www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2128372_woman_taken_to_hospital_after_car_accident_in_caversham
70 years old, and still hasn't learnt that you don't swerve for small creatures. Look where the car ended up. There's more often than not someone with a pushchair on that island. It's a really dangerous place for pedestrians, and this old girl goes and does something like that. *eye roll*
|
|
Barmy. You do not swerve for pigeons. There are millions of them. Same with collared doves. In fact I applaud anyone who finishes one off. The most irritating morning drone known to man.
|
So what do you swerve for, if you risk hitting another car or pedestrian in doing so?
|
>> So what do you swerve for, if you risk hitting another car or pedestrian in
>> doing so?
>>
>>
Something bigger than you:)
|
Another car to avoid a pedestrian or something heavier/more solid.
I cannot forsee of a circumstance where I'd have time for the thought process involved in the considered risk of hitting a pedestrian. Suppose however one might risk a sideswipe of a ped or an impact after you've slowed/been slowed and people had time to scarper rather than the certainty of a direct impact of likley fatal consequence.
|
Got a pigeon last week, top of the windscreen. Moved my head to one side instinctively but held course - big ditches here.
Lots of wildlife here, badgers, foxes, rabbits mainly plus some deer especially muntjac. I try to stay programmed not to do instinctive swerves and so far have succeeded at the cost of hitting a few.
Boss came home with Boy in the car a month back having hit a muntjac in the dark. They had stopped but couldn't see it. They looked at the car when they got back and called me because there was a piece of muntjac in the lower intake. I gritted my teeth and pulled it out - it was a starling I think, from an earlier encounter.
Last edited by: Manatee on Wed 6 Feb 13 at 11:02
|
|
I managed to collect three small garden birds in the grille of a MK3 Escort once, on a roughly 5 mile journey between Winkfield Row and Windsor. Never had a bird in the grille before or since, three on one small journey was somewhat memorable.
Last edited by: Alanović on Wed 6 Feb 13 at 11:05
|
|
Copy that post into the speed camera discussion :-)
|
Pigeons and Grouse have a death wish with my cars. Pigeon hit the headlight on my Fiat, which then fell out and smashed on the road when I braked at the next set of lights.
A grouse punched my foglight in on the Altea
Bits of pigeon are still stuck in the Windscreen surround of the Lancer after I hit one at 70mph on the M23.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 6 Feb 13 at 11:11
|
Hit a roe deer in Keilder Forest many years ago.
Just at dusk on a long bend with about 30yards of clearing each side before the trees.
Doing about 40mph, it just appeared in the middle of the road.
Braked, but caught it dead centre.
New front panel, bumper, front sill. Just a slight radiator leak where the fan was pushed back - still driveable. Roe deer was about the size of a large german shepherd, so no damage to the bonnet.
Boss asked why I didn't swerve.
I'd have hit oneof the other two, which she hadn't seen.
In those days (thirty?years ago) £500 damage.
We stopped, and there was no sign af any deer.
Expensive camping holiday, and no barbecue to make up for it.
Last edited by: neiltoo on Wed 6 Feb 13 at 11:18
|
>> So what do you swerve for, if you risk hitting another car or pedestrian in
>> doing so?
>>
woodlice.
|
>> Same with collared doves. In fact I applaud anyone who finishes one off<<
You should applaud my dog then, he ate one last summer, feathers n' all :(
|
"he ate one last summer, feathers n' all :("
His mother want a word with you
sounds.bl.uk/Environment/British-wildlife-recordings/022M-W1CDR0001523-2000V0
|
Hit a pigeon going to work one morning, line of traffic doing 40 and islands so no swerve or brake, claoud of feathers but no sign of body.
When I go to work there was a pigeon sized hole in the grille and I thought I would find a carcase inside but it must have gone straigt out of the bottom.
Hit a grouse many years ago and it broke the number plante - huge cloud of feathers, Bird strikes can be spectacular.
Narrowly missed a fallow deer on Cannock Chase on Saturday, the challenge was the two ahead who turned round to come back accropss the road and the one behind it which kept coming . . . . . . You go for years without seeing one then get a herd all at once.
|
Here is Ford's way of dealing with pigeons
youtu.be/4QI71Oy1SbA
|
>> Here is Ford's way of dealing with pigeons
>>
>> youtu.be/4QI71Oy1SbA
The cat was better
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dzi_8Rscfs
|
|
How did they get passed to animal rights lot?
|
>>His mother want a word with you
sounds.bl.uk/Environment/British-wildlife-recordings/022M-W1CDR0001523-2000V0<<
I like the sound of Collared Doves, and find it peaceful, the one that Milo gulped down was a tatty looking thing and was probably about ready for the long goodbye anyway.
|
Funny how different cars 'handle' bird encounters.
The BX would whisk a wood pigeon over the roof with no contact other than possibly a light plucking by the radio aerial.
Xantia tries the same trick but not quite manage it; bird hits upper edge of windscreen.
Berlingo, as you might expect with aerodynamics of a breeze block just hits them; thump > feathers.
|
|
I remember seeing an old Mini hit a chicken (I think). The Mini came past me at an enormous rate of knots and then there was this cloud of feathers and steam. The Mini limped into the side of the road.
|
|
Sounds like the radiator was clucked
|
|
would have been better if the egg crossed the road.
|
|
Mini's have a strong shell and that's no yolk.
|
>> Funny how different cars 'handle' bird encounters.
True. The airflow over the Nissan Bluebird I had years ago would sweep errant fowl up and over the roof at speeds up to 80mph. Above that and they'd wallop the leading edge of the bonnet, I clouted at least one almost every time I went along the A422 towards Newport Pagnell. Hit a baby deer in the Skoda, never did get all the bits of fur out of the bumper trim strips.
I once had a pheasant pulverise the windscreen and a section of fibreglass roof on a LWB Hi-Roof LDV Convoy van at all of 40mph.
Recently smashed the lorry 'screen on a pigeon in Derby at 50mph, and a few days later almost smashed the replacement glass whilst catching up with an owl! The owl left an interesting imprint on the glass...
|
>> days later almost smashed the replacement glass whilst catching up with an owl! The owl
>> left an interesting imprint on the glass...
Yeah, I worked in a building that had a perfect lithograph of a large owl in flight on one of the windows, very detailed and life like, took the cleaners three months to get rid of it. Something to do with the oils in their feathers.
|
>> a perfect lithograph of a large owl in flight
That's it Z.
Unusually, it was the only time I had both my teenage girls in the lorry with me. I pointed out the owl taking off from the verge, and we all watched as it majestically spread its wings in the beam of the headlights and flew gracefully ahead whilst appearing to reverse into the glass right in front of our faces with great speed, culminating in a resounding BONG and a shower of feathers :))
|
I clipped a pheasant with my back wheel once. ( think the stupid thing thought it would commit hari-kari on a rear wheel to start a new trend in the pheasant world.) Blow me if the car behind didn't stop and put it in their boot!
Is it true that you're not allowed to pick up pheasant that you've run over, but they're fair game (!) if you come across one injured, or just an urban myth?
|
>> Is it true that you're not allowed to pick up pheasant that you've run over, but they're fair game (!)
>> if you come across one injured, or just an urban myth?
Several discussions across the 'net on this one. Seems it would technically be classed as poaching, but the rule would be unlikely to be enforced in the circumstances.
A couple of times I've been following cars that have hit moggies in the road, leaving them flailing about with obvious terminal damage. So I've finished the job 5 seconds after with my car - IMO it ends the cat's suffering and saves the owner from witnessing their fatally injured pet in distress for however long it takes to get it to the vets. No qualms about doing that.
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Wed 6 Feb 13 at 21:32
|
The pheasant that killed my fog light engaged me in a duel. The road was long and straight and empty. I had a fantastic view of his multicoloured bright helmet plumage as he half hid in the grass verge.
And then he pounced, into the road, to face me. I jinked left, he jinked left. I kinked right and he jinked right. Left, right, left right we circled each other like wary heavyweights in the ring, him determined to face me down in his territory.
And face me down he did, 60 mph of German designed, Spanish built panzer getting its light punched out. He didn't suffer, fought bravely, but alas another Cock Pheasant covered his brood of hens.....
Stupid birds pheasants. Dumb as sheep.
|
>> Stupid birds pheasants. Dumb as sheep.
After the mess that one made of my LDV Convoy, I visualise the things as breezeblocks with wings.
|
>> Stupid birds pheasants. Dumb as sheep.
>>
No, no, I won't have that. They are far far dumber than the dumbest sheep on earth
|
Aeons ago, a friend of a friend was driving down a country lane with a young lady in a very old beetle - 6volt electrics - poor headlights.
Hit a horse.
Since the centre of gravity of a horse is quite high, the beetle took the horse at leg height, and the body hit the windscreen.
The battery, under the rear seat lurched forward, and shorted on the seat crossmember leaving them with a lapful of horse, in the pitch dark.
|
|
Friend of my parents was killed in the late fifties when their Austin A35 hit a horse.
|
|
I had occasion to "Elk Test" my car at about 05.00 yesterday. Except it wasn't an elk, it was a badger. We both survived.
|
>> it was a badger. We both survived.
First badger I ever saw in the flesh (fur?) scurried out of the long grass and ran straight under my front wheels. "Oh look, it's a ba-" WHUMP!
|
A fair few years ago I was driving from Keswick to near Bassenthwaite and saw a dear on the side of the road and checked all round to make sure I could if necessary take action. Lots of warning signs too.
Last year driving back from near Hereford to the NW the M50 had restrictions to lanes (50mph, single lane) and a rabbit ran in front of us... I slowed a bit but couldn't avoid as single lane (barrier to right) and car behind.... not sure if I hit it or not but possibly did. We actually stopped at the next services for a toilet break but I checked the car... no evidence of hitting anything.
But the wide 18" tyres might and probably did flatten the poor thing. I tried my best to avoid with the limited options available. Wife and I both very upset but not a lot you can do in the circumstances.
|
>> a rabbit ran in front of us...
>> But the wide 18" tyres might and probably did flatten the poor thing. I tried
>> my best to avoid with the limited options available. Wife and I both very upset
>>
It's a rabbit for Gawds sake!
|
>> >> a rabbit ran in front of us...
>> >> But the wide 18" tyres might and probably did flatten the poor thing. I tried my best to avoid with the limited options available. Wife and I both very upset
>> It's a rabbit for Gawds sake!
>>
I understand his friend is looking for a new flatmate...
|
>> I understand his friend is looking for a new flatmate...
Well as it happens I spotted something suitable earlier in the week. The squirrel has gone from dead to rather flat.
It's one thing saying it's only a rabbit though.... and another ending a creatures life. If indeed I did but can't see how I'd miss it unless it was very lucky.
|
Lettuce think about this.
You might have stopped to drive it to the vet's. Assuming you had your clubs with you.
He was probably living on burrowed time.
|
>>You might have stopped to drive it to the vet's
My wife is a vet. Personally I think she aims for stuff on purpose.
|
>My wife is a vet.
You've been neutered then?
|
>> >My wife is a vet.
>>
>> You've been neutered then?
The threat's enough.
|
>> it was a badger. We both survived.
So the car didn't need to be toad away then.
|
Avoiding a pigeon?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hma4WubVMjI
Last edited by: Kevin on Thu 7 Feb 13 at 21:42
|
|
I spotted Coit Tower in SF and the Golden Gate bridge in that. I thought they'd make more of San Francisco :-)
|
Avoiding a pigeon - corax
