I wish I had not of looked...

[easysurfer]

I've been driving a lot lately. With driving, of course there is roadkill. Saw one a few days ago which was too disturbing to even repeat.

Then today, as I was driving on an interstate I looked to my left and saw a young deer about 30 feet from me. I spend up to avoid it and did. The I glanced and saw it ran back in the other direction trying to get back to where it came from. At first I thought the deer made it back safely, found then at last glance saw that a truck had caught the deer's leg and I saw the deer fall down. Sad to see and I wished I hadn't looked back.

 

[MDJO]

About ten years ago I was driving down a long lane to a secluded retreat for a fundraising event, early evening in the springtime so it was dark. Looked over to my right, and along side of the road was a deer who had been hit, but didn't die right away - she was laying there twitching and convulsing. One of the worst things I've ever seen. And everyone going to the fundraiser had to drive by this on the way to the party.

 

[urn2bfree]

Driving between NYC and suburban CT on a ver very cold winter night, the car in front hit something lying In the road up ahead setting it spinning. As my headlights caught it, the spinning thing was revealed to be a solidly frozen dog corpse, about German Shepherd sized, slowly and very stiffly spinning in the middle of the road on a cold cold night. Has haunted me ever since.

 

[Keim]

I'm wishing I hadn't looked at this thread. Yucky images in the mind now.

 

[Purron]

I remember taking one of those "personality tests" at work years ago and one of the questions was "are you unhappy to see a dead animal by the side of the road?". I didn't think it was unusual when I answered "yes" to this question. Later, I found out many of my co-workers answered "no".

This might have been my first clue that early retirement was the way to go.

 

[easysurfer]

I'm wishing I hadn't looked at this thread. Yucky images in the mind now.

Sorry about this.

Guess I should have gave an alert in the heading.. The of course, maybe even more would look . Like an accident on the side of the road where cars stop and have to take a glance.

 

[eytonxav]

I hate to say it, but sometimes I get more upset about animals getting hit in the road than some of the crazies I encounter that are behind a steering wheel. I suppose I would qualify for one of those bumper stickers that says "I brake for animals"

 

[kombat]

Worst. Thread. Ever. Thread title ironically applies to this thread.

 

[Mulligan]

I hate to say it, but sometimes I get more upset about animals getting hit in the road than some of the crazies I encounter that are behind a steering wheel. I suppose I would qualify for one of those bumper stickers that says "I brake for animals"

That reminded me when I was in college taking a US History class and the professor was showing some grisly pictures of Civil War battles. Before he showed one picture, we went into a profane laced tirade warning us not to comment " about the poor horses" that were shot and killed. The picture showed maybe a 100 or so dead soldiers with 2 dead horses laying with them. I guess the students in years past would not comment about the soldiers but groaned over the horses. Very odd and I remember nobody dared to comment about anything.

 

[MichaelB]

This thread, title and all, reminds me of a boarded construction area, with one little hole and a sign above saying "do not look".

 

[BigNick]

When I saw the title, I thought that the OP was going to tell us that he got back from vacation and had bad news waiting in his/her portfolio.

 

[W2R]

I'm still trying to figure out the title.

 

[easysurfer]

I'm still trying to figure out the title.

Funny, the title is now like Seinfeld episodes. A show within a show.

To clarify:

"I wish I hadn't made the final look and saw the deer go down. If if didn't look, I would have thought the deer made it back, out of traffic, out of harms way." <--- Okay, that's the new title now

 

[Koolau]

Being from the midwest, I assumed road kill is ubiquitous and ignorable for the most part. Dogs, cats, rabbits, deer, squirrels, possum, raccoon, skunk, birds of all feathers, etc. etc. Having moved to Paradise, it took a couple of months until I noticed a definite lack of road kill. We have a ferrel cat problem, but not many stray dogs. The cats are too wary to be hit, so that leaves the (very) occasional mongoose. I'm sure there are some small lizards, but they are too small to notice.

Back on the mainland now for summer sabbatical, I've become aware of the road kill again. I had to fish out my "Road Kill Cafe" T-shirt. On the back, the menu includes the following:

Smidgen of Pigeon
Toad ala Road
Swirl of Squirrel
Flat Cat (aka "Sail Cat" - (very) old Jonathan Winters fans will know what this is)
Whippoorwill on a Grill
Narrow Sparrow
Tortoise Rigor Mortis
Chunk of Skunk
Slab of Lab
German Shepherd Pie
Round of Hound
Trolley Collie

There are others, too many to mention (and not to mention the shirt is getting too faded to read in spots.)

Hope this is not offensive to anyone, but is in keeping with the "wish I hadn't looked" theme. Sometimes, it's good to make fun of our fears, phobias and things that bother us. If you disagree, I guess YMMV.

 

[Amethyst]

Every time I see a roadkill deer, I think of the poor car or truck that it damaged,and hope the driver was not hurt.

I hate to see dogs or cats that were hit. A beloved cat of mine got out one night and was killed by a car, and I found his body, and I was no good to anyone that day.

However, deer are a nuisance and a menace, and are way overpopulated besides.

Amethyst

 

[Redbugdave]

What we see dead on the roadsides is just a portion of what's killed. Many animals make it back into the woods to die. I hate to see an animal suffer, and have put a deer or two out of their misery after being hit by an earlier car.

Ever see a dead possum on the side of the road dead? If it's a female in the spring she usually has babies in her pouch. That's pretty depressing to me.

Some people go out of their way to run over small animals and snakes. I just don't get it.

 

[Mulligan]

Being from the midwest, I assumed road kill is ubiquitous and ignorable for the most part. Dogs, cats, rabbits, deer, squirrels, possum, raccoon, skunk, birds of all feathers, etc. etc. Having moved to Paradise, it took a couple of months until I noticed a definite lack of road kill. We have a ferrel cat problem, but not many stray dogs. The cats are too wary to be hit, so that leaves the (very) occasional mongoose. I'm sure there are some small lizards, but they are too small to notice.

Back on the mainland now for summer sabbatical, I've become aware of the road kill again. I had to fish out my "Road Kill Cafe" T-shirt. On the back, the menu includes the following:

Smidgen of Pigeon
Toad ala Road
Swirl of Squirrel
Flat Cat (aka "Sail Cat" - (very) old Jonathan Winters fans will know what this is)
Whippoorwill on a Grill
Narrow Sparrow
Tortoise Rigor Mortis
Chunk of Skunk
Slab of Lab
German Shepherd Pie
Round of Hound
Trolley Collie

There are others, too many to mention (and not to mention the shirt is getting too faded to read in spots.)

Hope this is not offensive to anyone, but is in keeping with the "wish I hadn't looked" theme. Sometimes, it's good to make fun of our fears, phobias and things that bother us. If you disagree, I guess YMMV.

I remember going to Texas in the early 70s on a trip and asked what that weird animal was. I was told it was an armidillo. Fastforward 40 years, they have made the pilgrimage to Mo. In SW Mo I swear there is a dead one on interstate every hundred yards always on their back. I dont now how the species can survive with such fatal attractions to cars on the highway.

 

[veremchuka]

I feel bad when I see a deer, they are such beautiful animals but when there are too many in an area they are definitely pests.

Speaking of pests, I like to see squirrels and skunks squashed.

I really feel bad when I see a cat or dog, that was someone's beloved pet.

I see so many possums I have to think people actually try to hit them.

I try to not hit anything, even the pests.

 

[flyfishnevada]

My dad showed me an article years ago that said more deer are killed on the roads of Pennsylvania every year than are taken legally by hunters in all 12 western states. I think since some of the states in the northeast have embraced hunting, especially bow hunting, the problem is a little better. You get that many people and that many deer in one place and somethings got to give. Hunting isn't popular with a lot of people, but when the deer are destroying your yard and collision with one is a constant worry, hunting begins to look attractive.

 

[Koolau]

My dad showed me an article years ago that said more deer are killed on the roads of Pennsylvania every year than are taken legally by hunters in all 12 western states. I think since some of the states in the northeast have embraced hunting, especially bow hunting, the problem is a little better. You get that many people and that many deer in one place and somethings got to give. Hunting isn't popular with a lot of people, but when the deer are destroying your yard and collision with one is a constant worry, hunting begins to look attractive.

I'm waiting for them to offer an AK-47 or AR-15 season on deer here. I've seen whole herds of the critters roaming through meadows and farm fields near wooded areas. A friend of mine lost his 12 year old daughter when a dear came though the windshield upon impact. Lovely as they are, they are very dangerous. There is little you can do to be safe as the poor animals do not operate by any logic system we would recognize. One night, in the fog, I swore I saw several folks congregated on the Interstate just ahead in a patch of fog (back lit by the on-coming traffic). Naturally I slowed way down, only to find several dear sauntering across the road as if nothing was amiss. One time, on a mile long bridged stretch of Interstate, I saw 6 fresh deer kills off to the side of the road. Bridges are like roach motels for deer. It's a shame, really, but I swear deer are dumber than sheep when it comes to cars. YMMV

 

[meierlde]

I'm waiting for them to offer an AK-47 or AR-15 season on deer here. I've seen whole herds of the critters roaming through meadows and farm fields near wooded areas. A friend of mine lost his 12 year old daughter when a dear came though the windshield upon impact. Lovely as they are, they are very dangerous. There is little you can do to be safe as the poor animals do not operate by any logic system we would recognize. One night, in the fog, I swore I saw several folks congregated on the Interstate just ahead in a patch of fog (back lit by the on-coming traffic). Naturally I slowed way down, only to find several dear sauntering across the road as if nothing was amiss. One time, on a mile long bridged stretch of Interstate, I saw 6 fresh deer kills off to the side of the road. Bridges are like roach motels for deer. It's a shame, really, but I swear deer are dumber than sheep when it comes to cars. YMMV

Actually one can improve the safety of ones vehicle by putting a front deer guard on the vehicle. Here in the Texas Hill country if you live in the country you need them because the deer are so thick. Of course people don't want cougars around who would take care of the deer problem quickly. I have seen foxes around and want more of them to take care of the mice and the like with their tails as long as they are they are quite pretty.

 

[TromboneAl]

I was driving one night and saw a young deer, and I slowed to about 15 MPH. But the deer suddenly charged into the side of the truck. He seemed OK.

I also remember driving 60 on a cold Michigan highway at night. A deer just appeared inches in front of the car, flying from one side to another. I still have that image in my head, like a flash photo.

 

[BigNick]

Swirl of Squirrel

OT: Note that in British English pronunciation (where the "r" in "Swirl" is not really a consonant), that is not a rhyme. Brits reading that would scratch their heads until an American pronounced it for them. To see what I mean, go here and enter that phrase, using one of the UK: voices ("Rachel" is pretty well done, given that it's synthesised).

 

[Koolau]

OT: Note that in British English pronunciation (where the "r" in "Swirl" is not really a consonant), that is not a rhyme. Brits reading that would scratch their heads until an American pronounced it for them. To see what I mean, go here and enter that phrase, using one of the UK: voices ("Rachel" is pretty well done, given that it's synthesised).

Yep, England and the US: Two countries divided by a common language.

Thanks for the cool app.

 

[easysurfer]

So driving back home today, it almost happened again. Once again, I was driving on a four lane interstate when a deer (larger one this time) tried to cross my path. First the deer's life flashed before my eye, then my life flashed before my eyes. I accelerated and the deer scampered back (for a split second I didn't know if the deer was going to go forward right in front of me, or go back).

Then I saw the deer go and try to cross again. My first instinct was to look to see what happened, the I decided to look away and just imagine the deer missed traffic and made it safely. Not knowing was the best option.