How often do you get stung by bees while riding?

[Flying-D]

Originally Posted by LuciferMutt

The evening news, and probably run over by a following car/truck. I hear about a fair number of HD accidents on the interstates in this town which have seemingly no apparent cause. The rider is riding along and just, almost randomly, goes down! I really wonder how many of those are due to taking a rock to the center of the face, a bug in the eye at 60, getting stung, etc. Gear protects you from a lot more than the crash!

I thought about that just yesterday as I was riding home from work. A truck somewhere just ahead was shredding a retread, and the truck directly ahead of me was running over pieces and throwing chunks of rubber everywhere into the air. I caught a thumb sized chunk just above my visor and immediately wondered what that would have felt like without a lid. That might explain a lot. Ditto for the swarm of bees I went through in Southern Illinois.

[beach23707]

Can recall no bees in 28 years of riding

[scottrnelson]

I've been stung five times by bees - four honeybees and one little black one that kept stinging me until I could get it out. All of the honeybees were in the neck area and the black one hit my neck then crawled down towards my chest stinging every little ways.

These all happened over a span of less than two years. I'm amazed that a bee can hit you in the neck at 60 mph and sting you before it dies. I've also learned to make absolutely sure the stinger is out, after spending four hours with that first one occasionally pumping in a bit more bee venom.

I know that I could just wear something on my neck to protect the four square inches of exposed flesh, but I usually feel that it's too hot to bother with that. After all, I just got stung by a bee, what are the chances of another one getting me? (Apparently the chances were pretty good.)

It's been more than two years since the last bee sting, so I'm hoping that maybe it was just a phase that I was going through. I'm also thankful that I'm not allergic to bee stings.

[DualSportDad]

i used to get stung damn near every ride when i had my (white) dr350. to this day all my friends make fun of how much i used to get stung. on the day i was supposed to sell the bike i was riding it home from work and was having a good old time and said to myself... "screw this i'm keeping this bike" not even a minute later... bee to the throat. needless to say i sold the bike.

i think it was cause the bike was white..... something about that color attracts bugs. a bunch of us went to ocala national forest one time to ride. at one point we took a break with our backs to our bikes and when i turned around my bike was covered in love bugs and everyone else's bikes had like 3 or 4 of them on them.

[vortexau]

About once or twice more than I have been pinned underneath a falling cow. I could well imagine that the later danger would cause greater injury.

[ThatGuy]

Originally Posted by vortexau

About once or twice more than I have been pinned underneath a falling cow. I could well imagine that the later danger would cause greater injury.

http://www.adn.com/2008/02/12/312399...takes-out.html

As for the OP: Never have. Now since saying that I will take one in the eye while riding at night in the rain.

[wibby]

had one come through the armpit vent on the roadcrafter 2 weeks ago, fucker crawled up to my fore arm before he lit me up

110,000 miles of riding I've been stung maybe 6 times

Last one before that was a direct hit to my left temple, fucker exploded on impact. Had trouble getting my helmet back on to ride home, my head had swelled up so much

[dattaway]

Twice. One month apart. In the same place. Flew down my shirt and stung me above the belt. Second time was twice as bad.

[Rocky TFS]

Not recently, but I only just started riding again after 37 years....maybe that has something to do with it.



In my college days I got stung twice (most likely by Yellowjackets), once while riding up Gold Camp Road from Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek on my dirt bike while wearing those old Bausch and Lomb Aviator glasses that had the little circular reinforcement right over the nose that was about 1/4 " in diameter. The little bastard musta been flying ass first because he nailed me right thru that tiny hole. My nose and eyes swoll up so bad that I had to stop for an hour because I literally couldn't see.



The other time was on Independence Pass on my BSA when one got inside my calf high boots and went to town. I had just passed a bunch of tourists going 15 when I had to stop and tear off my boot while dancing around swearing in the loudest voice I could muster....I got some funny looks, maybe even a finger.

[larryboy]

I've been stung maybe 20 times while riding and several hundred times in my life...work/live in the woods and things happen.

The last sting to the throat just about did me in. I was on the way to work and got zapped sitting at a red light, didn't think much of it, brushed him off and kept going. I knew something was up when I got to where I was supposed to make a left and I was on a different street and had to make a right. I staggered into work and the boss said I should call my wife to come get me and take me home. I went to the locker room and took off my jacket, half inch tall hives...fitting I know, all the way to my pants, I went back to the boss and told him to listen very carefully, call 911 right now!!

I got a strange cough as my airway started to close and blood spurted out of my nose. Medics got there pretty quick, got me some oxygen and a shot of benadryl. They have to talk to an MD to get permission to hit me with epi. Fire Captain says into her cell phone, "Don't you ever put me on hold again, I have somebody FUCKING dying here." Man, that epinephrine really works, I felt better almost instantly. I was bright red almost to my ankles by then, really bright red.

I carry epi pens now.

[sethsquatch]

Thankfully I've only been stung once while riding. Had the visor up on my helmet as I was riding about 40mph and got stung just below my right eye. I'm thankful I had sunglasses on to keep the bee out of my eye.

[randyo]

Originally Posted by vortexau

About once or twice more than I have been pinned underneath a falling cow. I could well imagine that the later danger would cause greater injury.

you sure that sign doesn't mean that cow tipping is allowed

[Rick G]

It has happened to me a couple of times. Last time was coming home from the BMW MOA National in PA last summer. I know I contribute to the possiblility by riding with my visor either cracked or fully opened. Due to my chronic congestion, I need the flowing air in order to be able to breathe well. It is usually my chin that gets it.

Rick G

[ragtoplvr]

About 30 years ago my riding buddy was always making fun of me in my leather jacket as he rode shirtless. Well, one day he took a bee to the nipple. Pulled right over and was squealing like a little girl dancing around. By the time he got home, that side was a B cup, a bright red B cup. His wife had great fun with it until he remarked it was bigger than she was. Anyway, next week he had a nice new leather jacket. No work on how the size remark turned out. Pretty sure it was not good. Never is.

Rod

[Crankbear]

Been stung enough times riding the push bike to make sure I always have the visor down on the motorbike. The push bike helmet is deadly to a bloke like me with a crew cut. They fly in through the vents, get stuck, and sting the bee-geesus out of the top of your head. Which sees you pulling over to the side of the road, screaming profanities, to the amusement of anyone within ear shot. Probably serves me right for pedalling...

Now here's a tip. Last time I was stung, the pain had worn off about after about an hour. Later than night I got into the red wine, and holy crap, the old head started aching like hell right where the bee had got me. Some kind of bad reaction with the sulphurs or tannins in the grog that hurt as much as the original sting.

I'd be interested to know if anyone has had similar experiences, and whether whisky or bourbon is a safer bet...?