Animal Killers on the Road?

[pdub]

From the MSN home page:

This is pretty neat for about 3.5 minutes. An interesting study, if it wasn't staged and if the guy really is a NASA guy. (Two suspicion-strikes already on the worldwide web).

But it raises an interesting point - something I'd never think to do a "study" on.

But I did notice on my bicycle trips that particularly in lower-middle South Carolina, I saw more than one big dead mashed-up snake in the road that had skid marks coming over it from BOTH directions! Like just running over it's not good enough....

http://now.msn.com/mark-rober-conducts-an-experiment-showing-how-often-drivers-swerve-to-intentionally-kill-an-animal

EDIT: Shoulda done a Google first - looks like Mark Rober is legit, by all the references to him.

[moparmaniac07]

I wouldn't try and hit a snake or turtle, and taurantulas don't live around here. Now a groundhog, raccoon, squirrel, or opossum.....

[pdub]

I wouldn't try and hit a snake or turtle, and taurantulas don't live around here. Now a groundhog, raccoon, squirrel, or opossum.....

I'm not all that selective, my burned in "pilot" instincts say, "Don't hit anything living!"

One morning a couple years ago I was driving to work in the dark and there in the road was a skunk. I couldn't swerve Bubba the Truck well enough to avoid him. So I slammed on the brakes. My work-lunch slid off of Bubba's passengers seat and bashed in the floorboard, messed it all up.

To miss a skunk. A dadgum skunk. Thing is, if I'daa hit him it would have been the NEXT car that got all of the great aroma, and it lasts FOREVER if you really get into it it soon after the kill. Done that too, came up on a freshly dead one, same thing, driving in the dark. Well, that smell ...well. It's awful. Doesn't go away anytime soon, not in your car, not in your nostrils, it doesn't go away.

Dang peewee. Ruined your own lunch to miss a skunk.

[pdub]

I'm sittin' here thinkin' back. I don't ALWAYS swerve to miss living things.

Years and years ago. South Florida, four-lane. On vacation, heading for Key West because I'd never seen it before and Jimmy Buffett wrote and sang so much about it. Going 75 mph, I came upon a scene where there was something dead in the road and all the seagulls in the area were all over it. I hate seagulls. I'll leave it at that. Kind of like an annoying neighbor - interesting for a few minutes and then the real truth sinks in. And who would have thought seagulls eat roadkill? Well, they do.

So, all of the seagulls flew away from the dead pile of road pizza when I approached at a relatively high rate of speed, at least fast to them.

They all flew, except for one. It did not fly. It'll be in my mind's visual recollections forever. It stayed right on the pile of dead stuff, head up, actually strutting and bobbing its head around, like, "Hey, I'm the king of this pile, and don't y'all forget it."

The bird went under the car so fast, I didn't have time to notice if it had lots of bling on, gold bird jewelry and stuff, but I suspect it did. That attitude, and that level of intelligence.

I heard "FOOMPETTY FOOMP BUMP BUMP" from underneath the car and looked in the mirror and only saw a cloud of feathers.

That actually felt good. Darwin weeds out another one.

[Barry Donovan]

6%

that guy must be bored.

I hit a cat once. before nailing it, I spotted its back end was broken. hips gone. I could have veered into the other lane of innocent people head on like a retard would...

the old sube has a skid plate, I guess i finished it off. the back wheel felt like it came right up off the earth, only further proving even an awd subaru is as tin can as I am terrified of.

Another time was a deer, very cold out. knowing not to veer left or right off into the woods of western maine, I ducked to the right, my head down in passenger seat.

the sound of a big bell must have been the engine arm and bumper. I looked up, expecting a crumpled pile of steel blocking my view..but no. nothing. not even a parking light was hurt.

[pdub]

6%

that guy must be bored.

I hit a cat once. before nailing it, I spotted its back end was broken. hips gone. I could have veered into the other lane of innocent people head on like a retard would...

the old sube has a skid plate, I guess i finished it off. the back wheel felt like it came right up off the earth, only further proving even an awd subaru is as tin can as I am terrified of.

Another time was a deer, very cold out. knowing not to veer left or right off into the woods of western maine, I ducked to the right, my head down in passenger seat.

the sound of a big bell must have been the engine arm and bumper. I looked up, expecting a crumpled pile of steel blocking my view..but no. nothing. not even a parking light was hurt.

There's been people killed hitting deer, plenty of people. If it comes through the windshield.

That's scary stuff. Just driving along....and....game over.

[moparmaniac07]

I'm not all that selective, my burned in "pilot" instincts say, "Don't hit anything living!"

Groundhogs and 'coons do a lot of damage to the crops, squirrels chew a bunch of shit up, and I've never hit an opossum before. I've got nothing against snakes or turtles, and I'd imagine hitting a turtle would be just like hitting a big rock, and I don't think that'd be all that fun.

[pdub]

Groundhogs and 'coons do a lot of damage to the crops, squirrels chew a bunch of shit up, and I've never hit an opossum before. I've got nothing against snakes or turtles, and I'd imagine hitting a turtle would be just like hitting a big rock, and I don't think that'd be all that fun.

Don't get me wrong, I just can't think that fast. If I had a chance to hit a beaver after living for a while on a lake in SC, I'd sure do it, gas pedal mashed. But I just can't think that fast. The first instinct for me is to avoid, whatever it is. By then, I realize what it WAS, dang I coulda done it. I just can't think that fast.

EDIT: Or a Canada Goose? I was hoping I'd ever get a chance to mow them over in the road, I COULD have recognized them in time to floor it and swear to the game warden the throttle stuck on the minivan, back then, when we had one.

BUT, coming around the sharp curve to our house I'dda spun out and wrecked from all of the turds in the road, if they were crossing the road.

[studemax]

One thing folks here in Kansas learn is to hit the deer - don't dodge it.
With all the bar ditches along most country roads, roll-overs are a sure thing - and many die from the wreck without ever hitting the critter.
Smaller stuff is one thing.... I have pretty good reflexes, and get out of the way most of the time.
But I am more important than any critter - so when it comes down to me or them, IT'S THEM!

[moparmaniac07]

Don't get me wrong, I just can't think that fast. If I had a chance to hit a beaver after living for a while on a lake in SC, I'd sure do it, gas pedal mashed. But I just can't think that fast. The first instinct for me is to avoid, whatever it is. By then, I realize what it WAS, dang I coulda done it. I just can't think that fast.

EDIT: Or a Canada Goose? I was hoping I'd ever get a chance to mow them over in the road, I COULD have recognized them in time to floor it and swear to the game warden the throttle stuck on the minivan, back then, when we had one.

Yeah, a lot of times when they're on the shoulder, it's tough to tell. If the groundhog isn't moving until you pass it, it looks like somebody got it first and there's no reason to drift over that way. 'Possums are tricky though. They intentionally play dead, so even if they're in the middle of the road, you think they're already dead and have no reason to aim for them. Then you pass them and realize that they weren't

But a snake, turtle, and spider don't look like some furry animal that could be mistaken for something else. It's either a snake or a stick. No way to mistake that for some other animal.

[pdub]

But I am more important than any critter - so when it comes down to me or them, IT'S THEM!

Yeah, there it is. I worked with a lady years ago (everything is years ago for me).....she totalled her car trying to miss a dog, into the ditch, a rollover. She got hurt a little bit, nothing serious.

When she came back to work I asked her, "So, did you miss the dog?"

She looked real sad and said, "No."

So she was like me - don't hit anything. It must be a learned reflex. I guess my reflex is the wrong one. I just can't think that fast.

[BluLightning]

I pretty much try to avoid hitting anything living if at all possible. I'll tell you what, there are some damn lucky squirrels on my street!

[moparmaniac07]

One thing folks here in Kansas learn is to hit the deer - don't dodge it.
With all the bar ditches along most country roads, roll-overs are a sure thing - and many die from the wreck without ever hitting the critter.
Smaller stuff is one thing.... I have pretty good reflexes, and get out of the way most of the time.
But I am more important than any critter - so when it comes down to me or them, IT'S THEM!

On my way back to my parents' house 2 weeks ago, a guy put his Subaru in a ditch right next to their driveway because a deer was on the road. This road has a speed limit of 15, and it was right before a bend he should have been slowing down for anyway. Definitely did more damage swerving than actually hitting the deer.
Though maybe he just missed the turn and made up the deer story. I hadn't thought of that until now.

[Dan Barlow]

If nobody is coming I will gently veer or hit the brakes,not both !I EVEN TRY TO MISS THE WILLY WORMS in the fall although I don't slowdown for them, just try to straddle them. they probably die from air turbulence anyway though. If its a Snake well yeah I will try to hit it. I HATE SNAKES.

[Deaf Bob]

2 deer stories...
First one, riding home from work in a brand new 74 Nova 350/4 speed.. Guy was going 90 in the boonies...bam wham..over the bumper into the radiator.. Mama deer and 2 unborns popped out...

2nd story...
Driving to a water spring to fill my drinking jugs and cooking water jugs.. My water has alot of sulphur in it, making the kitchen and bathroom smell like somebody didn't flush a dump job.. Drinking with a couple buddies same road. Maybe 3 miles from the above story.. 65 Bel Aire does not respond to quick steering especially when hard braking.. Drifted into the oncoming lane.. Damn deer hurries to cross.. I drift back into my lane, bastard changes it's damn mind! I yank the wheel back to the oncoming lane...BOOM ! Hit it.. Both lights on the right side were out... Got stopped, one buddy goes to the deer that is flailing.. I take my floding knife and cut it's throat..2 city boy buddies ready to chuck their lunch... I say, " there is one SOB that is not getting in front of me.."
I put the left hi beam into the right low beam spot, they filled my jugs FAST, as we left, the county mounty was looking for "an accident"...
I hate deer on the road, in my garden or on my plate, except Nebrasky or Kansas deer, those I like on my plate!