I nearly destroyed something beautiful today

[Zulu Romeo]

I was driving down to Oxford today

I see the area has had its effect on you.

... Suddenly a rabbit was there right in the middle of my lane, sitting there, literally frozen. I had to swerve to try and avoid it, almost hitting a tanker on the lane to my left. I glanced at the rear view mirrors and fortunately the little wabbit was safe.

Off your topic, slightly, and probably an unpopular belief with most readers here, but I've retrained myself mentally to never swerve for small animals in the road. Hitting them will probably kill them, and at speed, you may also damage your car too. But it's FAR safer to hit the animal than swerve into traffic and risk killing yourself/others as a result. Brake for them, sure. But swerve to avoid? Really, really, really dangerous. After a close shave doing exactly this some years ago, I now never do it. As a result, I've certainly caused roadkill a couple of time, but I - and other drivers - haven't been involved in an accident as a result.

Then I would've destroyed something ugly.

But seriously, I do get your point too.

[ZR, people are seriously starting to get worried about you. - everyone]

Well, at least I don't run over innocent animals. I blame that bad experience I had with a London cab and a red squirrel when I was a toddler.

[Get help. Now. - everyone again]

 

[Daedalus12]

I'll run them over too...

Can you do it anyway? I mean just run over then regardless of if they're in your way?

You are both awesome.

 

[An Officer]

It is the sensible thing to do, but I don't think I could bring myself to do it.

*Waits to be Bob The Skutter and Holdfast roadkill*

 

[Bob The Skutter]

It is the sensible thing to do, but I don't think I could bring myself to do it.

*Waits to be Bob The Skutter and Holdfast roadkill*

I don't drive, so you're safe from me... unless I wrestle control from my dad while he's driving...

 

[Jadzia]

It is the sensible thing to do, but I don't think I could bring myself to do it.

*Waits to be Bob The Skutter and Holdfast roadkill*

I know I'd swerve too.

Remember: The needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.

 

[An Officer]

^ Right on. *Vulcan salute*

 

[Bob The Skutter]

One night, driving along a country road, my mam swerved to miss a rabbit, and hit it because it turned back to run away... she felt horrible afterwards.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

When I was a teenager I'd go hillwalking as part of a local club. One evening after a day of giving those hills a damn good walking, while driving back home, our coach managed to run over a pheasant in flight, chasing it at speed and hitting it square on the windscreen. In our battle- and hill-weary state, we all found it hilarious at the time, but if I were in the driver's situation myself I'd be scared, and would seek out the largest bird seed bell I could find. ("No, that's too big...")

 

[Lookingglassman]

I dont swerve for animals. I consider my life worth more than theirs so I run them over. So far I have gotten one squirrel, two kittens, three racoons, two skunks and a bird. I have known people who have swerved to avoid an animal and they ended up in an accident with injuries.

 

[NickInABox]

... So... back on topic.

I nearly destroyed these nice pair of shoes (white) with black shoe polish that I was using on another shoe.
And the owner of the shoes was standing right there.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I nearly destroyed a clothing wrack, while pushing my wheelchair around in a shop. But I wouldn't say that was beautiful.

 

[Trekker4747]

I was driving down to Oxford today, and as I was about to get on the motorway, there were a few road workforce men on the dual carriageway, with grass trimming equipment, trimming down the overgrowing grass alongside the road and in the central reservation. Suddenly a rabbit was there right in the middle of my lane, sitting there, literally frozen. I had to swerve to try and avoid it, almost hitting a tanker on the lane to my left...

Let me see if I understand this.

You almost inured or possible killed yourself, put [human] life and property in danger because you didn't want to hit a... -let me see if I get this right- ...

little wabbit

?!

Please, for the safety of all human beings who share the road with you in one form or another, take the bus.

If a rabbit gets in my way on the road I'm not going to put myself and others at risk to avoid hitting it. Granted, if I CAN I will safely avoid hitting it through a simple and gentle lane change or decrease in speed (nothing that would cause me to lose control of my car and nearly hit things) but, in the end, it's an animal. It's either going to be my car or the fox in the woods or some other animal.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Please, for the safety of all human beings who share the road with you in one form or another, take the bus.

Did you even read the vignette about the bus and the pheasants?

Besides, the bus didn't go where I wanted to be.

 

[Trekker4747]

Please, for the safety of all human beings who share the road with you in one form or another, take the bus.

Did you even read the vignette about the bus and the pheasants?

Besides, the bus didn't go where I wanted to be.

From your driving antics I'm guessing you want to be dead .

 

[RJDiogenes]

I always brake for animals, or swerve if possible. The only animal I've ever killed with my car that I know about is a bird. Feathers everywhere. It was terrible.

One time, I was driving down a road in Weymouth when a cat came tearing out of the woods right in front of me. I jammed on the brakes but the cat went right under the car even as I came to a stop. I saw it run out the other side and into the other woods, so hopefully it was okay. I took a look around but couldn't find it.

 

[JoeZhang]

I'm a country boy, so I've hunted and killed rabbits for food - It wouldn't even occur to me to risk other road users by swerving to avoid one.

 

[Trekker4747]

I'm a country boy, so I've hunted and killed rabbits for food - It wouldn't even occur to me to risk other road users by swerving to avoid one.

You're also a rational human being, it seems.

I was driving down a road once. Going about 45. A rabbit darted into the road and started running down it, I took my foot off the gas and gently applied the brakes. The rabbit turned around looked at me and froze. The next thing it likely saw was my catalytic-convertor crushing its skull.

My only options were to a)kill it b)swerve onto the on comming lane in a no-passing zone and with a blind hill c)swerve into a ditch d)slam on my brakes in a car without anti-locks so likely losing control and also hope that the person behind me is paying attention.

Sorry, I choose option a. My life, safety, the lives of others, my insurance premiums and the viability of my vechile were a lot more important than that rabbit.

 

[Lookingglassman]

A guy I work with swerved to avoid a deer, over corrected and flipped his truck. Dummy wasnt wearing a seat belt and got thrown from it and suffered a broken back and nose and lost his spleen. The accident happened over a year ago and he can barely walk and is on all kinds of pain meds. This is why I dont swerve when I see an animal.

 

[Capn Flukie]

*checks mirror*

Nope, still beautiful.

 

[Trekker4747]

A guy I work with swerved to avoid a deer, over corrected and flipped his truck. Dummy wasnt wearing a seat belt and got thrown from it and suffered a broken back and nose and lost his spleen. The accident happened over a year ago and he can barely walk and is on all kinds of pain meds. This is why I dont swerve when I see an animal.

For what it is worth: Striking the deer may have been just as bad. Hitting a deer isn't far removed than hitting a brick wall.