Glad you're OK. Most people that say to swerve to prevent hitting an animal at the speed limit often have never hit a moving target like that. Really can't these deer read the deer crossing signs that we put up alongside the road? Of the two deer and a cow that I've hit over the years none of them have given me any warning. My wife has asked me before why can't you just avoid the deer, except the last one I hit she was with me so now she knows. Cars have a way of knocking the crap out of deers and I let the body shop clean that bit of mess off of the bonnet. There is a good note to come from all of this is that I now know how reindeer fly. (Its the MINI dust that lands on them right before launch)

 

Yeah, it's funny (odd, not haha) that people feel it would be unethical to kill large numbers of deer. I bet if they were ugly like an oppossum people would see them as the destructive, nuisance that they really are and wouldn't care of we allowed hunters to kill them by the dozen.

 

A COW??? Dare I ask how you ended up hitting a COW? Deer - I can dig that; they can be fast movers...but a BOVINE??? HA HAH HA - reindeer fly...HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!

 

That's nothing. My Dad, about 15 years ago, hit a horse.

The horse had gotten out of the pasture and was hit by a tractor-trailer. It was laying in the middle of the interstate, already dead. It was dark out... my Dad crested a hill in his Acura and there it was. The farmer was behing the horse waving his arms frantically to try to warn drivers. Too late. Smack. Totaled the Acura. The horse didn't feel a thing though.

BTW... that was an at-fault accident for my Dad. It's a comp claim to hit an animal, as I said earlier. But a dead animal... stationary in the road... Collision claim. You're expected to avoid stationary objects in the roadway.

This is why, when I was an Underwriting Manager and responsible for reviewing termination of policyholders for bad driving records, I would cut people slack in some cases. Not all at-fault accidents are equal.

 

That sucks dude.

Request some of that Bailout money!

 

Glad your MINI kept YOU intact.

Hopefully you'll be in another MINI soon.

 

Actually, Deers are not dumb animals, on the contrary. They are not programmed to handle a vehicle heading at them at 45 MPH or faster. They are programmed to out-run other predators with a Zig Zag [no Zug] motion that unfortunately does not work on cars. Dogs are squirrels have the same fate......

rrcaniglia, you are lucky to have USAA - there is no better Insurance Company out there. Unlike most, they actually cover you and as an added bonus, give you a dividend check each year!

Good luck with the claim; thank God you walked away from this in one piece.

 

Even though I am paid by a competitor, I would vouch for USAA. They have very good claim service.

As far as your dividend check, my company, State Farm, also pays a divident to our MUTUAL policyholders. Other insurance companies that operate on a Mutual basis do the same thing. It's not just USAA.

BTW.... more than one deer are not deers. They are still deer.

 

Thank you Dear!!!!!! or is that "Dears" since you have 3 MINIS????

 

I was following a delivery truck in a minivan and couldn't see that far ahead and when I got to where most of the cows were pinned up at I let off the gas. About the same time I seen the cow in the ditch outside of the fence something spooked it and the next thing I know its heading my way. I stomped on the brakes and started thinking man I don't want a cow setting in my lap so I started turning the wheel and ended up sideways in the road. The whole side of the cow slammed up along side the van. He just wondered off thinking man that hurts.

I turned that into my insurance and they got with farmer Browns insurance which replied with the cows were well pinned and well fed and that it was my fault. I guess this cow was hungry for more metal in its diet that day. This farmer is well known for not having a good fence and the offensive cow got back inside the fence. I wish now I would have killed it so I could at least have gotten steaks and hamburger instead of just tenderizing it.

 

BTW,

My hat is off to you as I see you are retired from the Air Force.

My dad retired as a Lt. Colonel; we lived in Delaware, Connecticut, Ohio, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Virginia. Growing up as a military brat was no less than Awesome! They took good care of us.

 

Very cool. Assuming your dead is still living, please tell him this Retired USAF person sends his regards.

And yes, the Air Force is a good life and they take good care of their Airmen and their families. BTW... in my career, I lived in Kansas, Germany, Arkansas, Japan, Oklahoma, Germany, Guam, and Kansas... in that order. And I had temporary duties in England, Italy, Korea, and about 20 other US States. LOVED it.

 

I must say, I have hit a deer once but I was on the brakes well in advance (middle of the day in CA on a flat road) I got my 4x4 Toyota pickup down to about 4-5mph before impact which was no small feat at 65mph.. I hit him right in the rump enough to spin him around and he looked pissed at me.. The only cow I encountered was also when I was stationed in CA.. He hit me! Big Bovine ran smack into the side of the duce & half I was driving at the time.. I guess he was in a hurry and I was in the way at 25mph.. He dented the passenger door and rocked the truck quite well. I think it it wasn't such a big truck he would have put me on the side..
I learned a long time ago, if it is an animal get on the brakes but don't swerve as you could loose control and crash worse than a little body damage.

I am happy you have USAA, they have always treated me great.

 

I'm glad you're ok! Sadly, I've bagged plenty of deer with my cars over the years. NJ is definitely overridden by them! Good thing you have USAA, they have always taken very good care of me!

 

I think I'll have "Betsy II" painted on the car underneath the S-side marker when I get the new one. Of course, they may fix Betsy. Anyway, thanks, all. It does help to vent to a friendly audience.
R

 

I am so sorry to hear of your accident, but glad you're OK!

Hopefully the fun of spec'ing a new Mini will soften the blow!

 

CR&PR&JB

Thankfully he is still kicking butt and taking names......you know those fly-boys don't know how to slow-down......

Regards!

 

Glad to hear that !

Yeah, slowing down after a long military career is tough. I still haven't lived in one home longer than 3 years since I was 18 years old, and I've been retired from the Air Force for 7 years now. The moment I start to spread roots, I get the itch to move.