Where the Deer and Antelope roam

[lvmci]

Speaking of Elks, Deer and Antelope,  has anyone had the occasion to come up against large beasts on the open road, even at full speed? Is there a procedure, something like what experts recommend for a tire blowout.  Do you try to dodge, or slam on the brakes, try to side wipe, or? In the 80s we were driving thru Peoche, NV in an 80s Chevy Malibu station wagon, a large deer jumped down on to the hiway,  right in front of us, we rolled over sideways several times. Couldn't do anything because of the short distance. Clifford's, Sonja told me her story of an accident, with an errant pickup, that she steered their Eagle that was pushed off the crowned hiway, into the lower ditch,  kept the bus upright, in what must have been a very bumpy and difficult situation. I know keeping your cool is paramount,  but what sage suggestions can you impart to us? lvmci...

[Iceni John]

I say just hit the sucker.   Either it'll make a mess of the front of the bus, or maybe you'll be eating a lot of meat for the next few months, but either is better than rolling the bus (or worse).   Australian trucks and buses have roo bars for this same reason.   Much though I love animals, there's now way I'm going to risk my bus, my life, and those of anybody else near me by sudden swerves or panic moves, and if Bambi or Rudolph get turned into venison then so be it.   Sorry!

John   

[TomC]

You can try slamming on the brakes, but don't swerve! I drove big rig truck for 21 years and 1.3 million miles. I hit dear, dogs, cats, raccoons, etc. It is the hardest thing to train yourself not to swerve. The only thing that would be worth swerving and possibly laying over the bus is to avoid another human. Otherwise, keep the steering wheel straight. Good Luck, TomC

[Zephod]

Your bus should be tough enough to ward off a deer. If it's a choice between hitting something and wrecking off the road then hit it.


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[CrabbyMilton]

I hit one of those very stupid creatures with my car on the way to work 6 years ago. One crossed in front of me and I smacked the other one and the driver side. I was going about 40mph. Fortunately, it was only about $1000.00 worth of damage to my car that insurance covered most of it. My car is a MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS so I never lost control. Yes the deer was killed.
Just keep your eyes peeled and its better to hit them if you can't avoid it rather the swerve.

[luvrbus]

My wife Sonja took to the ditch to avoid killing 2 dumb @$# drunks ,I watched the ordeal in the mirrors of another bus she did a heck of job keeping the bus with a tow vehicle upright to keep from killing those 2 idiots 

[DoubleEagle]

Not making any sudden moves makes the most sense. My only encounter with a big animal was in a loaded tractor-trailer and a large buck deer that I smacked head on. It had darted out from a tree line on my right and stopped to turn back because another truck was just beside me in the other lane. There was an overpass abutment coming up, so I had no where to go. I braked, but I was going at least 60 mph when I hit him broadside. The bumper was bent, the hood was shattered, and the radiator and mount were damaged. Lots of blood everywhere, but the lights still worked, and the coolant leak was minor, so I still made the delivery on time. There was not much left of the deer after the trucks behind me ran over the remains. If it had been a car in the same spot, it might have gone into the windshield and hurt people.

[buswarrior]

Stay the course. Stay on the road. Brakes are your only defense.

DO NOT SWERVE.
You won't recover it. Same as anything else in the road ahead of you, meat vegetable or fruit. It's already too late, hit it and keep it on the road.

Where do you want your wreckage? Where the next guy drives by a dust cloud that settles in 30 seconds, and you bleed out in the ditch, or has to stop and help because you are in the way?

And guess what every driver who fell asleep and ran off the road claims...
Nobody is going to believe you.

Your coach weighs a lot more than that swamp donkey or Bambi. Let the physics work for you, not against you. That coach only changes direction if the tires change direction.

Be safe, stay on the road, in the lane, heading where you were headed all along.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[gumpy]

I hit two deer in Nebraska one night. One was just a clip on the nose, I think. The other one took out my driver's side lights and mashed the corner panel. I didn't even feel it, though it made a hell of a thump.

[Zephod]

I almost hit a deer that darted out across the road in front of my school bus my instinct was to brake but I realized I'd not stop in time so I didn't bother. It got out of the way just in time.


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[windtrader]

Not exactly a deer but on the trip bringing the bus home, I saw a white flash then BANG, thump, thump. All so fast, no time to react. Big red spot on the bumper with blood trails. Poor thing, I suspect it was a rabbit. In any case, unless I KNOW I can safely navigate around, it is going to take a full frontal.

[edvanland]

Have hit three with a Dodge Van over $2000 damage to the vans each time the deer ran off, I do not swerve period, grab hold with both hands and hang on.

[belfert]

We drive through cattle open range for about 50 miles every year.  We have come across cows in the road twice over the years.  The driver braked so hard to avoid hitting the cow that it threw some of the passengers around.  The front of my bus is just fiberglass so the driver would probably be seriously injured or killed if we hit a cow.

We try to drive through the open range area only during the day now.  If we go through at night we try to keep it at about 50 MPH.

[Sealark]

I was a Game Warden for 30 years and have literally investigated thousands of vehicle vs. wildlife encounters.  DO NOT SWERVE !!!  There have been way more injuries and deaths of drivers and passengers because somebody tried to swerve to avoid hitting the poor critter than there were when the driver held the steering wheel, slowed down, and went straight.  The exceptions are those that go through the windshield, like the buck that impaled the passenger with his antlers (we sit higher in a bus than he did in a Honda).

In deer country just slow down  a bit and be alert where tree lines or brush comes down to the roadsides, especially 1/2 hr. before dusk to and hr. after dark during June and October when the deer are moving most.  Always look for the one in front of or behind the one you see in the lights, they usually don't travel alone.  The deer whistles work by breaking their train of thought and getting their attention before crossing the road, but only if you keep the bugs cleaned out of the reeds or orafice.

Anything bigger than a deer, like a big bear, buffalo, elk, or moose is gonna do some major damage, that's what insurance  is for.  Just slow down, brake safely and DON'T SWERVE.

FYI, the major cause of deaths and injury in wildlife collisions are those involving Moose, they have a mind of their own, especially a bull in rut, in his mind that big dark windshield can look like the cow of his dreams, and he ain't gonna move anywhere but towards you.

Be Alert, Slow Down, and DO NOT SWERVE.  You'll have damages no matter what you do.  The difference will be if they repair the bus while you are in the hospital or sitting in your recliner telling the story with an ice cold drink.

[windtrader]

e Alert, Slow Down, and DO NOT SWERVE.

Exactly the same I hear in my head when faced with any critter on the side of the road. I do add one extra, that is, if it is 100% safe to alter course a bit, I will consider that option. Most times, my reaction time doesn't allow that though.