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I took my middle daughter to Virginia's Eastern Shore for the annual Pony Swim at Chincoteague. We enjoyed the event, had fun with some wonderful friends, ate marvelous seafood, and the car ran perfectly on the 3000 mile round trip. The only blemish was an encounter with a deer in Tennessee on our way home. It even had the audacity to leave a couple poo pellets on the hood. Nobody got hurt (except the deer and it ran off) and the car ran fine the rest of the way home. It could have been a lot worse!
Strat I've seen countless deer accidents around here. You should buy a lottery ticket my friend. It sucks that you got hit, but this could have been so much worse. I'll give you credit for fast reactions and good brakes.
As I wrote this it reminded me of a New Jersey urban legend. There are a huge number of deer accidents around here.
For years whenever someone moved here, local neighbors and friends would always warn them in all seriousness: if you ever get in an accident with a deer, always be sure to say: "I was hit by a deer." Never say "I hit a deer" when reporting it to your insurance company - as though it would take liability off you.
My bonnet (hood), wing, and grille survived, but I had to get new headlight, new nose-cone/ bumper, and painting. But - as with your case - nobody was hurt which is
For years whenever someone moved here, local neighbors and friends would always warn them in all seriousness: if you ever get in an accident with a deer, always be sure to say: "I was hit by a deer." Never say "I hit a deer" when reporting it to your insurance company - as though it would take liability off you.
Glad you are OK.
John
I had been working the 'Graveyard Shift' at the Gravitational Wave Observatory out at the 'Area' where I worked, which is about a thirty plus mile drive from my house and out of town into the desert, when the largest animal I had ever seen in my life literally came out of nowhere, and lucky for me, jumped over the hood of my car as I was driving Seventy MPH on my way home after shift; I usually worked 'Day Shift', but we were in the middle of a Data Collection Cycle, so I was manning shifts in the Control Room at night.
I upgraded my car insurance the next day to include 'Collision & Comprehensive' Coverage. I relayed to the Insurance Agent why I was upgrading my insurance when she leaned in, looked me dead in the eye, and told me: "If you are ever in an accident with anything other than another vehicle, and especially in the case of an animal, that the animal hit you (period)". She went on to say not to elaborate on the story with specific details to the Agents that come to evaluate the car after, even though they will try to get you to talk about it in more detail and then deny coverage, likewise with the Police Report, if there is one. She repeated this several times as she finished the contracts, no matter what type of object it was, "IT HIT YOU".
If I had hit that animal, which turned out to be a Moose ElK, I think, all I know is that it was taller and wider than a fracken horse, did I mention the 'Area' is a Nuclear Reservation, and it would have destroyed my Cutlass Supreme I was driving and me, had it not completely cleared the entire lane when it jumped, of the four lane split road. Seriously, I saw giant hooves cross my windshield left to right, and by the time it's back hoof was passing past the the right side of the windshield, it was very close and visible; needless to say it scared the crap out of me and could not have happened faster.
Glad you made it out unharmed physically; as for me, I went home and had one drink, after another!
Wow wow wow, and I thought it was an urban legend and was laughing at myself for once beliving in it. I appreciate the input mate. I guess we can all file this one away!!! I hope none of us ever get to test it out.
I just told the insurance company that we "experienced a wildlife encounter" and provided date, time, location, etc. They reminded me of my deductible and said to get it scheduled into the shop.
Be Careful Strato, the second set of people I spoke to, the 'Adjusters' that showed up at the shop and evaluated the vehicle about 'hitting' a pothole are the ones that talked the most, were the most congenial, and the ones that slapped me with an accident on my driving record for my encounter with the 'pothole' that snapped the rear drivers side sway bar on my Mercedes. SOB'S
Last edited by 03 XKR; Aug 7, 2016 at 05:24 PM.
Reason: Gratuitous Swearing
Oh Deer!
It even had the audacity to leave a couple poo pellets on the hood. Nobody got hurt (except the deer and it ran off) and the car ran fine the rest of the way home. It could have been a lot worse!
