Cyclist Films His Own Collision With a Deer

By Paul Ciampanelli Mar 1st 2013

When amateur sports enthusiasts strap on helmet cameras, they can usually capture some exciting footage of their athletic feats. But sometimes the camera catches an unplanned, unexpected moment. In this case, cyclist Jeff Plassman filmed his own collision with a charging deer, according to the Daily Mail U.K.



Plassman was at Pocahontas State Park in Virginia, competing in the Monster Cross and Mountain Bike race, and filming his ride with a GoPro camera. He did not see the deer running his way and the two got tangled up at relatively high speeds.

"I was just paying attention to where I was going and I heard somebody say something about a deer," Plassman told WTVR-TV. "All of a sudden, all I saw was fur, the sky and then the ground."



Both parties appear to have survived the accident unscathed. The deer scampered off into the forest, and Plassman was unhurt. "I got right up and I was OK," Plassman said. "A lot of people were asking if I was OK, and I was. Just kind of a real surprise." Plassman was able to finish the bike race.

Plassman films all of his races using the wearable camera, but this was the first time he had a wildlife encounter to capture. And it wasn't until his less-than-graceful moment with the deer that he found viral-video success. "I've spent hours and hours editing bike videos, but all it takes is getting knocked down, like on 'America's Funniest Home Videos.' I'll take it," Plassman said.

DOG AND DEER ARE BEST FRIENDS: