Cyclist Collides With Bear on Vancouver Trail

A cyclist is recovering from serious injuries after colliding with a bear on a Vancouver trail.

Kevin Milner, 30, was riding down a paved trail in the Seymour Demonstration Forest when the accident occurred.

“There are a lot of deer in there, and I thought maybe one day I will hit deer, right? But never thought it would be a bear,” Milner told CTV News.

Milner said he didn’t have time to react when a black bear ran directly in front of his bike.

“I just smacked right into him. And I went flying over top of him,” Milner said.

The collision badly injured Milner who laid on the trail until another cyclist named Sam rode up on his e-bike.

“He asked me what happened. I was obviously in a lot of pain, and I told him, 'I just hit a bear.' And he was like, 'Where’s the bear? Where’s the bear?' He was concerned about the bear. I said, 'I don’t know. He ran off, but you have to call 911. I need an ambulance,'” said Milner.

Sam remained with Milner while two women went off to search for a cell signal to call 911. But while the men were waiting, the bear returned.

“He’s kind of looking over at us and sniffing the air, kind of curious and pacing around. He’s not really sure if he’s going to come forward or go back. He just seemed really curious. And Sam started yelling at the bear to scare him off. And after that, I got a huge kick of adrenaline,” Milner said.

Worried about the bear lurking nearby and his serious injuries, Milner decided he could no longer wait for help. He borrowed the e-bike from Sam, who helped him get his leg over the frame and his one working arm onto the handlebar, and rode to the parking lot to wait for an ambulance.

Once he reached Lions Gate Hospital, he was treated for a broken shoulder blade, bruises, road rash, and a cardiac contusion.

Milner said the bear appeared to be unfazed by the collision.

“He was just munching on the grass. He looked like he just carried on with his day — like a minor inconvenience for him really,” said Milner.

Milner said he can’t wait to get back on his bike once his injuries heal, but he may choose a new location to ride.

“I ride the Seymour Demonstration Forest to avoid traffic. And what do you know? I hit a bear,” he said, adding “Might be safer to ride with traffic.”