K11 Owners Group

[Freedom45]

This is a subject that comes up from time to time, perhaps, too often, but, it usually ends with limited experiences or simply with unsubstantiated opinions or one incident anecdotal reports.

Do these whistles help avoid deer collisions? The answer is "yes" and "no", and that is due to simple stereotyping without recognizing the vast differences in the available whistles on the market. Let me elaborate on a test we conducted to illustrate.

Great Basin National Park, Nevada and Lake Almanor, California have large deer populations that migrate seasonally. Three of us collected seven different brands of deer whistles and tested them in both locations. This was done by installing the whistles, riding down deer laden roads and observing any changes in deer activity during the day and at night. Then a repeat run was made with the whistle(s) covered over to detect changes. The testing process took two weekends and made for some nice riding. From the start, we were mostly skeptical that anything could be worthwhile.

I won't elaborate on the inaffective or the marginally affective whistles. But, there was a clear winner and it can be had free of charge. It was the smallest, easiest to install and the most simple of all the whistles, called Save A Deer. This unit is about one inch square and has two parallel barrels that emit an inaudible high pitch above 35 mph. It comes with two sided tape and easily mounts on the leading edge of any fairing. It originally was distributed through BarJan and is now sold through Living Products.

Our group consensus was that deer would tend to move away from an approaching motorcycle with Save A Deer. Some whistles would freeze deer where they were standing. Even with Save A Deer, some deer were unaffected, however, there was a noticeable difference with that device compared to the others tested. None of the whistles seemed to have an affect on elk or cattle, however, the Save A Deer did get roadkill feeding ravens and eagles up off carrion earlier.

State Farm Insurance agents often have them for free distribution or they are available online for a modest price. One agent in Nevada opined that there had been a reduction in deer collision related claims since the free distribution began.

If nothing else, it is a very inexpensive and unobtrusive addition and, if our report is accurate, it could save a lot. I would like to test them on whitetail and may do so sometime later this year. OTOH, if any of our members have had positive experiences with other brands of deer whistles, please post to the subject.
_________________
1996 K1100RS SE, K1100K, K75S, Laverda 1200
MOA 9900
IBA #70 NRA

[Flying Duck]

And what you've just provided is just more anecdotal "evidence."

Which insurance company reduces rates for having deer whistles installed? That should tell you a lot.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

[Freedom45]

Hi Flying Duck

Anecdotal? Absolutely, but, that is were conversations and ideas are born. Absolutes are not easily defined, but, we try to test and observe. Which, IMO, are better than outright denials or nay saying.

Onward
_________________
1996 K1100RS SE, K1100K, K75S, Laverda 1200
MOA 9900
IBA #70 NRA

[SugarHillCTD]

Freedom,

Lots of studies have been done and quite a bit of info is available.

http://www.deercrash.com/states/national_data.htm


This particular study had some interesting conclusions:

DEER-VEHICLE CRASH COUNTERMEASURE TOOLBOX:
A DECISION AND CHOICE RESOURCE
Final Report
Principal Investigator
Keith K. Knapp, P.E., Ph.D.
Engineering Professional Development Department
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Director – Deer-Vehicle Crash Information Clearinghouse
Midwest Regional University Transportation Center
Graduate Research Assistants
Xin Yi, Tanveer Oakasa, Wesley Thimm, Eric Hudson, and Chad Rathmann
Midwest Regional University Transportation Center
Submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Completed as part of the Deer-Vehicle Crash Information Clearinghouse Initiation
Project for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
SPR Project Number 0092-01-11
Report Number DVCIC – 02
Midwest Regional University Transportation Center
Deer-Vehicle Crash Information Clearinghouse
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1415 Engineering Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1791
Telephone: 608-263-2655
Fax: 608-263-2512
http://www.mrutc.org
http://www.deercrash.com


I'm not commenting on anyone's + or - thoughts or conclusions, just giving information to look over.

John
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

[Naked Hoof]

Maybe you should try Match.com first before blowing your whistle...
_________________
79 Honda CB750 trainer
traded for Suzuki GS1150e (stolen)
81 Honda CB900F
02 Kawasaki ZR7 (cursed)
93 K1100RS Mystic Red

Dreams should never be reduced in potency by subjecting them to reality. - Lord Snarebottom

[miKeinWIs]

Another anecdotal-knee-jerk-analysis:
My friends call them elephant whistles 'cuz they've never hit an elephant while using them.

I use them. Used to travel the interstate 600 mi rd trip each week. The deer seemed to react away from my car. Maybe the whistles?
You do have to clean the bugs out of them often.

Flame away
_________________
'97 K1100LT
Bought 6/30/09 w/26,750 miles

[Freedom45]

SugarHill

Thanks for the reference material. I'm interested in their findings.

Several states mandate whistles for their patrol vehicles and I am corresponding with two of them to see if they have records that reflect the effectiveness of the whistles and what type of whistles are used.
_________________
1996 K1100RS SE, K1100K, K75S, Laverda 1200
MOA 9900
IBA #70 NRA

[Mystic Red]

Wow.
_________________
Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

[Flying Duck]

I've never seen a SCIENTIFIC STUDY that demonstrates a STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION showing that deer whistles reduce deer impacts.

If anybody knows of one, post it up.

Here's some scientific research indicating they don't work:
http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/021118/02111812.htm


Or how about this:

[Freedom45]

Hi, Flying Duck

Thanks for the links. I appreciate your logical lean toward a "scientific" study and conclusion, eventhough science continues to fail humanity in oh so many ways. Still the scientific method has merit within limitations and provides measuring sticks until the data gets revised, as it always does. So, first point -- more data will give better conclusions and not limited ones like the examples you cite.

Those sources did, however, list other effect methods of reducing animal/vehicle collisions. The clearing of brush and weeds alongside the roadway, animal movement sensors on the highway, et al do have merit and should be part of any highway maintenance and safety program.

One thing that is absent from the links you referenced is the description of the brands of deer whistles that were tested. Would results have been different if they tested other brands? This is what I was referring to in my initial post, the stereotyping problem; IOW, if one to five apples are bad, then apples must be bad. If my first marriage was rotten, so will be the next one. etc

The Save A Deer whistles aren't expensive, yet, State Farm buys them in bulk and hands them out to their insured. They have reduced, it is claimed by some agents, the cost of deer collisions. Maybe, they are on to something. Or, it could be glad handing and PR. Which brings me to my another point in the post. Since it is free or low cost, since it is unobtrusive and since it "might" work and actually save pain, suffering and expense, it sounds like a win win win to me. At the very least it is an interesting conversation piece. "Hey, what's that thing on your fairing?!"
_________________
1996 K1100RS SE, K1100K, K75S, Laverda 1200
MOA 9900
IBA #70 NRA

[Naked Hoof]

[Flying Duck]

[Freedom45]

Well, Al Gore is a good example of pseudo-science gone bad and I do salute Tipper for her decision. I hope she gets half of the $180 million Al Gore has made on his scam of global warming.

To the issue of the failure of science, the examples are thousands in number and a glimpse can be had simply by researching the subject with any search engine. But, we stray from the subject of this thread and if we wish to continue the value and the disasters of science, we may wish to label a new topic. I am sure it will be anything but ludicrous.
_________________
1996 K1100RS SE, K1100K, K75S, Laverda 1200
MOA 9900
IBA #70 NRA

[Naked Hoof]

[Naked Hoof]

[Klinker]

[Freedom45]

Hello Naked Hoof

I admire the vigor to which you address the issue of science and enjoy your retorts. That said, we may wish to visit The Dungeon to truly pursue the subject and let this thread on deer whistles continue in context.

I am confident we will have some invigorating exchanges.
_________________
1996 K1100RS SE, K1100K, K75S, Laverda 1200
MOA 9900
IBA #70 NRA

[Saltcreek]

[Flying Duck]

Does this mean that someone thinks AlGore knows his ass from a hole in the ground?
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

[SugarHillCTD]