Its strange..... even a cat knows not to get out in front of the humans noisy rolling machines, but deer...........

Its strange..... even a cat knows not to get out in front of the humans noisy rolling machines, but deer...........

 

I'm reminded of an old road safety campaign advert on Scottish TV which said "The trouble with wild animals is that they haven't learned the highway code'.  i.e. Drive with care.

 

I suspect that cats and dogs etc are more used to being around moving vehicles and therefore adapt accordingly, while deer tend to be reclusive by nature and therefore fail to adapt and learn.

 

Ride safe; -)

Why can't the deer just cross at the deer crossing signs???? Then we would all be safe.     

 

 

That poor lady. Her family and friends will remind her of this forever. A part of her life I'm sure she wants to put behind her.

That's hilarious......"You'd think they would put these deer crossings in smaller town's....you know, like school crossings".

Bigger problem is suicide squirrels. They get in the spokes and then jam the wheel when they hit the fork -- instant endo.  I almost had a cat take me out a couple months ago.  Luckily it was just at the start of a bridge (this was on a bike path) and there was a (relatively) smooth handrail that I fell against with my shoulder -- dragged along it until I could regain my balance.

 

scott s.

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I grew up and lived in central west Indiana, an area where it was not uncommon to see deer in the small town in the yards and any where else you could imagine. I was taught to hit the brakes and slow to a crawl if I saw a deer even if it is well away from the highway because there were usually more near somewhere. If they are in a small herd or doe and fawn groups and get startled they tend to bolt and will head for whichever side of the road the rest of the herd is on. I have had two close calls and one deer suicide here in Ohio. The first was on a four lane highway driving into a post sunset where it is dark except driving into the twilight that really messes with your eyes. Three deer were standing in the road spread in a triangle. I hit the brakes but a 65mph I was to close to them - they were on the down hill side of an overpass. I thought that I was going to hit a least one of them if not more. The one in the middle of the triangle and in the middle of the road moved toward one of the others and I went right through the gap. They watched me go by with six inches to spare on either side. The second close call was on the same highway. A deer ran into the side of my Jeep but caused no damage to the Jeep. All I heard was a small thump. I looked up in the mirror and it was jumping a fence apparently unharmed. The only deer I've hit was a large buck. It was running at a full sprint at a right angle to the road. My wife was with me asleep in the passenger seat. The first I seen the deer it was already a hood ornament. It destroyed the whole front of the Jeep and the antlers left holes in the right front and tire. The impact was so violent that the deer was thrown so far from the road the neither I or the Highway Patrol could find the remains. Neither my wife or I were injured. The only thing to smile about it was my wifes reaction. When she is upset with me she has a habit of exclaiming, . . .  DEAR!! When she was awakened by the impact she screamed, "DEAR!!!" and I somewhat calming replied that she should have warned me sooner.

 

In regards to other animals on the road, I will go as far as I can to avoid hitting them as long it doesn't risk any human or vehicle.

 

When I was young I used to ride my bicycle to a friends house about fifteen miles from home. It was pretty hilly and if I could get a good head of steam I could coast most of the way. At about halfway there was a farm house at the top of a hill. Those people had a dog - a really big dog in my eyes. It looked part German Shepard, part Collie and part Cujo. It would start barking before I even got close to the farm and it would be waiting at the side of the road for me. That thing would chase me for a mile, barking and growling, with that I'm going to eat you look in its eyes. One time as I approached the farm a car caused me to slow down and before I could get back up to speed that thing ( the dog ) caught me. The dog, the bicycle and I got tangle up as I hit the dog and we ended up in the ditch. The next thing I knew the dog was on top of me and I thought I was going to die young. I was so wrong. That monster started licking me and muzzling me until I was soaked with dog slobber! After that every time I passed the place I stopped and got my slobber bath, it was either that or get chased and leave a lonely dog behind. That is a bit off topic I know, but it was certainly a human / animal collision of sorts.

 

 

Its strange..... even a cat knows not to get out in front of the humans noisy rolling machines, but deer........

 

The problem here in Ohio is that the state will only put deer crossing signs up only after a number of deer have been struck. A number determined by some nonsense formula. The deer ignore those signs just like the people do. I have never seen a deer standing beside one of those signs waiting for traffic to clear.

 

Regards,

Why can't the deer just cross at the deer crossing signs???? Then we would all be safe.     

What an amazingly dim bulb she is! I listened to this clip several years ago. It is still hilarious.

 

I'm surprised that she didn't suggest them installing Walk/Don't Walk signals with a button for the deer to press indicating they want the right of way...

I still feel sorry for her. Imagine showing your face at work after that..........

Yes I always thought that clip was funny, not sure where she is from but I think it sounds like a rural area with not a lot of people so I hope they all have a good sense of humour about it.
 
I am surprised non of our Aussie friends on here haven't mentioned Kangaroo strikes, when I lived over there you would see the odd dead Roo on the side of the road. They can cause a lot of damage as well.
 
Where I live we have Penguin Crossing Signs as well is Kiwi Crossing Signs:
 

I was actually idly wondering that. How might kangaroo strikes in places like Australia, and maybe moose strikes in canada correlate numerically with deer strikes in other places.

Moose strikes and kangaroo strikes can be fatal. Moose are tall and heavy so when you hit one you take the legs out and the torso will roll over your hood and crash through the windshield taking you out.

 

Kangaroos have a tendency to jump just before impact so they can crash through the windshield as well. If they do crash through your windshield and the impact doesn't kill them, they will kick their way out kicking you in the process.

 

It is common to see 'Roo Bars' or 'Bull Bars' on vehicles in rural Australia to protect the vehicle and occupants from kangaroo strikes

 

 

It is common to see 'Roo Bars' or 'Bull Bars' on vehicles in rural Australia to protect the vehicle and occupants from kangaroo strikes

 

Canberra is "rural"? There are not too many cars and small trucks there that don't have the "roo" or "bull" bars that I recall. Of course, between the politicians and 'roos overly populated there, you could never tell which were more dangerous. Of course, I never did see a "poli" bar... :Whistle:

 

 

 

I hate deer with a passion. Never ride without a helmet and proper riding gear.. It saved my life.

Maybe if they weren't quite as cute.

 

Sorta makes you rethink bambi.......

 

Musk Deer. I'd feel less guilty hitting one of these, probably.

 

Many moons ago I lived and worked in Papua New Guinea. While riding home on my motorbike late at night after having consumed quite a few drinks at a party, I hit a large pig.....This pig was huge, I went a/t over the handlebars and rolled 50 feet along the track as the pig ran off crashing through the jungle protesting as only pigs can.

Fortunately, apart from a few grazes, I was unhurt (apart from my pride) so got back on the bike and rode the remaining 10 miles home.

The strange thing was, in the morning when I jumped on the bike to go to work I couldn't ride the thing. On closer inspection the front forks had been bent back so that the steering was nigh impossible.