things at a different speed to us.
Had one a few weeks ago down the M1, never saw it till I heard the bang and looked over to the passenger side, was just sliding out of view, cracked the screen, boss not impressed.
Hit a few in my car too in the last few months, ususally early morning, 4-5am, maybe they are still asleep Usually bounce off the windscreen but once I had two of them stuck in the bottom grill when I got to work
Last year a deer ran out at me down a country lane on the way to work at 2am, never saw it till it flashed infront of the lights, will always remember a strange kinda screaming noise it made in the millisecond before it exploded all over the road, stopped and dragged the remains to the verge, was in about 5 pieces.
Posted this in an unrelated thread about the amount of wildlife I used to destroy when doing the whisky trail to Aberlour.
All manner of Birds, rabbits, hedgehogs, frogs and creatures I couldn`t begin to name, basically if it had a pulse I stopped it.
Some nights were so bad I honestly felt like a mass murderer and I did used to wonder if some of the more squeemish drivers had a wee greet at the end of their shift.
Pigeons are flying disease ridden rats though they need culled not fed half a loaf.
A few years ago I was in a merc Actros driving to Cornwall over Kenford bank A38 and hit 50+ from the left appeared a pigeon and
guess what yes it hit the high roof pod what a mess a dint about 8" across and about 1" deep that took some explaining , Then the one who decided to attack the grill of my Ford Cargo straight thro and into the radiator never found the rest of it only a couple of feathers around the entry point
I missed it but the coach passin didnt miss it 
)