Meandering through the refreshing Cantal, our last stop, was a welcome few days... moreso knowing Paris was in the middle of a heatwave. The region, renown for its tranquil beauty, gets its moment of fame almost every year during the Tour de France and is on the Auvergne Cheese Route.
Above: Puy Mary (yes that's snow) an ancient volcano
***
Mad Cow Dept: How to Prevent an Attack by a Cow
(Short version)
Due to the location of their eyes cows do not have a straight line of sight, so make sure they respond to your voice.
If you detect an aggressive cow keep moving calmly and do not make direct eye contact.
Keep your body facing the cow at all times. Do not turn your back or run.
And finally, if you are attacked, hitting the cow directly on the nose will deter it. - BPJ
(Long version)
When it comes to preventing an attack by a cow, there are several key steps you can take to ensure your safety in such a situation. First and foremost, it’s important to understand a little bit about how cows perceive the world around them. Due to the positioning of their eyes on the sides of their heads, cows don’t have a perfectly straight line of sight like humans do. This means their vision is more focused on the sides rather than directly ahead, which can sometimes make them a bit unpredictable. To work with this, it’s a good idea to make sure the cow is aware of your presence by using your voice. Speak calmly and clearly, allowing the cow to hear you and respond to the sound, which can help them feel less startled or threatened as you approach or move nearby.
Next, if a cow starts to show signs of aggression—maybe it’s pawing the ground, lowering its head, or giving you that intense stare. In this case, the best thing you can do is keep moving, but do so in a calm and collected manner. There’s no need to rush or panic here; slow and steady is the name of the game. While you’re moving, be mindful not to make direct eye contact with the cow. Staring straight into its eyes might be interpreted as a challenge or a threat in the bovine world, and you definitely want to avoid escalating the situation unnecessarily. Instead, keep your gaze soft and averted while still staying aware of what the cow is doing.
Another critical point to remember is how you position yourself during this encounter. Always, always keep your body facing the cow. This doesn’t mean you need to stand there stiff as a board, but you should avoid turning your back on the animal completely. Turning away or, worse yet, running off in the opposite direction could trigger the cow’s instincts to chase or charge after you, and that’s a scenario you want to avoid. By keeping your front toward the cow, you’re showing that you’re present and aware, which can help maintain a sense of control over the interaction. Plus, it keeps you in a better position to react if things start to get dicey.
And finally—here’s the big one—if despite all your efforts, the cow decides to launch an attack, don’t panic! You’ve got one solid move up your sleeve to deter it. If the cow comes at you, aim a firm, direct hit right on its nose. Yes, you heard that right—give it a good smack on the snout! The nose is a sensitive spot for cows, and a solid tap there can startle or discourage the animal enough to back off and rethink its approach. But that's a last-resort tactic, of course, one worth keeping in mind just in case things take a turn for the worse. And btw much of this can apply to various homo sapiens who cross your path as well. Stay safe. - BPJ
No comments: :
Post a Comment