It's ok Ken, I saw that tongue a mile away...

 

Ken,

Your introductory sentence set up your obviously humorous post. Maybe some folks failed to read the disclaimer.

 

Okay, the last couple of posts have saved the Mini world from the wrath of a non user of emoticons.


Ken

 

>>>>Can I just get in with this before one of our "bleeding hearts" does...
Although this is a good line to start with, maybe smiley face with wink might be a good addition or even a disclaimer at the end. It's really hard sometimes to tell about the humor when it is a topic like this.


>>What would you do if you are driving at night and all of a sudden a creature dives in front of your car with less than a split second to react?

I have had this happen to me at 430am in the morning with OK visibility very dark in rural areas just about a mile out of my motel area I was going along maybe 40mph when in a second there was a very very large furry grey brown something that ran very quickly right in front of my rental van barely missing me. I was startled and shocked something so big was moving so fast and still I had so little time to see it. Once it passed I barely had any time to see what it was because it was so dark. No street lights. I think I was at the speed limit or under it. Very scary. No time to think, I didn't have time to press the brake either. No fog.

>>We were driving only 5MPH above the speed limit, no rain, minding our own business to make it safely back to Williamsburg which is a good 1 and a half hour drive from Richmond.
>>
>>At 70MPH that Raccoon was done and over with, period. A 2,600 pound car moving @ 70MPH will slice any living creature like a hot knife, sorry but that is the reality of it.

I think you are correct given the laws of physics.

>>I was not going to pull over to check on whatever was left of the Raccoon. It was late at night, dark, cold and plus we were in an unfamiliar area. Pretty unsafe to expose my wife and myself to further risks ...

This is the point of my post and it is not a small one. I think that the safety of people given the circumstances is the most important thing. If you feel you are unsafe to look out there in the dark or there is no safe shoulder and there are other trucks that may not have enough warning to slow for you then don't stop unless your car is unsafe to drive.

The other thing that happens all the time is when trying to avoid an animal one looses control of the car and hits another car or worse. The animal is saved and the people are very hurt including other people that had nothing to do with the close call with the animal. Sounds like driving school time.

>>Sorry, but human life is still worth more than the life of any other creature. Some people seem to forget that.

Absolutely. The collision is very unfortunate. If it is safe to stop then you may try to render assistance but it isn't going to good most of the time. The minor injured animals will manage to escape and get away under their own power.

Driving rural roads is a bit hazardous. Is that why they have those nice rally lights? Wow that would be a ton of light.

 

Now I understand why people that regurarly drive in pitch black roads opt for the Xenon headlights and driving lights. Well worth the investment.

 

Ken, You're from California, We've got lots of people out here who think that way. That made your post somewhat believable.