Two Seconds. Maybe Three.

Diggin It · Nov 11, 2021

Just that time, I might not have been here. Or anywhere.

Cruising along an Interstate this morning, 65-70, daylight but raining lightly, road wet. Quick glance at the mirrors as I always do, look back front and I see Blitzen (or maybe Donner, who knows) crossing my path at full gallop. Couldn't have been two car lengths in front of me, maybe only one. Never saw it coming, only as it was already in front of me and clearing my path. No chance to even hit the brakes at all. All four in the air, so a hit would probably have slid right up over the hood. No possible way that would have worked out well.

alexpops · Nov 11, 2021

Suicidal Texas Doe got me about two years ago on I-10 about 120 miles west of San Antonio. Mine was at night & she jumped in from the median while I was watching the shoulder. Had to be towed back to San Antonio & $10K and two months later got my truck back with visions of Ranch-hand bumpers dancing in my head. When the airbags went off, it smelled like I was in a duck blind, & luckily, the takata initiators weren't the ones with shrapnel -- even though GM keeps sending me notices to replace the original equipment. My wife laughs when I tell her I got an STD in Texas & tells me I'm lucky that she's understanding or it would have cost me a whole hell of a lot more than $10K.

Midniteoyl · Nov 11, 2021

Diggin It said:
Just that time, I might not have been here. Or anywhere.

Cruising along an Interstate this morning, 65-70, daylight but raining lightly, road wet. Quick glance at the mirrors as I always do, look back front and I see Blitzen (or maybe Donner, who knows) crossing my path at full gallop. Couldn't have been two car lengths in front of me, maybe only one. Never saw it coming, only as it was already in front of me and clearing my path. No chance to even hit the brakes at all. All four in the air, so a hit would probably have slid right up over the hood. No possible way that would have worked out well.

Had pretty much the same thing happen, only the deer was much closer. Enough that if it didn't bounce it's rear up I would have tagged it. 65mph on a 4 lane and while I was checking the rear view. Scared the ever loving out of me.

Living on completely dark rural roads, deer are a constant hazard, but this one got me.

BleedingOrange · Nov 11, 2021

What, no pictures ? LOL

2LaneCruzer · Nov 11, 2021

Weird, I know, but my truck wasn't two weeks old; coming home, a deer hit my left rear fender. First time I ever heard of that; usually the other way around.

bunyip · Nov 11, 2021

Mt Panorama, a tourist road when the big race is not on, not a deer but this what we get to put up with.

A few weeks ago my daughter wrote off her car when she hit a wombat, it is said that wombat is an aboriginal word for large hairy rock.
Daughter OK but neither the wombat or car lived to see another day.
I hit an emu in a Toyota Hi Ace van, van was a write off, it was like hitting a solid feather mattress, huge cloud of feathers and couldn't see a thing for a while.
Phoned the office and told them I hit a bird, didn't elaborate at the time, it's like hitting a 100lb roast turkey on crutches.

shooterdon · Nov 11, 2021

Hit a doe and fawn at the same time on a back road doing 50 mph. I was in a 99 Mercedes and totaled the car.

Before that, a deer slammed into the right side of a Ram pickup on the same road.

Had another near miss on the same road.

Need to stay off that road...bad JUJU.

JasperFrank · Nov 11, 2021

Have no idea why, but sometimes while driving my brain will say slow down, for no apparent reason, its just a feeling. I've learned to listen to this. And most times, sure enough there is that deer, dog, cow, tree in the road, well before I could have seen it. I don't believe in psychic powers, I do believe we have perceptional abilities well beyond what we can understand.

Bearsixty7 · Nov 11, 2021

2LaneCruzer said:
Weird, I know, but my truck wasn't two weeks old; coming home, a deer hit my left rear fender. First time I ever heard of that; usually the other way around.

It's more common than you think. You must drive faster than my dad.

My Dad worked at the Richland MO. Post Office when I was growing up. He would go in early, usually arrive about 6-7AM. One morning a buck ran into the drivers side door of his 81 (I think it was) Chevy pickup. It busted the mirror off, shattered the window and bent the door all in. He was very lucky an antler did reach him and hurt him or worse! And he has never been a fast driver.

Jstpssng · Nov 11, 2021

I was driving a friend's van which he used for his catering business one rainy night when I saw several deer on the left shoulder. I was paying attention to them so didn't notice the deer on the right until he stepped in front of me. That wouldn't have been a problem had it been my truck; but his van had drum brakes all around which didn't work in sync. It also didn't have working seat belts ( I believe they were so nasty that they'd been shoved under the seat) so when the door opened as I rolled completely over I wrapped my arms around the steering wheel in a death grip. The windshield was crushed to the dashboard but somehow I walked away... the next day his employees all thanked me for wrecking it.

It wasn't until some years later that I realized I should have at least apologized, if not offer to pay for it.

To the OP; kudos for your luck today.