#HTE

DIY Anti-Magpie-Attack Bicycle Helmet Designs

Australia is plagued with a unique danger to cyclists: Magpies. It sounds like a joke, but these fiercely territorial birds will patrol the area around their nest, and if a cyclist happens to pass, the bird will swoop down and relentlessly attack the cyclist’s helmet. Here’s an example:

While the guy in the video is amused, magpie attacks are obviously quite dangerous, as startled cyclists can lose control and crash. And the swooping birds can do damage to both helmets and body parts with their beaks and claws.

Because no company has yet designed an anti-magpie bicycle helmet, Australians have had to come up with some DIY solutions. One method is to festoon one’s helmet with zip-ties:

Another solution is based on analyzing the magpies’ attack methods. They usually attack from the rear, and some think that if you place eyes or a face on the rear of your helmet, this will discourage the magpie from attacking:

A doctor in Osborne, beleaguered by magpies during his bicycle commute, designed this rather absurd contraption:

Here’s how it works:

The jury’s still out on whether any of these hacks are actually effective. If you ask me, this guy below has the only foolproof solution:

Anybody got any other ideas?