CALGARY — A Colorado man got the surprise of his life when he opened the door of his pickup truck and discovered a bear sitting behind the wheel.The unusual encounter, captured on security footage, unfolded on Clubhouse Drive in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, when Andy Kerrigan walked toward his parked truck unaware that a bear had somehow become trapped inside the vehicle..Video of the incident shows Kerrigan opening the driver's side door before immediately recoiling as the bear pokes its head out from the cab. Startled by the unexpected sight, he quickly backs away from the truck.Rather than retreating to safety, Kerrigan remained nearby and even stopped to take a photograph of the animal. He can be seen banging on the hood of the truck in an apparent attempt to get the bear's attention.The situation escalated when Kerrigan moved around to the opposite side of the vehicle. As the bear shifted toward him, he stumbled backward before grabbing a long wooden plank and using it to encourage the animal to leave the truck.Once outside, the bear ran around the vehicle while Kerrigan followed behind, waving the plank in an effort to keep the animal moving away from him.Despite the chaotic scene, neither Kerrigan nor the bear was injured.The Sun reports that Justin E. Pickar, whose security camera recorded the encounter, said the incident was alarming when it first unfolded.“I was scared at first,” Pickar said, adding that he later found the situation amusing after realizing Kerrigan had not been harmed.The encounter is the latest in a series of close calls involving bears across North America..WATCH: Dramatic video shows woman fending off attacking grizzly in Kananaskis .In June, a woman hiking with her dog in Kananaskis narrowly avoided injury after being confronted by a grizzly bear estimated to weigh roughly 300 kilograms.Video from that incident showed the bear advancing toward the woman and her dog as she shouted and made loud noises in an attempt to deter it. The animal briefly chased the dog and stood on its hind legs before eventually leaving the area.Wildlife experts generally advise people not to run when confronted by a grizzly bear, warning that fleeing can trigger a predatory chase response. Bears are capable of reaching speeds far greater than humans and can cover short distances rapidly.
