Modern Vespa

& snakes and spiders... where I come from we don't have dangerous animals, although I did get a bite from a donkey once... didn't break the skin, but did crack my knuckle!

Two summers ago in a canal near my house they saw and photographed a crocodile.

----> https://www.latinapress.it/latina/ce-un-coccodrillo-nel-canale-delle-acque-medie-bizzarro-avvistamento-a-latina/

Dude, you're watching too many cartoons!

Well, to be serious, they're all over, and pretty adapted even to suburbs. But they're nothing to worry about (unless they're wearing an Acme rocket pack...).

Attila/Bluefoam

A bunch of years ago, domestic dogs were not allowed to run free. They were required to be on a tethered leash or confined behind fencing. This change was called the "Leash Law".

Why Important: Prior to this Leash Law, domestic dogs would harass (Bears, Wolves, Coyotes, Deer, racoons wild turkeys, foxes) and had pretty much run such creatures out of urban or inhabited areas.

Since the Leash Law, all the above are back among us. I have had everything but a Bear in my back yard. Deer are so thick in Cities (no dogs and can't be hunted in city limits) that Sheriffs have had to hire marksman to depopulate them. To many cars crashing into deer.

Coyotes: Ugly and mangy looking. I was sitting on a folding lawn chair
in the driveway of my house enjoying a Brandy and Cigar. I noticed walking toward me what looked like someone's German Sheppard who must have got out of their fence or off his leash. Holy Crap Batman, it was a coyote, he
loped along ten feet in front of me completely unconcerned about me.

Since the Leash Law, the rabbit population is out of control. Foxes and
coyotes are coming into the city to hunt rabbits.

SORRY SO WORDY: Attila - the only real concern to Human safety is Bears and Wolves. Actually, cars hitting deer is causing the most damage and injury.

That is the News from Lake Wobegon Minneosta

Bob Copeland


Cows are being killed by wolves with no dogs around to harass them away

San Francisco is famous for its coyotes. They usually stay in the parks, but sometimes you see them around.

The Presidio neighborhood is an urban forest - an old Army base now maintained by the National Park Service. They close trails in the summer to protect coyote dens during mating season.

Attila,

The wolf is the bad actor. So bad, (USA) that we had almost hunted them to extinction. They were placed on the endangered species list. It is amazing how fast they have came back to healthy population in Minnesota's North woods and rural areas. Problem - they are just as dangerous as their bad reputation throughout human history.

My brother' in' law retired to a cabin on the Canadian border that his wife
inherited from her father. It is remote out in the woods on a small lake.

They can not allow their dog out of the house. When they take him for
a walk they are always armed with at least a 45 Pistol. During early evening walks at dusk, they can actually see and hear wolves paralleling them in
the woods. He indicated to me, he occasionally takes a shot at them.

The State of Minnesota has reopened a limited hunting season on wolves to keep their numbers sustainable but not a unacceptable threat to farmers, local folks, and tourists.


You do not want to meet this guy without a gun

Adult Male 180 lbs, 2.7 feet tall at shoulders, can run 31-37 mph.

Bob Copeland

They are big.


Wolf print from Olympic National Park a couple weeks ago.

Given my shorter-distance expiericne with a drive belt going foom! at a bad time (night) in a bad place (Staten Island Expressway) at a rather bad moment (doing around 60-65mph in traffic…a Vespa slows down very quickly in the event of a belt failure), I would strongly suggest a pre-flight check-up by the dealer in terms of all the things that could possibly fail on a long ride, particularly the belt, although by no means limited to that. Provided fluids are looked after, the GTS' engine is pretty close to bulletproof, but the ancillary powertrain bits need to be paid a bit more attention to. If you have the mechanical aptitude, having a spare belt on-hand isn't a bad idea.

All the other advice given here so far is also spot-on, particularly what to wear.With these things in place, what starts out as a fun experience has a better chance of staying a fun experience, which you'll likely want to repeat. Oh, you mean like this guy?


And we wonder why he never became an Acme "influencer."

That's my man! ....erm, coyote.

You will think that Italy, due to the great urbanization, has no problems with wild animals but you are wrong ...
It has been about two years that when I go to the countryside alone I have to bring my 44 Magnum, in fact I have often met with big snarling wild dogs because they have no owners (...and I live just 4 km from the city).