Ok, so if you’ve been mountain biking more than a couple times you’ve probably seen or heard the rule that mountain bikers yield the trail to hikers and equestrians. Well at one mountain bike 101 class they’re teaching a new rule: mountain bikes must yield to wildlife.
Of course you’d be crazy to run into a deer or even a dog on the trail since you’ll end up on the ground while the animal runs away in shock. If you missed it during this year’s tour a dog actually took out two riders (great video) and appeared to walk away unhurt. Generally these collisions are the result of a “surprise” encounter and not the result of willful defiance of convention.
But what about smaller animals? I’ve seen plenty of snakes in the trail and I’ve always yielded to them for obvious reasons. Other times I’ve seen unusual insects on the trail like black beetles and to be quite honest I’ve probably smashed a few under my tires. I even inhaled a huge black fly once and nearly gagged to death as it made it’s way down, but that’s another story. The point is that in practice I do yield to (non-insect) wildlife out on the trail despite the lack of a clear-cut rule.
But another way to look at the question is to ask, will wildlife yield to you when you’re on your bike? The answer is generally yes since most animals are spooked by large shiny objects barreling down on them at excessive speeds. Though if you do happen to run into an animal that isn’t following the rules of the trail, be courteous, and yield the right of way 😉
