CAR owners in a quiet street wrap their motorbikes in a net — so that foxes don’t eat them.
The pests have caused tens of thousands of damage — and endangered lives — by nibbling on ABS braking systems.
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Foxes damage cars in Sidcup Credit: Oliver Dixon
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Residents are forced to protect them with nets Credit: Oliver Dixon
Tire pressure monitors, sensors and electrical charging cables were also chewed up by the brazen vermin.
Locals also use planks, bricks and even pumpkins to try and deter visitors who don’t mind humans or dogs.
dr. Dieter Riddall, 75, spent more than £2,300 repairing his Porsche SUV after foxes hit it twice at Little Birches in Sidcup, south-east London.
He said: “For the first time I think they had a party down there. They removed the ABS cable.
“We put up a net, but they got through it, so I also put up wooden barriers. It’s a ruse.”
Alex Pascal, 34, spent £1,200 to repair the damage caused by three attacks on his Hyundai Tucson.
He bought an ultrasonic alarm designed to scare away foxes and greased the wires of his car with a supposed repellent, but to no avail.
“I put the net on and they broke through and chewed the cables again,” says Alex, who caught the culprits on CCTV. “I had to add metal spikes to keep them at bay.”
Martin Britton, 79, spent £500 on his Jaguar XE after the ABS cables were chewed through.
He said: “I started the car and the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree because of the damage.”
John (79) and Christine Hird had their new electric Kia targeted in broad daylight.
He said: “Almost everyone on the street has been hit. One child had his car repaired five times.”
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Red creatures are as brave as brass Credit: Oliver Dixon
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Foxes had a good chew in one garden Credit: Oliver Dixon
Jack Cousens, the AA’s head of road policy, said foxes could be attracted to the smell of soy-based insulation on the wires.
The environmentally friendly substance replaced its petroleum-based predecessor in 2000.
He said: “Once they start nibbling, they like the taste and will come back for more.”
Justin Moore, 50, who works in information technology, is the mastermind behind the DIY fox barriers that have sprung up along the street.
“Both our Volkswagen Polo and our Kia were damaged twice at a cost of £1,200,” he says.
“We tried deterrent sprays and even smearing curry paste on the ride, so I came up with the idea of a barrier. It seemed to catch on. I should patent that.”
Disturbance theories range from new components in the isolation to a recently built housing development that may have displaced the animals, but a resident feeding the animals may be a contributing factor.
Animal psychologist Dr Roger Mugford says: “People fed foxes and treated them as pets, lowering the fear threshold.
“Usually they stay away from people and people have touched everything, but if they are given food, that is undermined.”
Bexley Borough Council has urged residents not to feed or pet the foxes.
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Local resident Dr Dieter Riddal said: ‘We put up a net but they got through it so I also put up wooden barriers’ Credit: Oliver Dixon
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Alex Pascal spent £1,200 to repair damage from three fox attacks on his Hyundai TucsonCredit: Oliver Dixon
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Foxes chew ABS cables of cars Credits: Submitted
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education