Bambi vs. the Impala, as in BOOM!

[smokeythecat]

Or, why I go the speed limit at 4:30 am. So I headed out to the beach early, was 94 degrees outside today. I go down this one 40 mph limit road that is polluted with deer, and anybody that travels this road knows it. I take my fire engine red Impala around a slight curve and see Bambi, a yearling, on the right side of the road 50' away and 20' off the side of the road. Of course, Bambi is a moron, and turns around and runs right in front of the car. It does take a bit to stop a big Impala. I literally slammed on the brakes and went from 40 to probably 15 or just above that real fast, but Bambi wasn't quite fast enough.

Hit it full broadside. Half a second later the car was going about 2 mph, I was in a major decelearation and I watched what happened next. Remember in the film the other Bambi fell on the ice, all four legs spread out and slid across the ice.? Well, Moron Bambi fell, did two turns on her belly with legs splayed wide, slid off the road at the end of the 2nd turn, did another half turn on the grass, got up and ran like all perdition was after her into the woods. She was running a LOT faster after the hit.

My best bet is Moron Bami will live to tell the tale, it's head and neck were not hit, no broken legs and a hard bump, but the way it ran off, barring anything messed up inside, it went and ratted on me to all its other deer friends.

Impala is fine. Tiny 1/4" pair of indentations when the plastic bumper cover started to push on the supports underneath where the bumper mount is located. An annoyance, but nothing to really fix. Impala was treated to a DELUXE car wash today. Didn't hit it hard enough for the airbag to go off, which was definitely a miracle.

 

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[Kurios1]

Yes, deer can be a pain in the bumper or whatever part of your vehicle they decide to plow into. I used to honk my horn when I'd see one ahead of me along the roadside. Not anymore as they must take that as a signal to attack your vehicle. Glad Bambi ran off unscathed. Maybe she learned her lesson but, I doubt it. You can't fix stupid in people or animals.

 

[smokeythecat]

No, you can't fix stupid. Least the insurance company doesn't need to be involved. I didn't have the time to honk, either. They'd probably interpret that as a mating call.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

My only deer strike was when one jumped DOWN on my VW Jetta SportWagen from above when it tried to leap over me and I knocked it back into the air and hit it again on the fall. Deer was pretty scrambled and fully dead but I was able to drive home. Still did $4K in damage.

 

[smokeythecat]

I had one sit on the hood a few years ago and did $400 in damage. Not too bad though.

 

[dsdigger]

At least you knew this section had a reputation for being a deer hazard. Had a boss who hit one dead center with his Toyota pickup and buckled the hood back to the windshield, the deer walked away after it stood back up. He and the State Trooper that responded looked for it in the woods beside the road but never found any further sign and it left just a little fur in the truck grille. I used to run my car with those deer horns on them and never saw any until I started using them. Think they were calls and not warning signals.

 

[SusanMN]

Be thankful that Bambi didn't go through the windshield and take you out. Happens often and the outcome isn't good for the deer or front seat riders. And if a deer runs in front of your car and you miss it, hit the brakes and wait a few minutes before proceeding. Lots of times there are a couple more following it

 

[AlienLifeForm]

That's why I usually let off a round or two out of the window while going down the road. You never can be too safe.