Near Miss

Emjay · 13-07-09, 09:57 PM

what is it about me, the A50 and wildfowl??

Only a few weeks ago I smacked a pheasant at 90 as it ran in front of the Volvo. It's well documented on here.

Today and doing a much more sedate 70 on the inside I noticed the car in front brake sharply then swerve into the outside lane. Quickly stomped on the brakes, looked behind to see what might be about to cram up my arse and checked the outside lane for anything coming past me.

As the car in front pulls into the outside lane I suddenly saw why he took the evasive action.

A mother duck was happliy leading her 7 chicks across 2 lanes of rush hour traffic to the grass verge.....sweet...I was so glad I didn't hit them.

Coxy · 13-07-09, 10:03 PM

reminds me of when my mom and dad were out in their Herald years and years ago and dad drove over hundreds of frogs which were crossing the road. Unlike you, my dad didn't have time to stop and my mom said the noise was strangely horrifying!!
My mom doesn't like frogs anymore!

Emjay · 13-07-09, 10:05 PM

you ever tested the stopping distance of a Triumph Herald...60 to zero in 3 weeks

TheTwelveQuidKid · 13-07-09, 11:46 PM

Reminds me of a road kill incident about 4 or 5 years ago. I was driving my old Volvo 740 (non ABS model) along the straight bit of road between Goodwood and Lavant. There was someone in a Golf GiT, trying to see if he could fit his car into my boot or something. A pheasant which was standing at the edge of the road suddenly decided to step out. There was no way I could risk hitting the brakes (was doing 60), for fear of it getting under the front wheel and the brakes locking up, especially with matey in the Golf behind me. Couldn't swerve to avoid it as there were cars coming the other way. Stuck my hand on the horn, took my foot off the accelerator, and hoped for the best. Heard a very loud thud, looked in the rear view mirror. Saw a shower of feathers, with the vague image of a Golf with its wipers on.
I don't know where the pheasant went. Unless it ended up in the GTi. Didn't see it by the side of the road. I had a look under the car when I got back to work, no sign of it underneath. No damage to the barge (er I mean car). Don't suppose the pheasant came out of it so well.

Daveymaclad · 14-07-09, 06:04 AM

Nice story with a happy ending this time, but rule of thumb is you should never take 'evasive' action to avoid an animal stupid enough to get in the way, more times than not it's the trying to avoid an animal that causes more accidents and damage!

Of course there is special dispensation to this rule if what runs out infront of you is a pet (cat or dog). Especially a dog as I believe it's against the law to hit a dog and keep driving! Makes it all very time consuming!

MikeNZ · 14-07-09, 07:26 AM

Seconded - Years ago in another country I completely wrote off a nice 1984 80 quattro that shunted the arse of a car halted on a corner of the outside lane of a 60mph dual carriageway to let a mother duck with its ducklings cross the road. Interestingly, people who stopped to help were dodging cars trying to shepherd the duck/ducklings off the road.

Incredibly, despite the outbreak of paternal/maternal feelings for ducklings, no humans or ducklings were injured. Although the driver who stopped for the ducklings got a big surprise!

So I can say from experience, don't stop for small animals! Although a cow, horse or a deer would be a different story.

Booty · 14-07-09, 10:53 AM

Deers are not much fun either. Back in the early Nineties I was trying to get home from Ringwood to Stafford in me nearly new 7.5 tonne Mercedes truck. Came up through Savernake Forest ( Michael Ryan made famous...remember ) doing a steady 70mph ( I know I know ) and as it was Friday night I was buggered if I was going to have to have a night out in the truck as I only had a 'legal' 2 3/4 hrs left on my tacho. When out steps Bambi from behind a crumbling wall straight in front of me. The Deers head shattered the windscreen, smashed the drivers side A post air deflector, broke the front bumper so my headlight was shing at 45 degrees across the road and made me shit me pants. The Deer was a right off and the kind Gentleman in the Granada behind helped me pull it off the road. A did make a quick call to me Dad who promptly made a call to one of his Freemasons mates who funnily enough dealt in Game. It was a small matter of getting Granada man to give me a lift with Bambi into the back of the empty truck and then 'deliver' to said private farm / residence once back in Staffordshire whereupon I was the grateful recipient of £150 quid for my troubles. Nice work if you can get it.

Lankytim · 14-07-09, 02:13 PM

Ive had the plastic grilles on lorries smashed countless times on by phesants. I friggin hate them- stupid animals. One lorry driver I know had the screen of his lorry wiped out by a swan, he very nearly crashed!

Regarding hitting dogs, I believe it used to be a requirement to report it to the police but hasnt been for a number of years. Something to do with dog licences being abolished. So you are all free to run dogs over!

Booty · 14-07-09, 02:44 PM

What about Wood Pigeons, are they bloody stupid or what. First thing in the morning and they are all wobbling around the roads picking grit ( they have to to digest their food incase you didn't know ) and will they take off out the way, not on your life they wont. Bloody WoodPigeons.....breasts wrapped in Bacon and done on high heat for 20 minutes...delicious

Lankytim · 14-07-09, 02:46 PM

Oh yeah, I forgot about them! Why do they swoop so low over motorways? Crows and magpies have learnt that they need to fly high to avoild high vehicles but wood pigeons will swoop over at 6 ft above the road surface until BANG, Pigeon pate.

14-07-09, 10:53 AM	#7
Booty Moderator Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Deepest darkest Shropshire Posts: 5,077	Deers are not much fun either. Back in the early Nineties I was trying to get home from Ringwood to Stafford in me nearly new 7.5 tonne Mercedes truck. Came up through Savernake Forest ( Michael Ryan made famous...remember ) doing a steady 70mph ( I know I know ) and as it was Friday night I was buggered if I was going to have to have a night out in the truck as I only had a 'legal' 2 3/4 hrs left on my tacho. When out steps Bambi from behind a crumbling wall straight in front of me. The Deers head shattered the windscreen, smashed the drivers side A post air deflector, broke the front bumper so my headlight was shing at 45 degrees across the road and made me shit me pants. The Deer was a right off and the kind Gentleman in the Granada behind helped me pull it off the road. A did make a quick call to me Dad who promptly made a call to one of his Freemasons mates who funnily enough dealt in Game. It was a small matter of getting Granada man to give me a lift with Bambi into the back of the empty truck and then 'deliver' to said private farm / residence once back in Staffordshire whereupon I was the grateful recipient of £150 quid for my troubles. Nice work if you can get it. __________________ 1987 Audi Coupe quattro - Clarion Tribute Car 2012 Audi A6 Allroad 2004 Mercedes SLK 350 2017 Mercedes GLA 220

14-07-09, 02:13 PM	#8
Lankytim Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Stoke-on-Trent Posts: 513	Ive had the plastic grilles on lorries smashed countless times on by phesants. I friggin hate them- stupid animals. One lorry driver I know had the screen of his lorry wiped out by a swan, he very nearly crashed! Regarding hitting dogs, I believe it used to be a requirement to report it to the police but hasnt been for a number of years. Something to do with dog licences being abolished. So you are all free to run dogs over! __________________ 1979 Allegro 1500 special (nearly back on the road after resto!) 1993 Audi Coupe 2.6 (non runner at the moment) 1996 Citroen XM 2.5 TD- Veg oil burner. 2004 Fiat Multipla 1.9 JTD ELX. "Eagles may fly high, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines"

14-07-09, 02:44 PM	#9
Booty Moderator Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Deepest darkest Shropshire Posts: 5,077	What about Wood Pigeons, are they bloody stupid or what. First thing in the morning and they are all wobbling around the roads picking grit ( they have to to digest their food incase you didn't know ) and will they take off out the way, not on your life they wont. Bloody WoodPigeons.....breasts wrapped in Bacon and done on high heat for 20 minutes...delicious __________________ 1987 Audi Coupe quattro - Clarion Tribute Car 2012 Audi A6 Allroad 2004 Mercedes SLK 350 2017 Mercedes GLA 220

14-07-09, 02:46 PM	#10
Lankytim Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Stoke-on-Trent Posts: 513	Oh yeah, I forgot about them! Why do they swoop so low over motorways? Crows and magpies have learnt that they need to fly high to avoild high vehicles but wood pigeons will swoop over at 6 ft above the road surface until BANG, Pigeon pate. __________________ 1979 Allegro 1500 special (nearly back on the road after resto!) 1993 Audi Coupe 2.6 (non runner at the moment) 1996 Citroen XM 2.5 TD- Veg oil burner. 2004 Fiat Multipla 1.9 JTD ELX. "Eagles may fly high, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines"

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Mr and Miss Rowntree	Coxy	General Chat	9	17-11-09 06:24 PM
A miss spent youth	Micky	General Chat	14	14-12-08 01:11 PM
Did i miss anything??	90Quattro	General Chat	2	29-01-08 06:21 PM

13-07-09, 10:03 PM	#2
Coxy 4 Ring Mafia Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: on the side of a hill in Shropshire! Posts: 28,215	reminds me of when my mom and dad were out in their Herald years and years ago and dad drove over hundreds of frogs which were crossing the road. Unlike you, my dad didn't have time to stop and my mom said the noise was strangely horrifying!! My mom doesn't like frogs anymore!

13-07-09, 10:05 PM	#3
Emjay Man Fettler Extraodinaire Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Up my own arse blowing smoke Posts: 7,417	you ever tested the stopping distance of a Triumph Herald...60 to zero in 3 weeks

13-07-09, 11:46 PM	#4
TheTwelveQuidKid Grown up member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 422	Reminds me of a road kill incident about 4 or 5 years ago. I was driving my old Volvo 740 (non ABS model) along the straight bit of road between Goodwood and Lavant. There was someone in a Golf GiT, trying to see if he could fit his car into my boot or something. A pheasant which was standing at the edge of the road suddenly decided to step out. There was no way I could risk hitting the brakes (was doing 60), for fear of it getting under the front wheel and the brakes locking up, especially with matey in the Golf behind me. Couldn't swerve to avoid it as there were cars coming the other way. Stuck my hand on the horn, took my foot off the accelerator, and hoped for the best. Heard a very loud thud, looked in the rear view mirror. Saw a shower of feathers, with the vague image of a Golf with its wipers on. I don't know where the pheasant went. Unless it ended up in the GTi. Didn't see it by the side of the road. I had a look under the car when I got back to work, no sign of it underneath. No damage to the barge (er I mean car). Don't suppose the pheasant came out of it so well.

14-07-09, 06:04 AM	#5
Daveymaclad 4 ring whore! Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Bursledon - Southampton Posts: 2,575	Nice story with a happy ending this time, but rule of thumb is you should never take 'evasive' action to avoid an animal stupid enough to get in the way, more times than not it's the trying to avoid an animal that causes more accidents and damage! Of course there is special dispensation to this rule if what runs out infront of you is a pet (cat or dog). Especially a dog as I believe it's against the law to hit a dog and keep driving! Makes it all very time consuming!

14-07-09, 07:26 AM	#6
MikeNZ Grown up member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 246	Seconded - Years ago in another country I completely wrote off a nice 1984 80 quattro that shunted the arse of a car halted on a corner of the outside lane of a 60mph dual carriageway to let a mother duck with its ducklings cross the road. Interestingly, people who stopped to help were dodging cars trying to shepherd the duck/ducklings off the road. Incredibly, despite the outbreak of paternal/maternal feelings for ducklings, no humans or ducklings were injured. Although the driver who stopped for the ducklings got a big surprise! So I can say from experience, don't stop for small animals! Although a cow, horse or a deer would be a different story.